“Super proud of our team. Great team win today. Really proud of our guys. Glad we got the win today. Offense scored on seven of the first 10 drives. Defense came out and got punched in the face and responded after that. I think they had 77 yards on that first drive and then 71 yards the rest of the half. I’m glad that happened because I believe that you develop a mindset and identity through some failure and adversity. That’s how you grow and improve. I know no one likes that that happened in a Sooner uniform, but you need that to happen. Hats off to Nebraska for being ready out of the gate, but had hats off to our guys for responding the right way. Proud of our guys as a team. Neat place and great environment. Just like I remembered it in the past. It got really loud early, but the best teams learn how to control the volume whether it is home or away. We were able to do that today.” – Brent Venables opening statement
“It was huge. What sweet feet he had too. Who would have thought? Anytime the quarterback has the threat to run the football it is hard. It puts stress on the defense. Obviously we are trying to keep (Dillon Gabriel) clean as much as we can, but he shows you what he can do. He is an explosive player and that is his career long – 61-yarder. Good for Dillon. Great job. He was 16-for-27, 230 yards, two touchdowns. No picks. He
had that longest rush of his career and then I love the throw he had there to (Theo) Wease in tight coverage puts it where only our guy can catch and Theo made a good tough competitive play there. That was a great throw.” – Venables on Dillon Gabriel’s 61-yard TD run
“He played good. I am super proud of Jaren. He is one of the most unassuming guys in our locker room. And he had one of the first what we call the ‘Swift Sooner’ award goes to whoever causes the first turnover and he did that as well. Punched the ball out. Great job. And he is just learning how to play linebacker. He has no idea what he is doing yet but he has made lot of improvement in fundamentals and language, and I know things are going a million miles an hour for me but he did a nice job. The tape is going to be nice for him to learn from. He is really hard on himself. He is an easy guy to coach because he is really demanding on himself as opposed to being a young immature freshman who
doesn’t want to be told when he is terrible. And he wasn’t terrible today, but he made some mistakes. He will be the first one to admit that, but so will a ton of other guys. Really proud of him and the progress he has made. Ted (Roof) has done a great job with him.” – Venables on Jaren Kanak
Notes
• OU’s 49 points were its most ever scored against Nebraska in Lincoln, and the most allowed by the Huskers at home since the 2017 season finale (lost 56-14 to Iowa).
• OU’s 35-point margin of victory was its largest in a road game since 2017 at Kansas (won 41-3).
• Oklahoma improved to 43-4 all-time as the No. 6-ranked team in the AP poll and 15-1 on the road. OU is 3-1 in Lincoln when ranked No. 6 (only loss was in 1963).
• The Sooners have won 80 straight games when holding opponents to 23 or fewer points. The last time OU held an opponent to 23 or fewer points and lost was in 2009 (fell 10-3 at Nebraska on Nov. 7).
• Since the start of the 2012 season, OU is 83-5 when scoring at least 35 points and 72-3 when scoring at least 40.
• Since the turn of the century, OU has allowed 14 or fewer points in three consecutive games 13 times. Brent Venables was on staff or 11 of those occasions.
• Oklahoma outgained Nebraska in total yardage, 580 to 327. OU totaled 312 rushing yards and 268 passing yards. This was the 48th time in 96 games since the start of the 2015 season the Sooners have gained at least 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards (50% of those games).
• OU’s 327 rushing yards were its most in a true road game since rushing for 323 yards in a 2018 win at Texas Tech.
• The Sooners scored on seven of their first 10 possessions of the game and seven of nine drives after punting on their opening possession (all touchdowns).
• Oklahoma scored touchdowns on seven possessions Saturday and only two of those took longer than two minutes of game clock (2:17 and 3:10). On the season, OU has scored 17 touchdowns and 12 have taken less than two minutes of possession time.
• The Sooners surrendered 77 yards on Nebraska’s first possession but only 71 yards the rest of the first half in taking a 35-7 lead.
• Saturday marked OU’s eighth consecutive game with an interception, dating back to last season. The only FBS team with a longer
active interception streak entering the weekend was Georgia State (nine).
• The Sooners recorded four sacks and nine tackles for loss (three sacks in the first quarter), and have registered 13 sacks and 32
TFLs through their first three games this season.
• Oklahoma’s 35 first-half points were its most in an opening half against a Power 5 opponent since scoring 48 points in a 62-28
win at Texas Tech during the 2020 season. (OU scored 37 points against Tulane and 45 against Western Carolina in the first halves
of the first two games last season).
• For the third straight week, the Sooners outscored their opponent by at least 30 points and held an advantage in total yards (580
total yards to 327 today) despite trailing the total time of possession (Nebraska held the ball for 30:24 to OU’s 29:36).
Dillon Gabriel
• Completed 16 of 27 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns (was 5 of 7 passing in the second half), and scored OU’s first touchdown on a 61-yard rush. It was his 10th career rushing touchdown (second at OU this season) and his longest career rush.
• Now has 76 career passing TDs (including his time at UCF).
• Has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all 29 of his career games and at least two TD passes in 23 career contests.
Jalil Farooq
• Registered his first career touchdown on a 25-yard reception in the first quarter. It was his second catch of the season.
• Finished with three receptions for 58 yards (19.3 average).
Eric Gray
• Scored rushing touchdowns of 16 and 21 yards. It was his first game at OU with multiple rushing TDs. He now has four rushing TDs at OU and 12 in his career.
• His 16-yard rushing TD in the second quarter was his first rushing TD of the season.
• Finished with 113 rushing yards (his most as a Sooner) and two touchdowns on 11 carries (10.3 average). It was his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Jaren Kanak
• Registered a career-high 10 tackles (led all players) and his first career forced fumble and fumble recovery (on the same play in the third quarter).
Key Lawrence
• Recorded his first career interception on a play in the end zone in the fourth quarter. Also forced a fumble and finished with six
tackles (four solo) and a PBU.
Marcus Major
• Registered his fourth rushing touchdown of the season and the seventh of his career on a 1-yard play in the second quarter. Added
his first career TD reception on a 24-yard pass from TE Brayden Willis on OU’s next possession.
• Finished the game with 35 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and the 24-yard TD reception.
Brayden Willis
• Registered his first career passing attempt and connected with Major on a 24-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He also caught
two passes for 19 yards.
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