The Daily's Clark Foy gives his position matchup advantages and disadvantages for OU and Nebraska in Saturday's Big 12 Championship.

QUARTERBACK

Freshman Taylor Martinez took the league by storm to start the season by leading the Huskers to five convincing wins, including a 48-13 blowout against the Kansas State Wildcats. Since that time, Martinez has struggled in the passing game and his status is currently unknown for the championship game after his own center stepped on his ankle in their 9-6 loss at Texas A&M. This season, Martinez has proven to be deadly rushing the ball — 134 carries, 974 yards, 12 touchdowns — and quite the opposite passing the ball — 1,435 yards, nine touchdowns, five interceptions, 59.5 completion percentage. Landry Jones is coming off a crazy Bedlam game in which two 86 and 76 yard touchdowns in the last couple minutes of the game put the Sooners up for good. While Jones is not a dual-threat quarterback, he has completed 66 percent of passes this year for 34 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and just 53 yards under 4,000. With Martinez’s status unknown and his recent scuffle with coach Bo Pelini circling around the media, Jones on a roll, and the Nebraska backups (Cody Green, Zac Lee) all but reliable, this one goes to OU.

Advantage: OU

RUNNING BACKS

Both teams compare pretty evenly here. Senior DeMarco Murray provides OU with a feature back while senior Roy Helu Jr. plays the same role for Nebraska. True freshman Roy Finch has come on strong for OU in the past few weeks, proving that he is a versatile and viable option out of the backfield, while Nebraska sophomore Rex Burkhead is a polished rusher and blocker who has proven to be very dangerous with the ball in his hands. However, Helu is virtually non-existent in the receiving game (five receptions all season and 46 yards to Murray’s 64 catches, 535 yards, five touchdowns), and while he averages 6.7 yards per carry to Murray’s 4.4, Murray has 11 more touchdowns and over 1,500 all-purpose yards to Helu’s 10 and sub-1,200 yards. Still, Burkhead is a weapon — a reliable one — something the Sooners have yet to establish despite the up-and-coming Finch.

Advantage: Push

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

This is perhaps the most one-sided position on the field. OU’s corps is headlined by junior Ryan Broyles (115 rec., 1,391 yards, 13 touchdowns) and true freshman Kenny Stills (50 rec., 630 yards, four touchdowns), not to mention the tailback Murray, who has contributed over 500 yards and five touchdowns. Nebraska’s top receiver, Niles Paul (39 rec., 516 yards, one touchdown) has had a rough season on the offensive side of the ball yet has excelled in special teams play. However, Paul will not be playing in the game this weekend, which leaves the Huskers with one receiver who has 40 receptions or more. Every other Nebraska receiver has under 20 receptions.

Advantage: OU

DEFENSIVE LINE

While Oklahoma does have the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year — senior Jeremy Beal — Nebraska boasts three defensive linemen that made the first or second team All-American list in the Big 12. The Huskers also have 29 sacks over the course of the season to OU’s 27, and OU has faced questions on the interior line all season.

Advantage: Nebraska

LINEBACKERS

Both OU’s Travis Lewis and Nebraska’s Lavonte David have proved themselves as two of the best linebackers in the league with Lewis receiving second-team and David first-team All-Big 12 honors this past week. However, after the two stars at linebacker, both teams lack another playmaker, and instead result to playing more defensive backs than three linebackers every play. Whomever has the edge between Lewis and David is anyone’s guess, as is the rest of the depth at the position.

Advantage: Push

DEFENSIVE BACKS

OU has had a better secondary this season than most had thought it would. Most knew senior Jonathan Nelson would be reliable, as would senior Quinton Carter, but nobody saw how strong cornerback Jamell Fleming has come on throughout the season along with Tony Jefferson, Demontre Hurst and Aaron Colvin. However, Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara might be the best defensive back in the country, while Eric Hagg and Alfonzo Dennard also received All-Big 12 honors this past week, with Amukamara receiving the title of Defensive Player of the Year. OU’s secondary has sure surprised many, but Nebraska’s is the best in the country and leads their fifth-ranked defense on the field in both talent and experience.

Advantage: Nebraska