Big 12 Defenses by the Numbers: Week 10

Posted on November 8, 2021

NCAA Basketball: Big 12 Basketball Tipoff

Three Big 12 defenses had standout games in Week 10. K-State’s defense did what a defense is supposed to do against Kansas. Iowa State’s defense stood tall and put the clamps on Bijan Robinson and the Texas’ offense. However, no defense had a better performance than Oklahoma State’s in Morgantown as the Cowboys roped and tied West Virginia’s offense. Oklahoma State without question has the best defense in the Big 12 and is making a case as one of the two or three defenses in the nation along with Georgia and Wisconsin.

For my money, Oklahoma State’s defense is second only to Georgia. Wisconsin has the better statistical numbers overall, even better than Georgia’s in several categories, but Wisconsin gave up 41 points to Notre Dame at a neutral site, and a week later Michigan hung 38 in Madison. Oklahoma State hasn’t given up more than 24 all season long (OSU allowed 24 points at Texas and at Iowa State).

Here are the Big 12’s defensive numbers after Week 10. As always, caveat lector: stats can be deceiving.

2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 8, 12 . . .

2 Third-down conversions allowed by Oklahoma State

3 Third-down conversions allowed by K-State and Texas

5 Sacks by Iowa State

7 Tackles for loss by Baylor, K-State, TCU, and Texas

8 Tackles for loss by Iowa State

8 Sacks by Oklahoma State

12 Tackles for loss by Oklahoma State

FEWEST MISSED TACKLES PER GAME

1. Iowa State – 9.55 per game, 86 total

2. West Virginia – 9.88 per game, 89 total

3. Oklahoma State – 10.66 per game, 96 total

4. Baylor – 10.77 per game, 97 total

5. Oklahoma – 11 per game, 99 total*

6. Kansas State – 11.55 per game, 104 total

T7. TCU – 11.66 per game, 105 total

T7. Texas Tech – 11.66 per game, 105 total

9. Kansas – 11.77 per game, 106 total

10. Texas – 12.11 per game, 109 total

NOTE: Oklahoma’s total missed tackles has been adjusted from 101 to 99. Iowa State jumped up to the top spot after WVU’s average missed tackles per game went up by 1.

TEAM SACKS PER GAME

1. Oklahoma State – 3.33 per game, 30 total

2. Kansas State – 2.56 per game, 23 total

3. Iowa State – 2.44 per game, 22 total

T4. Oklahoma –2.33 per game, 21 total

T4. West Virginia – 2.33 per game, 21 total

6. Baylor – 2.22 per game, 20 total

7. Texas – 1.67 per game, 15 total

8. Texas Tech – 1.56 per game, 14 total

9. TCU – 1.33 per game, 12 total

10. Kansas – 1.0 per game, 9 total

NOTE: Oklahoma State leaps into first with 8 sacks against West Virginia – just one shy of KU’s season total.

SCORING DEFENSE

1. Oklahoma State – 16.33 points per game, 147 total

2. Iowa State – 18.22 points per game, 164 total

3. Baylor – 20.56 points per game, 185 total

4. Kansas State – 21.56 points per game, 194 total

5.West Virginia – 23.00 points per game, 207 total

6. Oklahoma – 24.22 points per game, 218 total

7. Texas – 29.78 points per game, 268 total

8. TCU – 31.11 points per game, 280 total

9. Texas Tech – 33.00 points per game, 297 total

10. Kansas – 42.78 points per game, 385 total

NOTE: I’m using the NCAA’s official totals, which are flawed because the NCAA counts points scored by opposing defenses, such as safeties, pick-sixes, and scoop-and-scores as if they were scored by the opposing offense against the defense. It’s a dumb, but convenient.

TOTAL DEFENSE

1. Oklahoma State – 277.0 yards per game; 2,493 yards total

2. Iowa State – 282.4 yards per game; 2,542 yards total

3. Kansas State – 340.3 yards per game; 3,063 yards total

4. West Virginia – 355.9 yards per game; 3,203 yards total

5. Baylor – 364.3 yards per game; 3,279 yards total

6. Oklahoma – 381.1 yards per game; 3,430 yards total

7. Texas Tech – 402.6 yards per game; 3,623 yards total

8. Texas – 437.2 yards per game; 3,935 yards total

9. TCU – 437.7 yards per game; 3,939 yards total

10. Kansas – 481.8 yards per game; 4,336 total

Note: Oklahoma State and Iowa State are 3^rd and 4^th nationally; K-State is 32^nd; WVU is 48^th. No other Big 12 defenses rank in the Top 50 in total defense. Kansas may have gotten a small break – a statistical due to a statistical error that appears to not yet have been corrected by the NCAA (K-State had just over 500 yards of offense against KU but was credited for just under 500); nonetheless, the Jayhawks are allowing a stunning 480+ yard per game.

RUSHING DEFENSE

1. Oklahoma State – 86.2 yards per game; 2.61 yards per carry; 776 yards total

2. Iowa State – 101.9 yards per game; 3.04 yards per carry; 917 yards total

3. Oklahoma – 108.2 yards per game; 3.34 yards per carry; 974 yards total

4. Kansas State – 117.3 yards per game; 3.49 yards per carry; 1,056 yards total

5. West Virginia – 122.3 yards per game; 3.60 yards per carry; 1,101 yards total

6. Baylor – 126.6 yards per game; 3.5 yards per carry; 1,139 yards total

7. Texas Tech – 141.7 yards per game; 4.22 yards per carry; 1,275 yards total

8. TCU – 201.6 yards per game; 5.27 per carry; 1,814 yards total

9. Texas – 201.7 yards per game; 5.20 yards per carry; 1,815 yards total

10. Kansas – 250.0 yards per game; 6.16 per carry; 2,250 yards total

Note: OSU is 4^th nationally; ISU is 11^th; OU is 17^th; KSU is 22^nd; WVU is 27^th; BU is 34^th; TTU is 57^th; TCU is 114^th; UT is 115^th; KU is 128^th. KU’s numbers would be worse if not for an intentional grounding call against K-State that credited KU with a 20-yard sack. Remove that call, and K-State rushed for 9 yards a carry. KSU RB Deuce Vaughn had over 14.7 yards per carry against the Jayhawks.

PASSING EFFICIENCY DEFENSE

PER = Pass Efficiency Rating

The formula is for pass efficiency is: { (8.4 x yards) + (330 x TDs) – (200 x INTs) + (100 x completions) } / attempts

1. Oklahoma State – 114.56 PER; 1,717 yards; 6 TDs; 8 INTs; 159 completions; 268 attempts

2. Iowa State – 129.58 PER; 1,625 yards; 13 TDs; 7 INTs; 143 completions; 238 attempts

3. Baylor – 129.85 PER; 2,140 yards; 10 TDs; 9 INTs; 174 completions; 284 attempts

4. Texas – 136.36 PER; 2,120 yards; 10 TDs; 7 INTs; 197 completions; 289 attempts

5. Kansas State – 138.93 PER; 2,007 yards; 8 TDs; 6 INTs; 181 completions; 262 attempts

6. West Virginia – 142.62 PER; 2,102 yards; 14 TDs; 5 INTs; 178 completions; 274 attempts

7. Oklahoma – 151.99 PER; 2,456 yards; 19 TDs; 5 INTs; 200 completions; 302 attempts

8. TCU – 156.05 PER; 2,125 yards; 15 TDs; 9 INTs; 138 completions; 223 attempts

9. Texas Tech – 158.33 PER; 2,348 yards; 22 TDs; 7 INTs; 197 completions; 286 attempts

10. Kansas – 170.19 PER; 2,086 yards; 17 TDs; 3 INTs; 161 completions; 227 attempts

Note: An error had Texas Tech had 7^th last week.

INDIVIDUAL SACKS

1. Felix Anudike-Uzomah (KSU) – 11 sacks, 1.22 per game

2. Will McDonald IV (ISU) – 10 sacks, 1.11 per game

3. Eyioma Uwazurike (ISU) – 7.5 sacks, 0.83 per game

4. Dante Stills (WVU) – 6 sacks, 0.75 per game

T5. Collin Oliver (OSU) – 5.5 sacks, 0.61 per game

T5. Isaiah Thomas (OU) – 5.5 sacks, 0.61 per game

T7. Nik Bonito (OU) – 5 sacks, 0.56 per game

T7. Tyree Wilson (TTU) – 5 sacks, 0.56 per game

9. Brock Martin (OSU) – 4.5 sacks, 0.56

T10. Devin Harper (OSU) – 4.5 sacks 0.50 per game

T10. Perrion Winfrey (OU) – 4.5 sacks, 0.50 per game

Note: Anudike-Uzomah leads the nation in total sacks. McDonald is tied for 3rd. Anudike-Uzomah is tied for 5^th nationally in tackles for loss with 13.