Kansas @ Oklahoma preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 19, 2013 ) Oklahoma 34, Kansas 19

Freshman Cody Thomas makes his second career start when No. 22 Oklahoma hosts Kansas on Saturday, and coach Bob Stoops expects a better game from the 6-4, 211-pound quarterback. "I feel confident he'll even make a bigger jump this week, having been out there that whole game and having the experience of it,'' Stoops told reporters about Thomas, who was 10-of-20 for 133 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions in a 42-30 victory over Texas Tech last week. The Jayhawks, who have lost nine straight to the Sooners - all against Stoops - by an average of 24 points, have lost 25 straight Big 12 road games.

Oklahoma starting quarterback Trevor Knight will miss his second straight game with a neck injury, while the Sooners' Sterling Shepard, who Monday was named a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, could not play against Texas Tech continue because of a groin injury. ''I thought I could give it a go Saturday, and it was feeling pretty good, and I just didn't want to hurt it any worse,'' Shepard told reporters. "I felt it pull up a little bit, but no further damage.'' Kansas gave No. 5 TCU all it could handle last week, leading by 10 in the third quarter before succumbing 34-30.

TV: Noon ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Oklahoma -25

ABOUT KANSAS (3-7, 1-6 Big 12): The Jayhawks gained some confidence last week as junior quarterback Michael Cummings threw for a career-high 332 yards and matched a career best with two touchdown passes. “He had a leadership quality about him to where he was able to take control of situations,” interim coach Clint Bowen told reporters about the junior, who was inserted as the starter six games ago when Bowen took over for the fired Charlie Weis. Kansas, though, has the worst offense in the Big 12 at 19.4 points per game - 114th in the nation among the 125 FBS teams.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (7-3, 4-3): The Sooners' rushing attack - 19th in the country at 240.9 yards per game - is led by Samaje Perine (1,001 yards), who rushed for 213 yards and three touchdowns last week and is third in the FBS among freshmen with 100.1 yards per contest. “He’s mature beyond his age,'' Stoops told reporters about the 5-11, 243-yard Perine, who was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week. Oklahoma will likely be without starting linebacker Geneo Grissom (sprained MCL) and cornerback Julian Wilson (broken left thumb), who leads the team with seven pass breakups.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Sooners have won 47 straight games - five in 2014 - when leading at the half, the longest active streak in the FBS; the Jayhawks have lost 13 in a row when trailing at half.

2. Kansas has dropped 25 consecutive Big 12 games when allowing 30 or more points, yielding an average of 46.2 points during those contests.

3. Oklahoma leads the series 71-27-6 with Kansas' last victory a 20-17 decision in 1997.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma 45, Kansas 20