Oklahoma’s game against Tulsa was like walking a tight rope without a net.
After TU scored 14 points in the last minute of the first half, closing the Sooners lead to seven, it seemed like the game was just a play or two away from falling into disaster.
But, then, Baker Mayfield came in and said, at least figuratively, “we got this.”
Mayfield set a school record with 572 yards. He threw four touchdown passes. He ran for two more.
And Oklahoma won 52-38, in a game where the offense bailed out the defense, which struggled defending against TU’s Baylor-esque offense. It was a returned favor from the previous week, when the defense seemed to keep Oklahoma in the game at Tennessee even when the offense sputtered.
Mayfield had a Fran Tarkenton kind of game. He scrambled around out of the pocket, making it difficult for TU defenders to keep track of wide open Sooner receivers. Mayfield was 32 of 38 passing for 487 yards. He carried 13 times for 85 yards. He was spectacular.
“Man, he was lighting it up, extending plays,” Oklahoma receiver Sterling Shepard said. “You just kind of have to run with him. He’ll find you down the field. He’s always looking to pass first, but if he has to take it on the ground, he will do it, and you guys got to see a little bit of that today, too.”
Mayfield surpassed Landry Jones’ 554 yard total offense record (set against West Virginia in 2012), with his play — the fourth highest in school history.
“It’s pretty humbling, especially knowing who has come through here,” he said. “It’s pretty special to me. But we had so much more on the table. Who knows what we could have done if we had just executed the offense better.”
The wonderous performance by Mayfield masks what remain serious concerns about the Oklahoma secondary, however.
Tulsa QB Dane Evans threw for 427 yards himself.
But, still, it was Mayfield who saved the day. Most prominent was his late third quarter scramble from the TU rush, roll to the left, dodge another play and throw to TE Mark Andrews for a 17-yard score.
But, still, it was Mayfield who saved the day. Most prominent was his late third quarter scramble from the TU rush, roll to the left, dodge another play and throw to TE Mark Andrews for a 17-yard score.
The 863 combined yards from both teams in the first half was the most since some Fresno State game in 2013.
It was the fourth-highest yardage total Oklahoma has allowed since Bob Stoops became head coach in 1999.
“If we’re going to have the type of season we want, we need to get better,” Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops said. “They exposed some weaknesses. We’ve got to take them personally and challenge them. We need to get better.”
But, still, it was Mayfield who saved the day. Most prominent was his late third quarter scramble from the TU rush, roll to the left, dodge another play and throw to TE Mark Andrews for a 17-yard score.
“It’s just playing football,” Mayfield said. “You drop back in your initial plan to read the defense, and when the defensive lineman comes through, you’re obviously not just going to sit there and take it, so your instinct takes over and just try to get out of the pocket and find somebody open.”
Oh, yeah. That.
–Mike
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