Oklahoma Emphatically Knocked Out Michigan With 16-Play Fourth Quarter Drive

NORMAN — Michigan punted the ball away with 10:11 left in the fourth quarter on Saturday night.

Little did the Wolverines know, the Sooners were about to kill off the game.

Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, a branch off the air raid tree, called a 16-play, 78-yard drive that wound eight minutes and 27 seconds off the clock.

The No. 18-ranked Sooners kicked a field goal to extend their lead to 24-13, and while No. 15 Michigan got the ball back one final time, the game was over.

Oklahoma notched a massive early-season victory to propel itself into September and silence the doubters for a few weeks, and it sealed the win with a drive head coach Brent Venables loved watching.

“The O-line was really good,” Venables said after the win. “Started off giving the game ball to Bill Bedenbaugh and the offensive line group, really proud of those guys, everything that they’ve battled through, the pain — as I told the team — is one of the world’s greatest adhesives, and what you go through. Somebody who’s gone through hell, like a lot of us have, you don’t walk the same.”

Oklahoma Sooners, John Matee — Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer rushed for two touchdowns in the Sooners' 24-13 win over Michigan. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma started the game with four different starters on the offensive line from the unit that started last week against Illinois State.

That new starting lineup against Michigan included true freshman Michael Fasusi at left tackle.

Things weren’t always pretty, but the line grew throughout the game.

“We got a few guys back from being a little bit dinged up,” Arbuckle said. “… Really proud of how they accepted a challenge and attacked it this week. So really happy for those guys.”

The Sooners rushed for 138 yards and posted 408 total yards against an excellent Michigan defense.

They were able to deal with adversity, too. Logan Howland had to come into the game for Fasusi for a stretch on the final drive, but Oklahoma rumbled down the field.

Read More Oklahoma vs. Michigan

“They’re only gonna get better,” OU quarterback John Mateer said. “… That’s a great (defensive) front for Michigan… We challenged ‘em and we had a great plan.

“Coach Bedenbaugh does a great job. He gets after ‘em and he definitely challenged them, too, and they just responded.”

Oklahoma was able to adapt throughout the night.

When the running game sputtered early, Arbuckle leaned on Mateer to carry the ball.

The Sooners spread Michigan at times to create mismatches in the secondary.

But Arbuckle showed he could conform to any moment in a game with the final drive.

“He’s not stuck in any way and he’s super versatile and he trusts the guys up front,” Mateer said. “You know, an Air Raid coach might want to call a bunch of pass plays in that situation, but he stayed disciplined to the run game and we got it done. Kudos to him because he called a great game and did a great job and told us the plan, and had us all ready to go.”

Oklahoma Sooners, Jovantae Barne — Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes carries the ball in the Sooners' win over Michigan. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When he was hired by Oklahoma, Venables dreamed of building a physical football team that could take an opponent’s soul late.

OU will have plenty to clean up from the win over the Wolverines, but Venables grinned from the postgame podium when recounting exactly how his offense clinched the win to improve the team to 2-0.

“You’re not going against Sisters of the Poor,” Venables said. “You’re going against Michigan and Coach (Wink) Martindale and those kinds of things.

“… I'm just laughing because that's close to a 10-minute drive. Those are hard to get against good people. They're hard to get at practice against the scouts without some screw ups along the way. So, just really functional football. Not perfect. But it's good, functional, clean football.

“… There were plenty of times they had the whole defense down there trying to stop us."