No. 18 Oklahoma’s defense made it clear it was much improved from last year’s poor performances, fending off a highly touted SMU offense and holding onto a 28-11 win Saturday on Owen Field.
The SMU Mustangs barely scratched the scoreboard in the first 30 minutes of play, trailing 14-3 at the half.
But in the fourth quarter, SMU narrowed the OU lead to 14-11 with 12:09 left in the game. Then, the Sooners offense kicked into gear.
“I love that about our team — the fight and the courage and the belief and the never flinch attitude that they had,” Coach Brent Venables said. “I thought, that was what you want to see. A year ago, I’m not sure if we would have figured out a way to win that game.”
A sputtering Oklahoma offense — sometimes rattling its own fans with some unusual play calling on 3rd and 4th downs — kept the game close, until the offense’s surge late in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 17.
The Sooners defense held SMU to 4 for 16 on third downs. In each of its first two games this season the Sooners have held opponents to below 25 percent on third down conversions.
Most notable on defense was OU linebacker Danny Stutsman, who compiled 17 tackles and the Sooner’s only QB sack.
Stutsman broke up an important third quarter screen play to thwart SMU’s attempt to narrow the OU lead.
Later, Stutsman recovered a fumble forced by DB Key Lawrence to end what would have been a 23-yard SMU gain into OU territory later in the 3rd quarter.
Inexplicably, Stutsman posted on social media after the game that his car was towed from the stadium area. Yes, really.
LB Jaren Kanak had two pass breakups in the first half, including one on fourth down. These were his first two career break ups. He finished the game with a career high of four tackles.
The spark for the offense was RB Tawee Walker, whose 30-yard run in the second quarter sustained a 94-yard drive that ultimately put the Sooners up 14-3 at the half, with a 2-yard Gabriel pass to Blake Smith. Walker had a career high 117 yards on 21 carries on the night.
“I’m a big believer in Tawee, the type of worker he is, the downhill threat he is,” OU QB Dillon Gabriel said. “Not afraid of contact, just setting the tone that way. I think it’s all relative to how we want to play.”
QB Dillon Gabriel sealed the Sooners win with a 27-yard 4th quarter TD pass to running back Marcus Major, who started the game. Gabriel finished the game with 19 of 27 passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns.
Andrel Anthony caught seven passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.
SMU outgained Oklahoma 367 yards to 365, but SMU turned the ball over twice and had a punt blocked (by freshman Peyton Bowen). Oklahoma had no turnovers.
But SMU’s fourth quarter TD was the first touchdown Oklahoma has allowed this season. The last time the Sooners went seven quarters without allowing a TD to start the season was in 2003.
Next: Oklahoma visits in-state opponent Tulsa on Saturday.
(photo credit: Olivia Lauter/OU Daily)
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