Defensive end, Jeremy Beal (44), tackles former Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell during last seasons game against the Red Raiders on November 22 2008 in the Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Zach Butler/The Daily

Game Essentials:

What: OU (6-4, 4-2 Big 12) at Texas Tech (6-4, 3-3 Big 12)

When: Saturday, 11:30 a.m.

Location: Lubbock, Texas

Venue: Jones AT&T Stadium

TV: FSN

Quick Facts:

• OU leads the all-time series, 12-4, including a 4-2 advantage in Lubbock. Texas Tech has won the last two meetings in Lubbock.

• Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach was OU’s offensive coordinator in 1999, Bob Stoops’ first year in Norman.

• The losing team in this series has not scored less than 21 points in any of the last four games.

Keys to the Game:

• 1) Who can get to the quarterback?

Believe it or not, as dominant as OU’s defense has been this season, Texas Tech’s defensive linemen have kept pace with the Sooners in terms of sacks. Both teams rank first in the Big 12 and second in the country with an average of 3.30 sacks per game. Defensive ends Brandon Sharpe (10.5 sacks) and Daniel Howard (7.5) will be coming after Landry Jones, and we’ve seen what can happen if pursuers are able to get to him. The Sooners could snap their Lubbock losing streak if they can put the heavy pressure on first-year starter, junior quarterback Taylor Potts.

• 2) On the road again.

The Sooners have thus far posted the abysmal road record of 1-4. It’s cause for concern then that OU will play away from Norman again this weekend, especially since the Sooners have lost the last two games they played in Lubbock. Inexcusable things like an excess of penalties can absolutely kill a team away from home. Last week against Texas A&M, OU committed 11 penalties totaling 102 yards. The Red Raiders already rank sixth in the nation with 462.30 yards per game. It will likely be a long trip back to Norman if the Sooners give their opponent 100 unearned yards this weekend.

• 3) New look.

OU will sport its new Nike Pro Combat uniforms this week, and perhaps that’s just the thing it needs for a new approach in Lubbock. The uniforms are supposedly more efficient and significantly lighter than the current ones. Faster and more agile, the Sooners may play like the record-breaking offense of last year, perhaps even duplicating the 65-21 nuking OU laid on the then-No. 2 Red Raiders last season in Norman. Or maybe a uniform is just a uniform.

They said it:

• Bob Stoops on the team’s performance on the road vs. at home: “You have to look at everything. The opponent probably makes a difference, the style of defenses you’re going against, the number of turnovers you get. Whether you’re at home or on the road it all goes together. There are a lot of differences.”

• Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson on why the scoring is down in the league: “Last year was the first year of the spread. Last year you had some more talented players playing with [Sam] Bradford, [Jermaine] Gresham and those guys. With graduation we lost some good guys so I’m sure that’s a little bit a part of it. To me, I think, other than turnovers, our lack of production has been with the increased number of penalties we seem to have that get us in first-and-twenty.”

• Junior running back DeMarco Murray on playing on the road in Lubbock: “We know the past two times we’ve been down there we’ve lost. Last year we beat them here at home, but it’s always a crazy time when playing down in Lubbock. Their fans are pretty crazy.”

OU will win if: The offense puts up the numbers it does in Norman, avoiding the terrible mistakes and stats we’ve seen away from home.

Texas Tech will win if: Mike Leach and Co. can somehow again force the Sooners into the sloppy play.