Oklahoma had to dig itself out of an early hole the last time it played Tulane. On September 16, 2017 the second-ranked Sooners fell behind 7-0 and then 14-7 before finally waking up and stomping the Green Wave by a final score of 56-14.
Tulane’s first touchdown came on their first possession after securing a fumble from Mark Andrews. The Green Wave went 65 yards on 8 plays and capped the drive with a 2-yard plunge from Dontrell Hilliard. It took Oklahoma two plays to respond with Baker Mayfield hitting CeeDee Lamb for an 81-yard score to even the game. Things got a little uneasy after that when Tulane came back with a 9-play/75-yard drive that ended with a 14-yard touchdown run by quarterback Johnathan Brantley. The Sooners were a little more methodical on the ensuing drive. They took 2:53 off the clock with their own 9-play/75-yard scoring drive where Mayfield found Lamb in the end zone for the second time in as many possessions.
The Green Wave were driving once again on their third offensive possession before Parnell Motley stepped in front of a Brantley pass and returned it 77-yards to give Oklahoma the lead. The Sooners never looked back from there as the defense pitched a shutout the rest of the way and the offense ended the day with 631 total yards.
Baker Mayfield completed 17 of his 27 pass attempts for 331 yards and 4 touchdowns. Marquise Brown edged out Lamb as the team’s leading receiver, posting 155 yards and a score on six receptions. From the backfield Abdul Adams averaged 11.6 yards per carry to pace the Sooners with 93 yards on eight touches.
Obo Okoronkwo and Neville Gallimore led Oklahoma’s defense with nine tackles each. The Sooners forced two turnovers and held the Green Wave to just 54 passing yards.
The following week OU won a shootout at Baylor 49-41 and Tulane beat Army 21-17.
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