A solid (5 TD) day by Gabriel
After fumbling the opening kickoff return, Jalil Farooq quickly corrected Oklahoma’s course on the next possession, nabbing a 34-yard Dillon Gabriel touchdown pass to kick off a 66 point rampage at Tulsa’s mostly crimson-populated sold out H.A. Chapman stadium on Saturday.
Oklahoma defeated the Golden Hurricane 66-17 on the Sooners first return to T-Town since a 52-7 win in 2014.
Farooq’s 34-yard TD catch from Dillon Gabriel was just the beginning. He caught another five passes and ended the day the leading pass receiver at 126 yards. It was his first career 100-plus yard receiving day.
Gabriel completed 28 of 31 passes for 431 yards and a five touchdown day.
The Sooners offense obliterated Tulsa with big plays, with 10 going at least 20 yards. Eight were in the first half, and nine were passes by Gabriel.
Gabriel set the single-game school record for pass completion percentage (90 percent) by one player (minimum 25 attempts). The previous record was .882 (30 of 34) by Landry Jones in 2010 vs. Iowa State.
And the Sooner defense grabbed 5 of TU’s passes, the most interceptions for OU since 2003. Three INTs came in the first quarter.
The first interception by Gentry Williams, a Tulsa Booker T. Washington High School grad, came on TU’s first possession. Williams later exited the game, forcing a rotation of several Sooner defensive backs.
TU’s QB Cardell Williams, exploited the secondary change in the second quarter, throwing two touchdown passes and cutting the Oklahoma lead to 38-14 at halftime.
But after that, it was all Oklahoma.
On first play of the game Gabriel completed a deep pass to WR Andrel Anthony, seemingly an answer to critics over offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby’s play calling last week against SMU, when the Sooners did not attempt a pass beyond 29 yards.
Different playmakers this week
Lebby, turned to Jovantae Barnes for most of the running duties. Barnes finished the game with 13 carries for 68 yards and one touchdown. Gavin Sawchuck also ran the ball nine times for 25 yards and one touchdown.
Marcus Major and walk-on Tawee Walker started the first two games of the season, but got limited playing time against Tulsa. Neither had a carry.
Oklahoma’s defense allowed only a net 75 yards rushing.
A pleasant surprise at wide receiver was freshman Nic Anderson, who caught three passes for 120 yards and scored touchdowns on each one. One was from freshman QB Jackson Arnold, a perfect spiral that found Anderson in stride.
Drake Stoops grabbed a career high eight receptions.
Twelve different Sooners caught passes.
Sooner LB Danny Stutsman continued to impress with a Pick Six of a Roman Fuller pass in the first quarter. He finished with a team high nine tackles, two of which were for losses.
DB Peyton Bowan made his first career start and finished with two tackles and two pass breakups.
Photo credit: Bob Nguyen/OU Daily
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