Oklahoma-Tulsa Observations: LIVE In-Game Blog
TULSA — AllSooners offers real-time observations throughout today's Week 3 matchup against Tulsa. Newest posts are at the top. Just keep your browser open and refresh often.
5:59 p.m.
Sooners get 100-yard performances from receivers Jalil Farooq (126), Nic Anderson (120) and Andrel Anthony (110). It's the first time that's happened since 2012.
--TW
5:55 p.m.
Oklahoma, behind five touchdown passes from Dillon Gabriel and five interceptions by the defense, dominate Tulsa 66-17. Next up: Sooners travel to Cincinnati to open Big 12 play next Saturday against a new conference opponent.
-- TW
5:53 p.m.
Oklahoma's five interceptions are the most by the Sooners since 2003.
-- TW
5:42 p.m.
OU fails to convert a 3rd-and-9 play and Josh Plaster punts for the first time today with 4:55 left in the game.
-- TW
5:28 p.m.
That must have been some halftime speech by head coach Brent Venables. The Sooners have outscored Tulsa 28-3 since the Golden Hurricane outscored OU 14-10 in the second quarter.
-- TW
5:25 p.m.
Defensive end Trace Ford with Oklahoma's fifth interception of the game on the first play of the fourth quarter, returns it to Tulsa's 4-yard line. Two plays later, Gavin Sawchuk scores from 1-yard out. Sooners leading 66-17.
-- TW
5:21 p.m.
Third quarter stats:
5:20 p.m.
On to the fourth quarter.
5:16 p.m.
That will do it for the third quarter. OU up big, 59-17.
-- TW
5:10 p.m.
Jackson Arnold to Nic Anderson. Fifty-yard touchdown pass. Good coverage by Tulsa, but perfect throw by Arnold out in front of his man down the right sideline, then remarkable power to bull through the tackle and drag the defender more than five yards across the goal line. Wow.
— JH
5:01 p.m.
Sooners are having fun now. They came out in the ninja formation, with a cluster of four wideouts, and Jackson Arnold was the lead wideout. But they ran a reverse to Gavin Freeman, which lost four yards.
Then Arnold runs the reverse on the next play, but pulls up with a throw into the end zone to Freeman and it was nearly intercepted.
Not sure what to think of any of that.
So Gabriel to Stoops for a third-down conversion and the Sooners punch in another one as Jovantae Barnes reaches the end zone for a 52-17 lead.
— JH
4:54 p.m.
While the officiating crew took yet another eon to figure out what penalties they wanted to call, Oklahoma’s defense spent the delay pumping up the pro-OU crowd at H.A. Chapman Stadium.
It’s just Tulsa, but the defense is playing with plenty of confidence headed into Big 12 play, and Danny Stutsman is leading the charge.
— RC
4:48 p.m.
Dillon Gabriel was super sharp on that touchdown drive, but it took an extraordinary effort by Nic Anderson to see his balance and stay in bounds down the right sideline to finish it off, a 42-yard touchdown pass. Anderson’s second TD of the day, and it’s 45-17.
— JH
4:44 p.m.
Walter Rouse back in at left tackle, Troy Everett at left guard to start the second half for the Sooners.
— RC
4:38 p.m.
Tulsa has opened the second half with another sharp offensive possession and is threatening at the Oklahoma goal line, but time is called as the Sooners tend to an injured Reggie Pearson.
— JH
4:15 p.m.
Jeff Lebby may be just getting too cute with the Jackson Arnold package. First, Arnold rifled a 2-yard pass off Blake Smith’s facemask (he was well covered), then it’s a dive into the middle of the line that’s stuffed. OU calls timeout to kick a field goal.
Coaches can overthink things sometimes.
— JH
4:12 p.m.
Halftime, and the game has gotten a little weird.
— JH
4:12 p.m.
Halftime stats:
— JH
4:11 p.m.
After a Tulsa timeout, Jackson Arnold remains in with the short yardage package from the 2-yard-line.
OU threw on the first snap, and Blake Smith couldn’t catch the pass.
On the second take, Tulsa’s defensive line blew the play up and stuffed Arnold.
In the end, Oklahoma settled for a field goal.
Sooners take a 38-14 lead into half.
— RC
4:00 p.m.
After a quiet first two weeks, Jeff Lebby seems to be making a concerted effort to get the football to his most versatile receiver, and Jalil Farooq is responding big-time: 4 catches for 106 yards and a touchdown.
— JH
4:00 p.m.
Jalil Farooq has been a playmaker so far. Four catches for 106 yards, 26.5-yard average,
-- TW
3:52 p.m.
Let’s be honest: Dillon Gabriel has been under throwing his receivers all day. They’ve just been making plays. That time, Gavin Freeman tried to make the adjustment, but his corner, Demarco Jones, adjusted a little quicker and picked Gabriel off. That was Gabriel’s first INT since Texas Tech last year.
— JH
3:50 p.m.
Completely understandable in the context of today’s game, but it’s still odd to see Tulsa — down 35-14 — with more first downs (12 to 11) and plays (40 to 25). TU is also catching up in yards (301-202) after back to back touchdown drives.
— JH
3:49 p.m.
Tulsa strikes again, this time on a fourth down play.
Cardell Williams hits Devan Williams for an 18-yard touchdown. Devan Williams absolutely fooled Reggie Pearson on a double move, and Pearson bit. Got a pretty decent chorus of “ooo’s” in the press box, seemed to happen in slow motion.
Sooners up 35-14 with 5:30 left in the first half.
— RC
3:44 p.m.
Cornerback Gentry Williams is back on the field for Oklahoma on this drive.
— RC
3:38 p.m.
After throwing his fourth touchdown pass of the day, Dillon Gabriel is now 16-of-18 for 272 yards.
There’s still 9:32 to play before halftime, and OU leads it 35-7.
Cool to see Nic Anderson catch his first career touchdown — with a clever little “penguin” dance or something. Anyway, his teammates mobbed him big-time.
— JH
3:28 p.m.
Tulsa is on the board.
Cardell Williams connected on a 19-yard pass to Marquis Shoulders for the touchdown. Shoulders was standing all alone in the end zone and it looked like true freshman cornerback Makari Vickers busted the coverage for the Sooners. OU up 28-7 with 12:30 left until halftime.
— RC
3:24 p.m.
On Oklahoma’s last PAT, Savion Byrd got rolled up on and it took him a second to get over to the sideline.
He just emerged from the injury tent. Trainers have his helmet and he is being taken to the locker room.
Back on the field, Oklahoma starting the second quarter with a pair of true freshman corners — Jacobe Johnson and Makari Vickers.
— RC
3:22 p.m.
First quarter stats:
— JH
3:21 p.m.
End of the first quarter. The rout is on.
— JH
3:18 p.m.
Tulsa is changing quarterbacks. Backup Cardell Williams is now in the game.
— JH
3:15 p.m.
I was reminded in the pregame that Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel came into today’s game with an 0-2 record against Tulsa (at UCF).
After throwing his third touchdown pass of the day — the Sooners lead 28-0 — it’s safe to say he’ll break that streak today.
— JH
3:13 p.m.
Cayden Green steps into the game at left guard to start off this offensive drive.
Nice play by Marcus Major on the first play, but it comes back for a holding call on Walter Rouse.
— RC
3:10 p.m.
I for one can’t wait to ask Danny Stutsman about his pick-six celebration.
But for now we’ll discuss cornerback Kendel Dolby’s interception — the first of his OU career and the Sooners’ third of the first quarter.
Ryan just asked me: “Is this defense good?”
Tulsa quarterback Roman Fuller sure thinks so.
— JH
3:08 p.m.
Danny Stutsman likes road games.
The OU linebacker tips a ball to himself and houses it. The 30-yard pick six puts Oklahoma up 21-0 with 3:34 left in the first quarter.
— RC
3:01 p.m.
Sooners go 92 yards in 11 plays and it took more than four minutes off the clock. Impressive drive. But it was Drake Stoops time in the red zone, cashing it in with a 4-yard TD catch from Dillon Gabriel.
Sooners lead 14-0 after two quick possessions, 4:49 to play in the quarter.
— JH
2:58 p.m.
Dillon Gabriel is gonna want that 32-yard completion to Anthony back. Anthony was wide open on a short post but Gabriel threw him a little short and he had to slide to make the low catch. Could have been an easy touchdown.
Three straight catches by Drake Stoops and the Sooners are back in the red zone.
— JH
2:58 p.m.
Gentry Williams has emerged from the injury tent with his helmet and made a beeline on the sideline back to where the defensive backs are. Seems to be in good spirits, would bet he’s cleared to return.
— RC
2:50 p.m.
Gentry Williams steps up to make a tackle but has to head to the sideline. Looked like he was holding something on the left side of his body, but walks off under his own power. Kani Walker back into the game, just like he was last week in reserve for Williams.
— RC
2:41 p.m.
Guess Jeff Lebby and Dillon Gabriel heard all the criticism from last week — and responded by throwing deep on the first play of the game. Gabriel hit Andrel Anthony with a 55-yard deep post, then hits Jalil Farooq with a short post across the middle and Farooq beats man to man coverage for a 24-yard touchdown.
Two things: One, Gabriel is 2-for-2 for 89 yards. Not bad. And two, starting every game with a deep ball to Anthony might actually be a viable option for this team.
— JH
2:40 p.m.
Oklahoma’s offensive starters:
Rouse - Byrd - Raym - Mettauer - Guyton
Anthony - Stogner - Stoops - Farooq
Gabriel - Barnes
— RC
2:40 p.m.
Noted Tulsan Gentry Williams is having quite a day and there’s less than two minutes gone.
First, he gets to call the coin toss — and wins — and then after OU’s first turnover of the season, Williams gets it back with his first interception of the season.
— JH
2:39 p.m.
Oklahoma’s defensive starters:
Bothroyd - Lacey - Laulu - Downs
Stutsman - Kanak - Bowen
Williams - Pearson - Bowman - Washington
— RC
2:38 p.m.
Third-string quarterback Roman Fuller starts for Tulsa. Does that mean the other two are hurt? Or is TU gonna play three QBs today?
— JH
2:36 p.m.
Wow. Jalil Farooq takes the opening kickoff back 60 yards, he fumbles while weaving through traffic and the Golden Hurricane have recovered. That’s an odd one for the bingo board.
— JH
2:35 p.m.
Hard to tell in the press box but Oklahoma has won the toss and will receive.
Sooners getting the ball first, Gentry Williams successfully called the toss in his hometown and got his team the ball first. Stars matter.
— RC
2:32 p.m.
No shock here, but a louder reception for the Sooners from the majority Crimson and Cream in H.A. Chapman Stadium.
Let’s football.
— RC
2:05 p.m.
Jovantae Barnes is taking the first team “snaps” in pregame. That’s a change from the first two games, where it’s been either Marcus Major or Tawee Walker.
— RC
1:55 p.m.
Justin Harrington is officially out today. Not suited up for warmups, wearing a brace on his left knee. Also, per Ryan, cornerback Jayden Rowe, safety Daeh McCullough and tight end Kade McIntyre are not here.
— JH
1:50 p.m.
It occurred to me last week that the first OU game I ever covered was the SMU game in 1985. So last week's OU game versus the Mustangs was kind of a full-circle moment for me personally.
This week, I recall my first ever professional football game was here in this stadium in 1984, back when it was called Skelly. My girlfriend and her little brother and I drove up to Tulsa from Ada to watch the Oklahoma Outlaws take on the Michigan Panthers in a USFL classic. It rained sideways. The whole game. And it was cold. We were pretty miserable, but we stayed for the whole thing.
The Outlaws, quarterbacked by future Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams, won 20-17, the second win in a three-game winning streak. They then lost 10 straight to end the season and moved to Arizona.
— JH
1:45 p.m.
The full team has made it out for warm-ups. All the running backs are here and dressed. More updates to come...
— JH
1:36 p.m.
This game has been sold out for months now, but it's definitely a late-arriving crowd. Kudos to Tulsa for bolstering its pregame tailgate scene, and kudos to OU fans for showing up as strong as ever. One hour to kickoff, and the areas outside the stadium are absolutely hopping.
— JH
1:27 p.m.
Davis Beville is here at the Tulsa game, but looks like he won't be playing. He's wearing a jersey and ballcap and is in a full leg brace on his right leg and is wearing shorts while the other quarterbacks are warming up.
— JH
1:15 p.m.
Justin Harrington made the trip to Tulsa. Only the specialists are on the field in pads today, but walking the field in pregame warm ups is all Harrington is expected to do in Tulsa today.
— RC
