A Win is a Win is a Win

NORMAN ? When evaluating a team's success, there are style points and there are points scored.

Bottom line, points scored always wins the game, and with its 48-47 survival in Bedlam on Saturday afternoon, the No. 6 Oklahoma football team has now outscored nine of its 10 opponents this season.

The manner in which OU (9-1 overall, 6-1 Big 12) has reached the bottom line at times has given its fans heart palpitations, and how the Sooners beat Oklahoma State (5-5, 2-5) was another vintage example.

The 122nd consecutive sellout and third-largest crowd (87,635) in Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium history witnessed a mathematician's dream that offered 1,342 total yards, 163 plays, 95 points and 68 first downs.

“That's why they call it Bedlam,” OU head coach Lincoln Riley said afterward. “It lived up to the name, lived up to the rivalry.”

The Cowboys amassed 640 total yards, averaged 7.4 yards per play, went 10 of 16 on third-down conversions and accumulated 39 first downs.

And yet the Sooners somehow managed to manufacture one more point.

"The great thing for us right now is that every goal that we want to be in front of us is right there in front of us."
- Lincoln Riley

The OU offense finished with 702 total yards and had 300-plus yards in both rushing (353) and passing (349) for the third straight game. The Sooners averaged 9.1 yards per play against the Cowboys and remain on pace to set an FBS record this season.

In an effort to contain OSU's superb running back combo of Justice Hill and Chuba Hubbard, the OU defense essentially dared the Cowboys to throw the ball, and fifth-year senior quarterback Taylor Cornelius obliged by completing 34 of 53 passes for 501 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

OSU also rushed for 139 yards and four touchdowns with Hubbard finishing with 104 yards and three scores.

“Defensively, we were probably a little bit of a victim of (having) such an emphasis coming in of trying to make them one-dimensional in the throwing game,” Riley conceded. “I think that was certainly a big part of the plan.”

Although the Sooners' offense steamrolled another opponent, it was two huge defensive plays that helped clinch the victory.

The first key stop was a fumble recovery at the OU 36-yard line by sophomore linebacker Kenneth Murray with 6:09 remaining and the score tied at 41. The Sooners promptly drove 64 yards in six plays to take a 48-41 lead with 3:29 left.

“We have some improvements to make,” Murray said of his team's defense, “but at the end of the day, no win is a bad win.”

The second key stop came on OSU's potential game-winning, two-point conversion attempt with 1:03 remaining, when OU sophomore cornerback Tre Brown knocked down Cornelius' underthrown toss to red-hot wide receiver Tylan Wallace (10 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns) at the goal line.

“If the roles had been reversed, I'd have done the same thing,” Riley said of Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy going for two rather than trying to force overtime. “I give him credit. It was a bold call, but he's a bold coach that's why he's been as successful as he has been.”

Gundy stood by his decision afterward.

“It was a hell of a college football game,” Gundy said. “Sure would have liked to have completed that last pass. Sometimes in life, things don't always go your way. But I told the team I couldn't be any more proud of them. Came to the fight, stood tall and said, ?Here I am.' That's what we asked them to do and that's what they did.”

For the second straight week, the Sooners had a 300-yard passer and two 100-yard rushers. Heisman Trophy hopeful Kyler Murray completed 21 of 29 passes for 349 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Freshman running back Kennedy Brooks rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns while sophomore Trey Sermon had 124 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

“The O-line was awesome,” Riley said.

By winning its 15th straight game in November, OU's goals for a fourth straight Big 12 Conference championship and another CFP appearance remain alive, which explains all the smiles in the post-game interview session.

“The great thing for us right now is that every goal that we want to be in front of us is right there in front of us,” Riley said. “Sometimes you've got to win them when you're not at your best.”

Asked if he thought OU could be a playoff team with this defensive unit, interim defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill said, “Personally, what I think, is win by one. Win the game. When you've been in (coaching) as long as I have, you know how hard wins are... Nothing can ever take away from the feeling of winning.”

The 811 combined yards in the first half (453 for the Sooners, 358 for the Cowboys) were the second most in an FBS half this season (New Mexico and Incarnate Word combined for 843 yards on Sept. 1).

“Were we at our best tonight? No,” Riley admitted. “Especially in the first half. Especially there. We did miss more tackles than we have been missing. It's something that we're going to have to do better.”

OU is now 88-18-7 (.810) all-time in Bedlam and has won 14 of the last 16 meetings.

“This team's proven it can separate from some people,” Riley said. “It's proven that we can win some tough games. It's proven that we can handle adversity. Those are all things you have to do here at the end of the season.”

The Sooners close their home season next Saturday at 6:30 p.m. against Kansas (3-7, 1-6).

Players Mentioned

Kennedy Brooks

Tre Brown

Kenneth Murray

Kyler Murray

Trey Sermon

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics