Miscues and conservative play calling lead to first loss of the season
If there ever was a deserving loss, then No. 6 Oklahoma’s upsetting 38-33 loss to Kansas on a nasty weather Saturday was one of them.
Too many penalties (101 yards), critical secondary busts (KU converted on two of three fourth down plays) and an offense that abandoned its successful running game cost the Sooners the win and likely any hope of making a college football playoff.
The KU win snapped an 18-game Sooner win streak in the series. It was the first defeat for the Sooners this season.
Kansas students brought the goal posts down in a mass of red and blue following the see-saw game.
“I thought out guys played with effort, but don’t think we played real smart,” Coach Brent Venables said.”
“We got punished for lack of details and discipline and not getting our guys ready to play at a high level,” he said.
Until the final drive of the game the Sooners had only attempted 13 passes.
“With the way some of weather was early on we felt like staying away from the throw game was the right thing, but we were probably more conservative than we needed to be. But, that was the thought.,” Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby said postgame.
Lineback Danny Stutsman’s injury late in the second quarter limited the Sooners defense.
Faced with wind and rain conditions the Sooners turned to the run game in the second quarter, letting Tawee Walker get 97 yards rushing in the second quarter alone. That brought the Sooners down from a 14 point deficit to take a 21-17 lead at halftime.
A one-hour lightning delay raised the question whether Oklahoma’s momentum would carry into halftime. The Sooners came out of the break to finish a 66 yard drive with Walker 2-yard run for the tying touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff, KU’s Trevor Wilson fumbled the return and OU’s Kip Lewis recovered. The Sooners then ended a 17-yard drive with Gabriel’s 9-yard run around end to give the Sooners a resulting 21-14 lead. On the following drive Kansas benefited from a controversial official review of a play catch and managed to get 24-yard field goal to cut the Oklahoma lead to 21-17 at halftime.
In the second half Walker hurt his ankle and Oklahoma opted against a power run game. Marcus Major did not suit up for the game due to injury.
DB Reggie Pearson was ejected from the game for targeting of the Kansas QB who was sliding at the goal line.
It appeared Oklahoma may have sealed a win with 2:29 left in the game when DE Ethan Downs intercepted a KU pass.
That put the Sooners at the KU 38 yard line. Here, playing calling was critical.
On that possession, however, the Sooners were unable to get a first down.
On first down the KU defense stuffed the Jovantae Barnes rush for a one-yard loss.
On second down, Gabriel was stopped for a one-yard loss.
On Third down, Barnes ran up the middle for only five yards. On fourth down a penalty set the Sooners back to the Kansas 40-yard line, and Oklahoma had to punt.
Only 22 seconds of clock time expired on that drive, as KU used its three time outs. The Sooners got no points to put the game away. Not even a field goal.
“You’d like to be better there,” Coach Brent Venables said.
No kidding. It was the most critical possession of the game.
Kansas then took a 38 to 33 lead with :55 left in the game in a drive that included two fourth down conversions by the Jayhawks. Jayhawk RB Devin Neal made the go-ahead touchdown.
Venables said he instructed his defense to let Kansas score the lead touchdown, to allow for more game time for the Sooners to come back. Otherwise, he said, the Jayhawks would have milked the clock.
He said he “blew it” for not calling a time out on KU’s last drive to let his defensive compose themselves.
We know everything is still in front of us, it’s not want we like. We lift a bunch out there, but we have to get back to work.
Gabriel said they relied on the run game, rather than passing.
Gabriel threw for 171 yards with three touchdown runs, and Walker ran for 146 yards and a score. In the end, Oklahoma was left to lament too many missed opportunities down the stretch to keep their perfect record intact.
Next: Oklahoma State in Stillwater. Saturday, November 4.
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