OU-OSU: Q1 Report

NORMAN — Spencer Rattler’s first Bedlam game got off to an explosive start. Spencer Sanders’ Bedlam debut was less impressive.

Rattler put Oklahoma up 21-0 midway through the second quarter with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Theo Wease – Wease’s first touchdown of the year.

That drive was set up by an acrobatic interception by linebacker David Ugweogbu, who blitzed on the left side, jumped to tip Sanders’ pass, and fully extended to catch the ball just before it hit the ground.

Rattler’s throw to Wease was his second TD of the opening quarter. He threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Mikey Henderson as the Sooners scored almost at will on their first three drives.

Rattler’s TD to Henderson was set up by a circus catch by Marvin Mims, who beat OSU cornerback Rodarius Williams for a 27-yard completion, leaped and landed on his back.

Rattler put the Sooners on the board first with a 9-yard touchdown run. He got a boost on that drive from Rhamondre Stevenson, who took a short screen pass 45 yards up the middle. Three plays later, Rattler converted a third-and-4 by zipping a pass over the middle to H-back, Brayden Willis, who’s playing in just his second game of the season and hasn’t played since a Week 2 loss to Kansas State.

The Sooner defense harassed Sanders early, forcing him into an intentional grounding penalty (a sack for Ronnie Perkins) on his first play and a quick three-and-out. After Perkins’ second sack later in the period, Sanders left the game. He sat on the bench getting medical attention while true freshman Shane Illingworth came in and started moving the OSU offense.

OU got a stop when Illingworth threw incomplete on third-and-4, but Brendan Radley-Hiles was flagged for a dead-ball unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That put OSU’s offense back on the field, and Illingworth threw to Logan Carter to cut the Oklahoma lead to 21-7.

The 115th Bedlam matchup was noteworthy for being the first ever to kick off in Norman at night.

ESPN’s “College GameDay” staged its morning pregame show from the northeast corner of Memorial Stadium, the first time the network’s flagship show originated from Norman since 2012.