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Oklahoma-Cincinnati Observations: LIVE In-Game Blog

John Hoover, Ryan Chapman and Randall Sweet offer their real-time observations from Nippert Stadium as Cincinnati hosts No. 16 Oklahoma to open Big 12 play.
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Oklahoma-Cincinnati Observations: LIVE In-Game Blog
Oklahoma-Cincinnati Observations: LIVE In-Game Blog

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Oklahoma Sooners

CINCINNATI, OH — AllSooners offers real-time observations throughout today's Week 4 matchup against Cincinnati. Newest posts are at the top. Just keep your browser open and refresh often. 

(ALL TIMES EASTERN)

3:33 p.m.

OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel completed 26 of 38 passes for 322 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 25 and a TD on 11 carries. It was Gabriel's 19th career 300-yard game.

-- TW

3:27 p.m.

The six points scored by Cincinnati were the fewest allowed by an OU defense in a Big 12 game since 2017. The defense has only given up three touchdowns in four games. Stutsman had 13 tackles to lead the team.

-- TW

3:25 p.m.

That will do it from Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, where OU defeats the Bearcats 20-14 to open Big 12 Conference play. It is the 17th time since 2000 the Sooners have started 4-0.

-- TW

3:15 p.m.

Gabriel scrambles for  a first down and OU content to run out the clock, up 20-6 with 1:45 left.

-- TW

3:09 p.m. 

Bearcats going on 4th-and 7 after punishing hit by Stutsman. Bothroyd sacks Jones, but OU flagged for offsides to make it 4th-and 2. Stutsman stops Jones short with big-time open field tackle to get the ball back for the Sooners.

-- TW

3:05 p.m.

True freshman offensive lineman Cayden Green entered the game for OU on the Sooners' last possession, which ended with a punt.

-- TW

3:03 p.m. 

Sooners' defense without LB Jaren Kanek, who was seen heading to the lockerroom on a cart. TV reporting Kanek was placed in an ambulance.

-- TW

2:58 p.m.

Cincinnati goes for it on 4th-and-2 and Bowman intercepts a deflected pass to get the ball back for OU. Jones was under tremendous pressure from Sooners' defense.

-- TW

2:52 p.m. 

Cincinnati loses 12 on big sack by Stutsman and Jones somehow picks up a first down on 3rd-and-19 to keep the drive alive. 

-- TW

2:47 p.m. 

Lots of contact in the end zone on that third down pass to Farooq but no flag for pass interference. OU settles for 30-yard field goal by Zach Schmit to extend the lead to 20-6 with 10:59 left in the game. 

-- TW

2:45 p.m.

OU facing 4th-and-1 from the Cincy 22-yard line and Gabriel picks up the first down on a keeper. OU has rushed for 51 yards on eight carries so far in the second half.

-- TW

2:40 p.m.

OU defense stones Jones on 3rd-and-2 keeper in the red zone and then Jones throws an incompletion on fourth down. OU gets the ball back on downs and Gabriel completes a 50-yard bomb to Andrel Anthony. Sooners in business, up 11 to start the fourth quarter.

-- Tim Willert

2:26 p.m.

What an answer by Dillon Gabriel and the Oklahoma offense. Six of the nine plays on that drive were running plays, including Dillon Gabriel’s 1-yard touchdown run. That was the big one, too, because he was stopped dead for a loss, but then dragged his tackler into the end zone (with a Bush-pull from Tawee Walker). Gabriel’s gonna tell us that’s all due to Jerry Schmidt, but that was an impressive effort. Sooners answer the score and lead it 17-6.

— JH

2:16 p.m.

Another example of wasted momentum for Cincinnati: They were driving for a tying touchdown, but a trick play went awry and the OU defense rose up on second and third down, including a quarterback sack by Jonah Laulu. Instead, Carter Brown converts a career-long 54-yard field goal and the Sooners’ lead is 10-6, 8:22 left in the third.

— JH

2:05 p.m.

Didn’t see the illegal shift that wiped out Drake Stoops’ third down catch, but it seemed Jalil Farooq was complaining about the call. Then on third-and-12, Tawee Walker probably shouldn’t be left alone to block Dion Hunter. That pressure affected Gabriel’s release and now it’s Cincinnati football. Not a good start after halftime for OU.

— JH 

1:38 p.m.

Oklahoma’s defense holds.

Kani Walker and Peyton Bowen make competitive plays to force the field goal.

And Cincinnati misses the chip shot, shanking a 26-yard attempt.

Bearcats couldn’t execute in the red zone last week, and they let OU off the hook after some questionable offensive execution on the Sooners’ final drive of the first half.

Oklahoma will get the ball to start the second half.

Here's a look at the halftime stats. 

— RC 

1:15 p.m.

Things haven’t been perfect defensively. Got blocked up a little too well a couple of times on the second drive, had a spot of bad coverage here and there, but this group is showing so much improvement defending the run.

Have to keep Emory Jones in the pocket and he’s proven to be inaccurate through his career. Popped up there. An under throw to the end zone, and Key Lawrence was reading the play the entire way to pick it off.

If Dillon Gabriel was locked in, it would be 21-3 and Oklahoma would be looking to kill off the game on this drive.

— RC 

1:13 p.m.

Former Sooners running back Joe Mixon, a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, is standing just past the end zone watching the game, and that Key Lawrence interception happened right in front of him as he was waving a big Gatorade towel,

— JH

1:03 p.m.

Score should be 21-3 right now, but Dillon Gabriel missed two guys in the end zone on overthrows. Zach Schmit’s field goal makes it 10-3 Oklahoma.

— JH

1:00 p.m.

Oklahoma had 13 net yards rushing before Marcus Major popped that 19-yarder. Cincinnati is absolutely owning the line of scrimmage but Dillon Gabriel has 191 yards passing. Gonna be that kind of day in the Queen City.

— JH

12:57 p.m.

Marcus Major straight to the sideline after picking up the blitz on second down. His left arm was dangling by his side. He’s dealt with a banged up shoulder at practice this week.

Came back onto the field after the false start and was rolling his left arm in circles trying to stretch. Playing through it.

— RC 

12:46 p.m.

Needs to be the Tawee Walker experience until further notice.

Oklahoma’s running game hit on that drive as he just smoothly followed behind the offensive line.

Gabriel got some short completions as well, which I imagine will help him settle in after a rocky second drive.

And oh, Nic Anderson is going to be a start.

Big drive for OU’s defense. If they can force a stop, feels like the Sooners might get a chance to try and wear down’s Cincinnati’s defense early by keeping them on the field and running tempo.

— RC 

12:44 p.m.

Tawee Walker a much more effective runner on that drive, especially on the short reception and the sweep behind pulling tackle Walter Rouse. Marcus Major slipped on his last run. Then a really clever play design to get the football to Nic Anderson near the goal line. Easy touchdown pass and it’s 7-3 Sooners, 34 seconds left in the quarter.

— JH

12:41

Oklahoma’s defense was much better after that turnover, better recognition, better effort getting to the football. We’ll ask Venables about any schematic adjustments.

— JH

12:35 p.m.

Also…

Marcus Major slipped when he would have had a first down and he missed the block to help Gabriel out there.

Should be Jovantae Barnes or Tawee Walker next.

— RC 

12:34 pm.

Wow. Not sure this running game is going to be sustainable for the Sooners. Dillon Gabriel carried three times that drive, got hit hard more than once and then lost a fumble. The reputation of the Cincinnati defensive line and the OU offensive line’s performance in non-con caused that big a change in Jeff Lebby’s playbook.

— JH

12:33 p.m.

That drive is 100 percent on Dillon Gabriel.

Misses the busted touchdown play to Farooq.

Can’t hold onto the football when he knows he’s going to take a lick on third down.

Can’t have those mistakes from a veteran quarterback.

— RC 

12:30 p.m.

Dillon Gabriel had Jalil Farooq absolutely wide open and just missed him.

His deep ball struggles are continuing.

But it looks like Lebby has abandoned running on first down, which was essentially a throwaway down, and the tempo appears to be getting to Cincinnati.

Offense has to get seven here to bail out the easy missed touchdown.

— RC 

12:22 p.m.

Oklahoma’s going to switch up a few things after that field goal drive by Cincinnati. The Bearcats got a bail-out pass interference call against Gentry Williams, but their ability to gash the Sooners on the ground a couple times is concerning. OU hasn’t been blocked like that yet this season.

— JH

12:20 p.m.

Cincinnati benefitted from a tough pass interference call on Gentry Williams to extend the drive, but finding some success on the ground.

Oklahoma’s defense holds strong to force the field goal, but Scott Satterfield might want to abandon any kind of screen or quarterback draw play. Neither have worked at all so far.

Bearcats lead 3-0 with 7:39 in the first quarter, the first time OU has trailed this season.

— RC 

12:10 p.m.

Except for that botched third down snap, it looks like the obvious is playing out: Oklahoma will have a hard time running the football today, and knows it. Two short throws out wide and one handoff — which went for a loss. Thinking Dillon Gabriel will need to have his arm good and loose today.

— JH

12:10 p.m.

Oklahoma’s offensive starters:

Rouse - Everett - Raym - Mettauer - Guyton

Anthony - Stoops - Stogner - Farooq

Gabriel - Major

— RC 

12:07 p.m.

Oklahoma’s defensive starters:

Bothroyd - Coe - Lacey - Downs

Stutsman - Kanak - McCullough

Williams - Lawrence - Bowman - Washington

— RC 

12:06 p.m.

Kudos to Cincinnati.

Quite the atmosphere here. The season starts now.

— RC 

12:05 p.m.

Farooq calls tails.

It is tails.

The Sooners will defer. Cincinnati will take the ball.

Let’s ride.

— RC 

11:37 a.m.

Running back Marcus Major took the first team “snaps” during pregame.

The previous two weeks, it was Jovantae Barnes who took the first reps in pregame last week.

— RC 

11:27 a.m.

Oklahoma has a couple of notable absences from the two-deep today.

Left guard Savion Byrd is not with the team for the offense. Defensively, it appears R Mason Thomas, Reggie Pearson, Kelvin Gilliam and Justin Harrington didn’t make the trip.

— RC

11:20 a.m.

Hard to ignore when walking the field before the game — out of pads, the Sooners are noticeably bigger than Cincinnati. The defensive lines look like two entirely different units. All the more impressive how disruptive the Bearcats have been up front.

— RC 

11:14 a.m.

Things going to be a bit more difficult for the Bearcats as they’ll be without linebacker Deshawn Pace today.

— RC

10:56 a.m.

Tons of energy around campus as the Bearcats host the Sooners. Big 12 commissioner Bret Yormark was walking the field before the game and had a quick chat with Brent Venables. 

There is also some team news, as Gabe Ikard is reporting Troy Everett will start at left guard. 

Rest of the Sooners will hit the field shortly for pregame warmups. 

— RC

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