How Red Zone Scoring Could Shape Bedlam 2017

When in-state helmets collide on Saturday there will be several numbers to watch for. Though red zone scoring has been a concern for Oklahoma State at times this season, and it had better not be against Oklahoma.

First we’ll update you on our ppr numbers (or points per red-zone attempt) for the Big 12 through Week 9. We’ve kept you abreast of these numbers all season and at this point in the year, teams are shaping into what they are.

Offensive PPR

West Virginia has been at the top of this metric all season and was able to continue that on Saturday in Morgantown against the Cowboys. The Mountaineers turned in a 6.0 PPR by scoring two touchdowns and one field goal on three red zone attempts. But Oklahoma State out-performed the league’s top team on its field with a 6.25 mark, seven touchdowns and one field goal in eight trips.

Oklahoma climbed two spots last week after its perfect 7.0 mark (six TDs on six trips) against Texas Tech, which, as we’ll see below is one of the worst teams in red zone defense — a fact which made OSU’s trip to Lubbock all the more frustrating. If the Cowboys hadn’t performed poorly in the red zone (two missed field goals) that game is won more comfortably.

Let’s take a look at the Big 12’s red zone defenses.

Defensive PPR

Oklahoma State has been holding onto the No. 4 spot for the past three weeks, while Oklahoma has been in the 6-7 range in defensive PPR all season. That’s a step back from the Sooner defense that led the Big 12 in that stat the past two seasons, and it shows one side of a unit which has regressed from its level of play from the last couple of years.

Red zone efficiency has played an important role in several recent Bedlam bouts but it’s just one part of the equation. Obviously turnovers and special teams plays have helped sway this series as of late.

I look at positive PP numbers as a result of a team taking care of its business. You are supposed to score when you get in the red zone. Good teams do, better teams score more touchdowns than field goals. That’s the basis for this metric.

If Oklahoma State can take advantage of those opportunities and limit the high-powered Sooner offense in theirs’, it will have a good chance of earning a big win and staying alive in the Big 12 title race.