On a day when the only setback was an overturned Sooner Schooner, Oklahoma put together a near perfect game in their 52-14 win over West Virginia on Saturday, spoiling the homecoming of former Sooner-turned-Mountaineer QB Austin Kendall to Norman.
And a stellar performance by Jalen Hurts, who completed all but one of his 17 passes for 316 yards and rushed for 75 yards and two more scores, put the Alabama-turned-Oklahoma transfer QB back in the driver’s seat of the Heisman Trophy race.
Hurts also made his best pass of the season — a 46 yard TD pass to Lee Morris, streaking down the west sideline.
“it was into a gusty wind, and it was covered pretty decent,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. “It’s a throw that’s in a little bit of a strange angle — he had to read the angle and the receiver and anticipate where he’s going to be. There wasn’t much margin for error on that one.”
“It was a big boy throw,” Riley said.
Hurts’ passer rating was 308.5 — the second highest in Oklahoma history, behind Kyler Murray’s 348 against Baylor in 2018. Hurt’s 94 percent completion rate was a personal best.
“I threw the ball the best I had all week,” Hurts said. “I’m just happy the receivers made plays, the o-line gave us time and we did a decent job of executing today.”
Meanwhile, OU’s defensive coordinator Alex Grinch gave credit to his defense for shutting West Virginia out in the second half. But, he wasn’t too happy about the third straight game the defense has not forced a turnover.
“Three straight games without a takeaway which is alarming, and so something that we gotta come up with a better plan as a defense. I haven’t been here before, I’m gonna be honest with you, haven’t been here before,” he said.
Next: At Kansas State, October 27.
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