OU quarterback Trevor Knight carries the ball during Saturday’s win over Iowa State in Norman.
On a day when the Oklahoma Sooners honored the 17 seniors on their football team, it was only fitting that three of them contributed big plays en route to a 48-10 victory over the visiting Iowa State Cyclones on a windy day in Norman.
It was another lackluster first-quarter performance by the Sooner offense, who gained only 25 yards and one first down, and starting quarterback Blake Bell just 2-5 passing for 10 yards.
After the scoreless opening quarter, the Cyclones built leads of 7-0 and 10-3. Just when it appeared Iowa State would head to halftime with the lead, Cyclones punter irby Van Der Kamp was called upon to pin the Sooners deep with about a minute and a half to play. Senior wide receiver Jalen Saunders fielded the ball on his own nine-yard line, and avoided a couple of would-be tacklers before breaking into the clear. Jaz Reynolds provided some downfield blocking, which allowed Saunders to complete the 91-yard score, which is the third-longest punt return in OU history, and just like that, the game was deadlocked at 10 at intermission.
Backup quarterback Trevor Knight took over for Bell in the second quarter after Bell was injured, and led the Sooners on five consecutive scoring drives in the second half. OU received the second half kickoff, and on the second play from scrimmage, senior tailback Damien Williams took Knight’s handoff and raced 69 yards to paydirt. OU had taken the lead and the momentum.
Sooner running back Brennan Clay breaks free on a 63-yard touchdown run Saturday against Iowa State
Following a 32-yard Michael Hunnicutt field goal extended the Sooner lead to 20-10, it was senior running back Brennan Clay’s turn to electrify the home crowd, scoring on a 63-yard run.
Not to be out-done by the upperclassmen, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Knight faked a zone-read handoff to Roy Finch, and began making his way up the field. He made the first man miss, ran through another tackle at the Cyclones 15-yard line, and rambled into the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown run of his own.
OU running back Damien Williams scores on a 69-yard touchdown run against Iowa State.
Later in the final frame, on fourth and one from the ISU 19-yard line, Damien Williams scored his second touchdown of the day. The Sooners closed out the scoring with a masterful 90-yard touchdown drive, engineered by third-string quarterback Kendal Thompson, capped off by a three-yard pass from Thompson to sophomore Aaron Ripkowski.
NOTES:
OU finished the game with 405 rushing yards, the most ever under Bob Stoops.
With Saturday’s win, Stoops is now tied with Barry Switzer for the most wins by a Sooner coach with 157.
The OU defense recorded six quarterback sacks against Iowa State
Sooner defensive end Charles Tapper sat out the first half Saturday, serving a suspension for throwing a punch during the Baylor game.
For the 11th time in 15 seasons under Stoops, the Sooners finished the season undefeated at home.