From the onset of the contest, it was clear that Texas Tech Head Coach, Kliff Kingsbury, bought into a different offensive scheme heading into Norman. On the opening drive, the Red Raiders ran the ball eleven times while attempting only three passes. The move worked against an Oklahoma Sooners’ front that utilized a mere three defensive lineman. Gashing the defense, running back Tre King crossed the goal line to give the Red Raiders an early lead.
Refusing to hit the panic button, the Oklahoma offense took the field. Six plays and 76 yards later and CeeDee Lamb broke the plane of the end zone giving OU their first score. From that moment on, it was clear this first quarter was going to provide electric plays from both offenses.
In the opening fifteen minutes of play, a total of 34 points were scored. Moving forward, it quickly became a game of cat and mouse. Who could make the proper adjustments in order to seal a victory? Apparently that answer was Mike Stoops. Coming out of the first half, the Sooners moved to a traditional four down defensive linemen look. Exploring a 4-2 nickel package and using different blitzes, the defense began to settle into a rhythm.
Caleb Kelly with the INT. #Sooners https://t.co/1gJnp3dZlM
— Sooner Gridiron (@soonergridiron) October 29, 2017
For the remainder of the game, Oklahoma surrendered a mere seven points to the Red Raiders. A game that looked like a shootout turned into a blowout.
Offensively, it was once again Rodney Anderson stealing the show. Running the ball 24 times on Saturday night, the redshirt sophomore running back amassed 181 yards. The rushing attack was bolstered by a healthy Abdul Adams to spell the starter on the field. Adding 95 yards of his own, the offensive line deserves most of the credit in this one.
While the rushing attack paved the way to success, Baker Mayfield quietly had yet another impressive outing. Throwing for four touchdowns, the quarterback racked up 281 yards through the air. His favorite target in CeeDee Lamb was up to his usual antics. Hauling in nine catches the freshman scored twice on the evening.
Oklahoma heads to Stillwater next weekend for the Bedlam rivalry. Two high powered offenses clash as it will likely be the defenses deciding the game. Who can earn stops and force turnovers in this heated battle?