Oklahoma vs. Kansas State: Game Grades, Analysis for Sooners and Wildcats

There was no doubt in this game. The Oklahoma Sooners were out for blood and found seal-infested waters in Manhattan, Kansas, as they routed the Kansas State Wildcats 55-0. 

Baker Mayfield and his partner, Sterling Shepard, were extraordinary after a disappointing showing last week in the Red River Rivalry. 

There aren't many surprises in these game grades, but let's check them out nonetheless. 

Oklahoma Sooners

Rush Offense: A. The Sooners racked up 232 total yards on the ground, led by Joe Mixon with 73 yards and a score. What made Oklahoma so dynamic on the ground was the fact that four players had at least 30 yards. 

Pass Offense: A+. A tour de force from Mayfield ended with the stat line of 20-of-27 passing for 282 yards and five touchdowns. He made Bob Stoops look like the genius he is for starting him over the once promising Trevor Knight this season. 

Rush Defense: A+. K-State is known as a "shove it down your throat," old-school type of team. The Sooners gave up just 65 yards on the ground, with most of it coming in the second half with the game well in hand, all but making up for last week's letdown against the Texas Longhorns. 

Pass Defense: A+. You'd think a team that stopped the run would have given up a few pass plays. Nope. K-State, which switched from quarterback Joe Hubener to Kody Cook and then back to Hubener late, finished a combined 5-of-22 passing for 45 yards and three interceptions. 

Special Teams: A. No issues here. Oklahoma made all its kicks and, perhaps most impressive against K-State, didn't give up any big returns. 

Coaching: A+. The truly special thing about the way Stoops coached his guys to a true throttling of K-State, his old team, is that he did it with his guys on short rest. After four planes failed to get the Sooners off the ground in Norman, there were bound to be distractions and fatigue. You couldn't tell, that's for sure. 

Kansas State Wildcats

Rush Offense: F. One week after being lambasted for not running the ball, and the clock, enough in the second half against TCU, the Wildcats showed that neither running nor passing may be right for them. Oklahoma limited K-State to 65 yards on the ground and swallowed it up the entire game. 

Pass Offense: F. Nothing worked for the Wildcats. It was their first shutout in more than 200 games played, and neither Hubener nor Cook could find a rhythm. It just wasn't K-State's day. 

Rush Defense: D. Oklahoma went mostly to the air to get its lead, but the Sooners still pounded it in against the Wildcats to the tune of 232 yards on 52 carries. As bad as the offense was for K-State, it doesn't help when it gets put in a huge hole early. 

Pass Defense: F. Mayfield lit up the K-State secondary the entire first half, and his showing ultimately decided this game. K-State's secondary has struggled all season, but none more so than against the Sooners. 

Special Teams: C. A missed field goal by Jack Cantele from just 32 yards out was an early turning point in the game, as the Wildcats couldn't even find that silver lining after falling behind 14-0. 

Coaching: F. The teacher became the unwitting student on Saturday as Stoops, an old assistant under Bill Snyder, completely outworked his mentor. The final score says it all.