Oklahoma vs. Nebraska Rewind

Photo by: © Copyright Ty Russell 2021

September 18, 2021 | Football

NORMAN – After a nearly equal first half, No. 3/3 Oklahoma (3-0) capitalized on special teams with timely defensive stops to top Nebraska (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) 23-16 Saturday afternoon at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

After opening the second half with a touchdown to push the OU lead to 14-3, Nebraska responded with a touchdown of its own with eight seconds left in the third quarter.

Isaiah Coe batted the extra point field goal attempt, which fell into the hands of Pat Fields, who raced 100 yards down the Nebraska sideline to score two points and help swing the momentum back in the Sooners' favor.

Oklahoma capitalized on the momentum shift and charged down the field 65 yards, scoring on a two-yard rush by Kennedy Brooks. OU's second rushing touchdown of the game gave the Sooners a 23-9 lead with under 11 minutes in the fourth.

Following a kickoff and quick coverage by the Sooners that forced the Huskers to start their drive at the 13, NU opened the drive with a 55-yard pass. The Huskers were driving towards the end zone before NU's Adrian Martinez was sacked.

The next play resulted in an impressive one-handed interception by D.J. Graham at the Oklahoma three-yard line.

Nebraska found the end zone on a 21-yard passing touchdown to narrow the Oklahoma lead to 23-16 after a punt put NU in solid field position.

The Sooners started the following drive at the OU eight-yard line and used a balanced rushing attack of Eric Gray, Kennedy Brooks and Spencer Rattler to run down the clock to under one minute.

Michael Turk made his fourth punt of the game to pin Nebraska at its own 17.

Oklahoma sacked NU's Martinez two times in the four plays of the game to secure the victory.

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?? FOX | https://t.co/chy7Suvi7x pic.twitter.com/4lxzN9blfi
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 18, 2021

PICK

THE

CENTURY

(Q4 | 10:24) Kennedy Brooks tallied the Sooners’ second rushing touchdown of the game on a 2-yard rush up the middle. Brkic extra point is good. OU 23, NU 9 (12 plays, 65 yards, 4:38 time of possession)

Oklahoma 16, Nebraska 9 at the end of the third quarter.

BLOCKED AND BROUGHT BACK FOR TWO ??

What a play from @OU_Football ?? pic.twitter.com/yYMgD4Lgk7
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 18, 2021

(Q3 | 0:09) Pat Fields returns the blocked extra point 100 yards for two points. OU 16, NU 9

TOUCHDOWN, @OU_Football ??@SpencerRattler marches the Sooners down the field and caps it off with a TD to @Jeremiah_Hall27 pic.twitter.com/BiSTLCfI9x
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 18, 2021

Touchdown #Sooners!

?? @Jeremiah_Hall27 ??

OU 14, NU 3 (3:50/3Q) #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/O0Bv7EvyYA
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 18, 2021

(Q3 | 3:50) Rattler with a one-yard pass to Jeremiah Hall for the Sooners’ second touchdown of the game and the first touchdown through the air. Brkic with the extra points. OU 14, NU 3 (10 plays, 80 yards, 5:29 time of possession)

AT THE HALF … No. 3/3 Oklahoma holds a 7-3 advantage over Nebraska at the end of the first half Saturday morning.

Spencer Rattler has the lone touchdown for the Sooners, a one-yard rushing attempt with 8:02 left in the first quarter. Rattler is also 13 of 19 through the air for 105 yards. Mike Woods and Jadon Haselwood have a team-high three receptions, while the duo and Mario Williams have 24-receiving yards.

DaShaun White leads the OU defense with five total tackles, while Nik Bonitto has made two tackles-for-loss with one being a sack. Bonitto has four total tackles, including three solo.

OU received the opening kickoff and used nearly seven minutes to compete its lone scoring drive of the half. The Huskers responded with a field goal on their opening drive.

Neither team scored in the second half with OU and NU trading field possession. Michael Turk led Oklahoma with two punts for 81 yards. Both of his punts landed inside the 20 with an average of 40.5 yards per punt.

First Half Notes

• This is the fourth time in series history that OU has led Nebraska 7-3 at halftime (also in 1966, 1975 and 1976). OU won each of those previous three matchups.

• QB Spencer Rattler scored his second rushing touchdown of the season and the eighth of his career on OU's opening drive. He has scored a rushing TD in six of his last eight games. He was 13 of 19 for 105 yards in the opening half.

• RB Kennedy Brooks carried five times for a game-high 48 rushing yards in the first half (9.6 average).

• Oklahoma registered two sacks and six tackles for loss in the first half. OU averaged 4.0 sacks and 8.5 TFLs over its first two games this season.

• OLB Nick Bonitto was credited with one sack and two TFLs in the first half. This is his fifth career game with at least one full sack and fifth with at least 1.5 TFLs.

• DL Josh Ellison registered a half-sack in the second quarter. This is his third career game with at least 0.5 TFLs.

• LB DaShaun White led the Sooners with five tackles (two solo, 0.5 TFL) in the first half, doubling his total tackle output for the season entering today’s game.

Oklahoma 7, Nebraska 3 at the end of the first half.

Oh hey there, @TroyAikman ?? pic.twitter.com/wpGrGI0lnV
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) September 18, 2021

That's Hall of Fame Head Coach, @CoachBobStoops ?? pic.twitter.com/21Z692sWFh
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 18, 2021

Oklahoma 7, Nebraska 3 at the end of the first quarter.

(Q1 | 8:02) Spencer Rattler scores on a one-yard rush to complete the opening drive of the game. Gabe Brkic with the extra points. OU 7, NU 0 (14 plays, 74 yards, 6:58 time of possession)

A 19-yard pass from Rattler to Mario Williams to the Nebraska 12 was the longest play of the drive.

Nebraska wins the toss and defers. Oklahoma will receive the opening kickoff. Nebraska will defend the north end zone.

09/18/2021 Oklahoma vs Nebraska football. Photo Ty Russell

OU-Nebraska. For old time's sake.

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?? https://t.co/hilxnLyeHc https://t.co/69l5WhHGR0 | #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/MjWVqGXtRD
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) September 18, 2021