Base offense: Multiple. Defenses trying to hide deficiencies are bound to get exposed against this versatile unit. The Sooners are about as balanced as you can get — 51 percent of their yardage has come via the pass and 49 percent via the run. Tailback Adrian Peterson has drawn so much attention while rushing for at least 100 yards in an NCAA freshman-record nine straight games that one almost forgets quarterback Jason White is still running the show. And the 2003 Heisman Trophy winner, who throws nearly 29 times per game and is completing 62.4 percent of his passes, is every bit the showman he was last season. Still, OU's heavier emphasis on the run has led to the Sooners rushing for at least 200 yards in six games. Their per-game average of 216.1 is their highest since 1991. Last year, Oklahoma had 314 rushes as a team. This year, with Peterson averaging 26 carries, they've run the ball 401 times. That's a tribute to tackles Jammal Brown and Wes Sims, and center Vince Carter, three of the best linemen in the Big 12. With Peterson's emergence, senior flanker Mark Clayton isn't putting up the same kind of numbers (1,425 yards, 15 TDs) that led to him being a 2003 Biletnikoff Award finalist. He's still made 46 receptions, 24 of which have resulted in first downs. Recently, White's also been zoned in on senior wide receiver Mark Bradley, who has caught all six of his TD passes in the last three games. 

Base defense: Multiple. This year's group probably isn't as stout as the 2003 unit that had All-Americans in linebacker Teddy Lehman, tackle Tommie Harris and cornerback Derrick Strait. In the past two games, the Sooners have been beaten by the deep ball while giving up 35 points to both Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Oklahoma ranks 83rd nationally in pass defense. But it also held Texas Tech without a passing TD in between a pair of 70-point eruptions by the Red Raiders, and handed Texas its first shutout in 282 games. The fact OU has produced 16 of its 19 interceptions during Big 12 play would indicate the Sooners have taken to former Nebraska defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, who's in charge of the secondary. That group has been without cornerback Antonio Perkins for the past four games and freshman Marcus Walker came out of a redshirt last week to try and provide stability. Though they no longer have to worry about the suspended Dusty Dvoracek, Nebraska's offensive tackles will have their hands full trying to contain Dan Cody, Jonathan Jackson and Larry Birdine rushing from the edges. Linebacker Rufus Alexander doesn't get the same kind of publicity, but he's quietly No. 2 in tackles with 61. Free safety Brodney Pool has 65.

Special teams. The Sooners would rather have Antonio Perkins, who set an NCAA record with eight punt returns for touchdowns, but Mark Clayton has stepped in to average 14.4 yards per return. He also took one 50 yards to the end zone. Kicker Trey DiCarlo (7-for-13 on field goals) isn't having near the year as 2003, when he connected on 19 of 22 attempts. Punter Blake Ferguson has picked his game up, though, averaging 42.2 yards and placing 18 of 38 inside the 20. Only 16 of his punts have been returned, for a paltry 4.5-yard average. Mark Bradley, in his first year as the holder, is a trick-play threat. He threw a TD pass last year.

Game breakers:

JASON WHITE, QB: The 2003 Heisman Trophy winner is making a bid to repeat. Over the last four games, he's thrown for 1,158 yards, eight TD passes and just one interception.

ADRIAN PETERSON, TB: His per-game rushing average of 152.6 yards is fifth-best nationally. 

DAN CODY, DE: Eight of his team-high nine sacks have come in the past five games.

Scouting report. Oklahoma is winning by an average margin of 19.6 points, and only three teams have come as close as 10, two of them in the last two games. Here are some impressions of the unbeaten Sooners:

"We view them as a running team. I think most teams do, too. That (ground game) is the biggest concern." — Texas Tech coach Mike Leach, who watched OU rush for 221 yards and pass for 151 in a 28-13 victory.

"The only way anybody scores on OU is to get squirrely. You're not gonna beat them (in Norman). It isn't happening." — Houston coach Art Briles, whose club lost 63-13.

"What they do is, they have great coverage with the DBs and then they bring so much pressure up front. You can't get anybody open, and then they are right on top of you." — Houston quarterback Kevin Colb, who still completed 15 of 22 passes for 221 yards.

"We weren't going to mount 90-yard drives on them. The best way for us to move the ball was to make big plays. That's how we won the (2003 Big 12 championship) game in Kansas City. We just didn't feel like we could have some of those 20-play drives in the running game." — Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, whose team was held to 1 rushing yard on 25 attempts in a 31-21 loss.