Sooners Cut Loose vs. the Cowboys

Asked to describe the recent play of his team's defense, Oklahoma redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler smiled and said, "Man, it's just a breath of fresh air."

And thanks to all that new air, the Sooners' once-suffocating hopes for winning a sixth straight Big 12 championship are breathing strongly.

OU's 41-13 dismantling of intrastate rival Oklahoma State on Saturday night means that despite a shocking 0-2 start to the conference season, the Sooners are riding a five-game winning streak and have taken a significant step toward returning to the Big 12 title game, although it is not necessarily a "win-and-in" scenario.

"We're starting to play some decent football," OU head coach Lincoln Riley said matter-of-factly afterward.

Win their last two games – at West Virginia next Saturday and a home game against Baylor the following week – and the Sooners (6-2 overall, 5-2 Big 12) could very well get a shot at claiming their 14th Big 12 championship overall.

"We wanted to play tonight like we're the hunter and not the hunted," Riley said. "That was kind of our mindset the whole week."

"We wanted to play tonight like we're the hunter and not the hunted. That was kind of our mindset the whole week."
- Lincoln Riley

In the final three weeks, the league's top contenders will meet head-on to determine the Big 12 championship game finalists at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (tentatively set for Dec. 19). First-place Iowa State (6-1 in Big 12) has games remaining at Texas (4-2) and at home against West Virginia (4-3). Texas also plays at Kansas State (4-3). OSU (4-2), saddled with losses to OU and Texas, has three games remaining against non-contenders.

Played before a COVID-limited crowd of 22,700 on a damp night at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, the No. 18-ranked Sooners sparkled in front of a national television audience on ABC with arguably their best overall performance of the season.

OU outgained the No. 14-ranked Cowboys 492-246 in total yardage, holding OSU's much-lauded rushing attack to 78 yards and 2.8 yards per attempt. The Cowboys also completed just 15 of 40 passes and were sacked four times. The Sooners averaged 7.2 yards per play, twice the average of the Bedlam visitors.

A swarming defense helped catapult OU to a 21-0 lead with 6:09 left in the first quarter. The Sooners have now outscored opponents 124-17 in the first period this season.

Two key defensive moments in the quarter came from sophomore linebacker David Ugwoegbu's interception at the 7:53 mark and junior linebacker Ronnie Perkins' rag-doll, slam-down sack of starting quarterback Spencer Sanders on OSU's next possession that forced Sanders to leave the game until returning in the fourth quarter.

Ugwoegbu's spectacular sequence came when he tipped Sanders' pass at the line of scrimmage and in the same motion caught the ball inches above the turf. The play held up after review.

"I got my hands up," Ugwoegbu explained. "At first, when I tipped it, I thought it was behind me. I almost did a full-180. Then I saw the ball out of the corner of my eye. But when I dove on it, I knew for a fact that it wasn't going to get overturned. My hands are sure."

The defense has had a noticeable lift in execution and intensity since Perkins returned after missing the first five games of the season.

"Shoot, you sit out for that many games, you kind of feel like a starved, caged lion," said the 6-foot-3, 247-pound Perkins, who had two sacks and three tackles for loss Saturday. "Once you free a lion out of a cage, he's gonna do what he has to do to eat. That's kind of how I feel going out there every week. I'm getting all the meals back that I missed."

Defensive teammates immediately felt Perkins' presence upon his return.

"We love Ronnie," Ugwoegbu said. "Every time he makes a play early, the whole defense follows behind him, and you could see that (tonight)."

Having a bye week to prepare helped the OU defense mend some wounds and sharpen some schemes to pressure the Cowboys' multiple-threat offense.

"That and we've got a little something in No. 7 (Perkins), No. 11 (linebacker Nik Bonitto), No. 33 (defensive end Marcus Stripling), No. 8 (defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey). We've got some dogs up front, man," Ugwoegbu said.

Much of the attention leading up to Bedlam focused on OSU's stringent defense, and OU defenders definitely took note.

"Once you free a lion out of a cage, he's gonna do what he has to do to eat. That's kind of how I feel going out there every week. I'm getting all the meals back that I missed."
- Ronnie Perkins

"We just wanted to prove we (were) top dog," Perkins said. "We're the best defense in the Big 12. We've been hearing about their defense throughout the week, no disrespect to them at all. Sounds kind of crazy to say, but defense is running through Oklahoma in the Big 12, too, now. Offense and defense.

"We kind of expect to do this, week in and week out. I wouldn't say it's like a surprise, it's kind of our standard now, I should say. Whatever game we play, we need to dominate."

OU second-year defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said the defensive key comes at the line of scrimmage. "We want our opponents to have a respect factor for what we are up front," Grinch said. "I've certainly been pleased with those guys up front. The confidence is building."

Grinch said Perkins' presence "affects everything. It highlights the entire front. You see a guy who is reckless in the right ways. It's something offenses obviously have to account for, regardless where he lines up. It makes it fun calling stuff. Where can we put him? (I'm) thrilled for him that he's back with us and obviously you see the impact."

Rattler excelled in his first Bedlam game, completing 17 of 24 passes for 301 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for a score.

OU's winning streak coincides with Rattler's steadily improving execution. He now has 14 total touchdowns and one interception (which was tipped) since being benched briefly in the second quarter against Texas five games ago.

"I told myself I needed a big game, especially in this one," Rattler said. "It's not just me out there. Everybody played well."

Rattler also spread praise throughout the OU defense.

"The defense played amazing tonight," Rattler said. "When they're playing like that, you can't be more happy."

Like Perkins has buoyed the defense, the reinstatement of senior running back Rhamondre Stevenson has transformed the Sooners offense.

Since returning three games ago, Stevenson has averaged 153.0 all-purpose yards. Against the Cowboys, he finished with 141 rushing yards (121 in the second half) and had 54 receiving yards on three catches.

"When we need a first down, he's the guy we're going to go to," Rattler said of the 6-foot, 235-pound Stevenson, who reportedly has dropped 11 pounds while re-gaining his conditioning. "Handing him the rock is just never a bad idea."

Riley said of Stevenson, "The fun thing for that kid is he's still got so much more to go. He's relatively still such a young player. In his life, he still really has not played a full college football season. He gets better, but I give our line a lot of credit."

OU held OSU to its fewest points in Bedlam since 2009 (a 27-0 OU victory) and the Sooners have allowed a combined 29 points the last two meetings.

OU extended its Bedlam winning streak to six games, has won 16 of the last 18 meetings and is now 90-18-7 (.813) all-time against the Cowboys with a 43-9-2 (.815) mark in Norman.

The Sooners have now won 23 straight November games (26 of their last 27) with the last loss coming Nov. 8, 2014, against Baylor. Riley is 14-0 in November as head coach.

"I think Oklahoma State was as advertised," said Riley, who is now 42-8 (.840) at OU. "They're an impressive-looking group, but I give our guys a lot of credit. We controlled the football game."

The Sooners play West Virginia (5-3, 4-3) in Morgantown next Saturday.

Players Mentioned

Nik Bonitto

Ronnie Perkins

Spencer Rattler

Rhamondre Stevenson

Marcus Stripling

David Ugwoegbu

Perrion Winfrey

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics