No. 8 Oklahoma (3-0) vs. Cincinnati (1-2), 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
Line: Oklahoma by 18.
Series Record: Oklahoma leads 1-0.
Last Meeting: 2008, Oklahoma won 56-26.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Oklahoma wants to start 4-0 for the first time since 2008 and take some momentum into its next game, Oct. 2 against No. 8 Texas at the Cotton Bowl. The Bearcats desperately need a good showing. The two-time defending Big East champs have already lost twice as many games as last season and are in danger of falling to 1-3 for the first time since 2006.
KEY MATCHUP
WR Ryan Broyles vs. Cincinnati’s inexperienced defense. The junior receiver made his collegiate debut during a 52-26 win over Cincinnati in Oklahoma in 2008, setting a school freshman record with 141 yards on seven catches. He has six straight 100-yard receiving games and has scored at least one touchdown in five of the last six. He’ll be facing a defense that has no senior starters.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Oklahoma: DE Jeremy Beal has four tackles for a loss and a pair of sacks. He had 11 sacks last season, the fourth-best total in school history. Cincinnati hasn’t been able to protect QB Zach Collaros, sacked 15 times already – matching the Bearcats’ total for last season. Cincinnati’s offensive line has already been revamped.
Cincinnati: RB Isaiah Pead missed most of the last two games with a swollen knee. Without their top returning rusher, the Bearcats had to rely on Collaros, who ran 22 times for only 32 yards against North Carolina State. If Pead can’t get some yards on the ground, Bearcats are in for a tough time.
FACTS & FIGURES
The game is at Paul Brown Stadium, the Bengals’ home field. It’s the second time Cincinnati has played there. The last time produced one of the most memorable games in school history. A dropped pass in the end zone allowed Ohio State to hold on for a 23-19 win on Sept. 21, 2002. The Buckeyes went on to win the national title. … Oklahoma hasn’t played in Ohio since Sept. 24, 1977, when Uwe Von Schamann’s field goal in the closing seconds gave the Sooners a 29-28 win at Ohio State. They’ll play in Columbus again in 2017. … Oklahoma is accustomed to playing in NFL stadiums. They played in the Cowboys’ and Dolphins’ stadiums last season. … It concludes a two-game series for the schools.
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