OU asserts will, never was challenged
A strong run defense and balanced offense, sparked by a 100-yard day for freshman Blaylock, made sure the Oklahoma Sooners easily controlled their first road trip of the season, defeating an overmatched Temple 42-3 in Philadelphia.
The Sooners were never seriously challenged by the Owls. They led 28-3 at halftime and then outscored Temple 14-0 in the second half. Oklahoma is now 3-0 and enters SEC play next week at home against Auburn.
Blaylock scored two touchdowns in his 14-carry, 100 yard day.
QB John Mateer was 20 for 34 passing, for 282 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also ran 7 times for 75 yards — one play being a 51-yard TD run. His running frequency was obviously more limited, something OU coaches preferred to avoid injury.
Mateer’s streak with at least one rushing TD and one passing TD is now 9 straight (including his play last year at Washington State), which is the current longest streak in the nation.
Oklahoma got off to a quick start, driving 67 yards on ten plays and scoring on a Jovantae Barnes 3-yard run for the first touchdown with 9:36 remaining in the first quarter. An unusual two-point conversion made by a Jaren Kanak throw to TE Jacob Ulrich gave the Sooners an 8-0 lead and they never looked back.
The run game got in gear in the second quarter, with Blaylock running for 75 yards and scoring twice.
The receptions by Isaiah Sategna III (7-97 yards) and Jaren Kanak (4-86 yards) were also key in keeping Sooners’ drives alive.
“He’s been making some really good plays for us. I’m real excited for him,” offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said about Kanak.
The Sooners punted only four times in the game. By contrast, Oklahoma’s defense thwarted the Temple offense, making 11 tackles for losses and forcing 12 punts.
Kendel Dolby, Reggie Powers III and Taylor Heim lead Sooners tacklers with four apiece. The defense made four sacks of the Temple quarterback. DL David Stone and Jayden Jackson had strong games blowing up the Owl run offense.
Temple converted only three of 16 third down plays.
“This is a hungry group,” Coach Brent Venables said of his defense.
Owls coach K.C. Keeler said of Oklahoma: “Their defense has some savages.”
The Sooners’ good fortune was marred by a targeting penalty in the third quarter that will suspend defensive lineman R. Mason Thomas for the first half of next week’s game against No. 24 Auburn. Thomas was flagged for a high hit on Owls quarterback Evan Simon.
Venables said OU would appeal the targeting decision.
WR Keontez Lewis was injured late in the first half when he took a shot to the head on a Mateer pass, that resulted in an interception.
Oklahoma had 515 yards total offense (228 rushing and 287 passing).
Meanwhile, the Owls’ season doesn’t get easier. Next week they play Georgia Tech, which on Saturday upset No. 12 Clemson 24-21.
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