Oklahoma Sooners power through Louisiana Tech, 48-16
By Joe Buettner
Oklahoma was not fazed by first game jitters. Louisiana Tech received the opening kick-off, but OU wasted no time dominating this game.
Geneo Grissom deflected a Cody Sokol pass, which forced a three-and-out. Enter Trevor Knight.
Oklahoma’s first offensive series was a beauty. Alex Ross caught a swing pass from Knight, and collected 15 receiving yards on the first play from scrimmage.
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The Sooners threw everything at Louisiana Tech. Knight utilized his feet, found Dimitri Flowers for a fourth down conversion, and set up Keith Ford to score the first touchdown of the season.
Ford ran in a 22-yard touchdown, which sparked a big night for the running backs.
Oklahoma’s defense continued to terrorize the Bulldogs. After calling three pass plays to open the game, the Bulldogs had no luck running their featured back, Kenneth Dixon.
Knight picked up his first touchdown of the year on the ensuing drive. The sophomore looked like a season veteran, throwing a beautiful fade to Sterling Shepard in the end zone.
Skip Holtz’s Bulldogs found little luck on offense. However, Oklahoma linebacker Jordan Evans was ejected just ten minutes in to the contest.
Evans was thrown out, because of a hard hit he laid on Sokol, resulting in a targeting call. Though, an already thin linebacking corps thankfully did not hinder OU’s defensive performance.
Louisiana Tech tried a long, 51-yard field goal only to have it blocked by Zack Sanchez. Eric Striker recovered the ball, and returned it 20 yards in to Louisiana Tech territory.
Oklahoma’s third possession ended with Keith Ford scoring his second touchdown of the night just before the end of the first quarter.
Cody Sokol’s debut for Louisiana Tech didn’t get much better after the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, Sokol threw an interception to Sanchez.
Oklahoma’s offense couldn’t extend its touchdown streak, but Michael Hunnicutt tacked on three-points, hitting a 39-yard field goal.
The second quarter seemed to lull with a lack of offensive production from either team. However, late in the second, Alex Ross punched in a touchdown from the one-yard line following an 11-play drive.
Louisiana Tech responded with its first score of the night. Jonathan Barnes nailed a 36-yard to prevent any chance of a shutout. However, Oklahoma headed in to the locker room with a 31-3 lead.
Oklahoma continued to enforce its will. Alex Ross found the endzone once more, and Michael Hunnicutt was money from 37-yards.
Bob Stoops kept Knight in the ball game, who made a few crisp throws and a near spectacular touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard, which was ruled incomplete.
The fourth quarter opened with OU legend Barry Switzer running through a fog of smoke on to the field and rallying the crowd that remained.
The 85,063 fans in attendance dwindled as the game dragged on in to the night. However, they missed Samaje Perine bullying his way through a Louisiana Tech defense that couldn’t stop the frosh.
Perine scored from seven yards out a minute in to the fourth, giving every OU running back at least one touchdown.
Louisiana Tech would score a garbage touchdown with 37 seconds left in the game, covering the 38-point spread.
2014 Sugar Bowl MVP Trevor Knight finished the game with 253 passing yards and one touchdown pass.
Samaje Perine led all rushers with 77 yards on 13 carries. Plus, Keith Ford finished with 51 yards rushing, and led the team in receiving yards with 65.
There was no bad taste about this season-opener, as Oklahoma improves to 1-0 and they will get Tulsa next week with some momentum.
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