The Sooners’ opponent Saturday is a team that has surprised many people this year and, behind the talent of sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin, managed to work its way into the top 25 this season.

“No question, [Griffin is] one of the most athletic overall players maybe in the league, but certainly the most athletic overall quarterback,” OU defensive ends coach Bobby Jack Wright said. “Their offense really flows through [him], and he’s the spark plug of all of it.”

It is no secret that Baylor coach Art Briles’ offense runs through the dual-threat capability of Griffin, but the balance of the Bears’ pass-and-run attack should not be overlooked, defensive coordinator Brent Venables said.

The Bears rank ninth nationally in total yards per game, averaging 489.2 this season, also good for second in the Big 12. They rank 24th in rushing and 15th in passing yards per game.

Senior running back Jay Finley has already eclipsed 1,000 yards this season. His team-best 11 rushing touchdowns are followed by Griffin’s eight touchdowns and 508 yards.

The receivers are led by junior Kendall Wright’s 798 yards and six touchdowns. Sophomore Josh Gordon is next with 651 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. The next three receivers combine for more than 1,000 yards and four touchdowns.

The team’s offensive success is a big reason why this usually dismal Baylor squad has seven wins this year, and three of the Bears’ four losses came to top-25 teams: BCS No. 3 TCU, No. 10 Oklahoma State and No. 19 Texas A&M.

The Bears’ weakness is their defense, which has allowed 27.7 points per game this year and is 97th nationally. The Bears give up 424 yards per game to opposing offenses.

Saturday’s game in Waco, Texas, could easily end up a shoot-out between the Sooner offense, which put up 45 points against Texas Tech last week, and Baylor’s, one of the most productive in the nation.