Oklahoma vs. UTEP Game Notes

Sept. 2, 2000

Oklahoma's 55 points tonight were its most since beating Missouri 55-17 on Nov. 7, 1992, under Head Coach Gary Gibbs.

The game time temperature of 106 degrees broke the previous Memorial Stadium record high of 105 degrees (vs. North Texas in 1998).

Derrick Strait and Kory Klein, both redshirt-freshmen, made their first career starts on defense, while sophomore Mike Skinner made his first career start on the offensive line.

UTEP's first-quarter touchdown was the first touchdown allowed by the Sooner defense at home since the second quarter of last year's game against Texas A&M. The scoreless span lasted a total of 10 quarters.

Senior free safety J.T. Thatcher made his first career start on defense for the Sooners and recorded his first career interception. His only other career start was as a tailback in 1997 against Nebraska.

Sophomore Roy Williams' 35-yard interception for a touchdown was his third interception in his last seven regular season games.

Williams' interception marked the second time in the last two regular season games that OU recorded an interception for a touchdown (Mike Woods registered returned a 44-yard interception for a touchdown last year against Oklahoma State).

Andre Woolfolk played wide receiver and cornerback. He became the first Sooner to play both offense and defense in the same game since Steve Zabel in 1969. Andre Woolfolk played a significant defensive role in the second half as he took part in 31 plays as a cornerback after halftime.

Tonight's attendence of 74,761 was the largest in a season-opening game since 1988.

The crowd marked the third largest in Memorial Stadium's current configuration.

UTEP accomplished what no team could last season by scoring 14 points against the Sooners at Memorial Stadium. Baylor's 10 points last year were the most recorded by an OU opponent in Norman.

True freshman Renaldo Works scored his first three career touchdowns on runs of 19, six, and five yards. The last time a true freshman scored at least two rushing touchdowns was in 1993 (Jerald Moore against SMU).

Works' three-touchdown performance was the first by an OU running back since De'Mond Parker in 1996 against Nebraska. Both Works and Parker attended Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa.

OU's win tonight extended its home winning streak to eight games. It's the longest home winning streak since the 1985-88 seasons when the Sooners reeled off 19 consecutive home victories.

Heupel threw for 274 yards this evening. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in 11 of his 13 games at Oklahoma.

Five true freshmen played for OU tonight: Dan Cody, Lance Donley, Teddy Lehman, Jimmy Wilkerson and Renaldo Works.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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