It wasn’t the perfect game the Sooners had hoped for against South Dakota.
Much of the game was marred by 12 penalties for 96 yards against Oklahoma.
But, when it ends up a 70-14 win, you’ll take it.
It was clear the Coyotes were no match for the Sooners.
This was Oklahoma’s highest point total since they beat North Texas in 2007. The Sooners amassed 733 total yards.
In his second start, Jalen Hurts passed for 259 yards and three touchdowns and then sat on the bench early in the third quarter.
He (Hurts) did a great job distributing the ball all over. I can’t wait to keep it going all year — CeeDee Lamb.
He (Hurts) did a great job distributing the ball all over. I can’t wait to keep it going all year — CeeDee Lamb.
The first half was also a CeeDee Lamb show. He had six catches for 144 yards and a touchdown.
It was clear from Oklahoma’s opener on September 1 that QB transfer Hurts was a little reluctant to heave the deep ball, given his conservative nature and training under Alabama Coach NIck Saban.
But that isn’t nature of risk-taker Lincoln Riley.
So early in the game Saturday we saw Hurts throwing a deep ball to Lamb, who made a spectacular catch. Hurts and Lamb connected on 48, 32 and 27 yard pass and catch plays against South Dakota. Plus, plus a 3-yard touchdown by Lamb in the first quarter.
The Sooners had 423 yards passing and 310 yards rushing.
“They’re just so multiple,” South Dakota coach Bob Nielson said. “You’ve got a tremendously deep group of really good wide receivers, you’ve got a couple of NFL-caliber running backs and a really talented quarterback who can make big plays with his feet and throw it. Put that together with a good offensive line, and I’m not sure there’s going to be a lot of teams that do a good job defending them throughout the course of the year.”
After a 28-0 lead at halftime, the Sooners’ defense shook the crowd with Radley-Hiles’ 30-yard pick six. Radley-Hiles also had a fumble recovery.
Riley said take aways by the defense was an emphasis of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch in practice all week long. On Saturday it paid dividends.
Oklahoma forced three turnovers. It had no forced turnovers against Houston in game one.
“We’re progressing on the scheme, but the most important thing to me is the mentality,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. “Do we play with the edge and the aggression, the physicality and the fundamentals that a great defense should play with? And I see us doing that more and more right now. It’s certainly not there, but we are doing it more and more.”
A benefit of the blow out was the Sooners getting to play many reserve players, including backup QBs Tanner Mordacai, who threw two touchdown passes, and freshman Spencer Rattler, who completed four for 50 yards and a touchdown, and ran twice for 15 yards.
About Rattler, Lamb said, “The sky is the limit for this guy. A lot of the hype he had coming into college is all true. He’s a baller. He knows what he is doing.”
Also, freshman receivers Theo Wease, Jadon Haselwood and Trejan Bridges all caught TD passes.
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