The Oklahoma Sooners and the [autotag]Cincinnati Bearcats[/autotag] opened Big 12 play on Saturday. This was the third-ever meeting between the two schools.
The Bearcats scored first on their second possession. They were aided by a pass interference call on [autotag]Gentry Williams[/autotag], but the Sooners defense stopped the Bearcats offense allowing just a field goal.
The Sooners then put together a fairly nice drive, but miscues hurt them. First, [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] missed a wide-open [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] for a walk-in touchdown. Next, [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] slipped on what have been a first down on second down. On the following play, Gabriel fumbled on the quarterback run.
The Sooners’ defense got a stop on the following possession before Gabriel put together a methodical drive capped off by a touchdown pass to [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag]. It was Anderson’s fourth of the season.
To start the second quarter, the defense forced a three and out after Danny Stutsman laid the wood on a third down short yardage run.
On the ensuing drive, the Sooners were backed up on their own goalline, facing a 3rd and 19 and looking like they were going to be forced to punt. The Sooners drive didn’t look good as they had a 3rd and 19 from their own 3. But Major was able to find a hole and get a big gain. They would eventually cap the drive off with a field goal to go up 10-3.
The Bearcats came right back to put the pressure on the Oklahoma defense. After a huge gain were set up nicely deep into Oklahoma territory. Emory Jones then threw a jump ball to the front corner of the end zone. [autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] provided fantastic coverage, and the ball was intercepted by [autotag]Key Lawrence[/autotag], who picked it off, ranging over from the middle of the field.
Both defenses dominated the rest of the half, but right before the break, Oklahoma shanked a punt to set up Cincinnati in OU’s territory. The Bearcats got down to the Sooners 10-yard line and lined up for a field goal. Cincinnati kicker Carter Brown missed it wide left, and the score would stay 10-3 Sooners going into halftime.
The Sooners outgained the Bearcats 245-175 in the first thirty minutes and the defense shut down the Bearcats’ No. 8 ranked run game, holding them to 39 yards at the half.
The third quarter was much of the same. The Sooners struggled to get anything going on their first possession, punting it back to the Bearcats.
Cincinnati went on a methodical 12-play drive that ended in a 55-yard field goal after a Jonah Laulu sack.
The Sooners responded right back and scored a touchdown on a Gabriel keeper after a nine-play, 75-yard drive where the Sooners were able to find a little success on the ground.
The Bearcats were threatening on their first drive of the fourth quarter, but pressure led Jones to throw into coverage and after the ball was tipped multiple times, [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] came down with the Sooners’ second interception of the game.
Oklahoma’s defense came up big on a fourth down on the Bearcats’ next two drives and was able to cruise to the 14-point win to move to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in Big 12 play.
Dillon Gabriel completed 68% of his passes for 322 yards and had a passing and rushing touchdown in the game. It was a good performance, but it could have been even bigger after overthrowing multiple wide receivers in the game and a missed defensive pass interference in the end zone.
[autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] continued his breakout season, catching seven passes for 117 yards. [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] led the way on the ground with 63 yards on 15 carries and had a couple of big runs called back due to a penalty. He averaged 4.2 yards per carry and also had a pair of catches for 18 yards in the win.
[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] continued his incredible start to the 2023 season with another fantastic effort. The Sooners leader racked up 13 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. He had multiple fourth-down stops to get the Sooners defense off the field.
The Sooners defense held the Bearcats top-10 rushing attack to 3.7 yards per carry and just 3 of 15 on third down. Quarterback Emory Jones completed just 54% of his passes for 235 yards and was held to 42 yards on 15 attempts (2.8 yards per carry) by the Oklahoma defense.
The Sooners now return back to Owen Field after their two-game road trip to face the Iowa State Cyclones.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.