Points were at a premium in Cincinnati on Saturday and every play, good or bad, was amplified because the game was tight throughout. The Sooners walked off the field with a 20-6 victory and their undefeated record still intact. Oklahoma averaged 8.5 yards per pass attempt and the Sooner defense picked off Cincinnati quarterback Emory Jones twice. Here are four plays (in no particular order) from OU’s first conference game of 2023. You tell us which one was the best.
Dillon Gabriel 1-Yard Touchdown Run
Rushing yards were hard to come by for both squads on Saturday. With the Sooners nursing a 10-6 victory in the third quarter, Gabriel lowered his shoulder and kept grinding long enough for help to arrive and push him across the goal line.
Key Lawrence Interception
Threatening to cut into Oklahoma’s 10-3 lead, the Bearcats were facing a third and twelve from the Sooner 26-yard line. Key Lawrence removed the threat by taking the ball out of Cincinnati’s hands. It was the first of two interceptions for Oklahoma’s defense on the day.
Nic Anderson 5-Yard Touchdown Reception
For the first time this season, Oklahoma was behind on the scoreboard. Jeff Lebby dialed up a misdirection play that freed up Nic Anderson to make the catch and then lower his head and work his way into the end zone for the first Sooner score of the day. OU wouldn’t relinquish the lead from that point on.
Andrel Anthony’s 49-Yard Reception
There were two obvious no calls that went against Oklahoma receivers on Saturday. One was Jalil Farooq getting mugged in the end zone and the other was this play right here. Anthony didn’t need the flag because he was able focus while absolutely getting fleeced and come down with the catch. His play helped set up Zach Schmit’s 30-yard field goal that extended OU’s lead to 20-6.
Alright, make sure to vote on the poll in the middle of this post and sound off in comments section on what play, or plays, we may have missed by using the comments section below.
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