In fact, given the Sooners’ long history of slow starts to the season, even against outmatched foes, we cannot really recall a pair of season-opening games where they truly took control from the opening gun and did whatever they wanted. But that’s what’s happened through two weeks in 2014. The 52 points run up on Skelly Field today could have been 80 should Bob Stoops have desired it.
After receiving the opening kickoff, it took all of three plays and 57 seconds for Trevor Knight to lead an 81-yard touchdown
drive capped by a seven-yard Keith Ford run. After the Hurricane went backwards 11 yards on their first possession and punted, there followed an exchange of punts, before a 31-yard QB draw for a touchdown capped a seven-play, 72 yard drive.
Sterling Shepard heads around left end on his 54-yard catch and run on the first play of the game.
After another Tulsa punt, Blake Bell caught his first touchdown pass as a tight end to cap a 12-play, 81-yard drive. It was 21-0 with 1:58 to play in the first quarter, and the game was, for all intents and purposes, all over but writing the final score.
When Tulsa finally mounted some offense, in the second quarter, QB Dane Evans fumbled on a third-and-goal play from the Sooner 10, and Jordan Phillips recovered it on the fly and rumbled about 70 yards for a fat guy touchdown. Alas, it was called back for a personal foul on the return, erasing the touchdown and setting the Sooners back to their own 18. However, on the next play, Alex Ross burst through the middle, outran a pair of safeties that had the angle on him, and took it for an 82-yard touchdown run to make it 31-0 at the half.
OU added a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter in a span of one minute of game time. A Ford 23-yard TD run with 9:32 to play was followed exactly a minute later by a Geneo Grissom 38-yard pick six.
The only real negatives besides the weather were injuries. Zack Sanchez went out with a shoulder injury, and Charles Walker sprained a knee which will keep him out a few weeks. Oh, and Tulsa had a guy named Bishop Louie, which, what?
We truly could not have asked for a better start through two games. The Sooners have imposed their will upon a pair of outmatched opponents. Better competition awaits Saturday night as Tennessee visits Norman for a 7:00 kickoff that will be beamed live and nationwide on ABC. Time to put another beatdown on the SEC. See you Saturday night.
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