Three Things We Learned from the Oklahoma Sooners’ win over West Virginia

What a game Saturday night. It seems as if we have a new rivalry on our hands, as the yearly match-ups between Oklahoma and West Virginia never disappoint.

It was another classic as the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners defeated West Virginia, 45-33. It was a shaky start for the Sooners, but they were able to regroup and dominate the second half. Here are three things we learned from the game.

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1. Trevor Knight needs to be let loose.

Bob Stoops and Josh Heupel know what they’re doing. But I still don’t understand why Knight isn’t getting rushes. That’s what he is. He’s a mobile quarterback that, for some reason, is only being used for throwing in the pocket. I personally saw about four or five options where Knight handed it off for limited yards, but could have gotten a lot more if he had kept it. I understand they want him healthy, but Knight has learned to slide and avoid the big hit. They should let him loose and let him do what he does best. But then again, I’m not the one on the sideline with a headset so we have to trust in Stoops and Heupel.

2. Samaje Perine is not human.

I don’t know what his parents fed him growing up, but it worked. At 5’11”, 243 pounds, the guy bounces off tackles and keeps plays alive with his strength. He ran for 242 yards and four rushing TDs. The last Oklahoma freshman to do that: some guy named Adrian Peterson back in 2004. I think Stoops should seriously consider using Perine a lot more, even when Keith Ford returns. Oh, and we still need to find a consistent nickname. I vote for Optimus Perine.

3. The defense stepped up when it needed to.

After allowing 24 points in the first half, the Oklahoma defense came out in the second half and only allowed nine. And six of those were in the last drive in garbage time. The defense forced a fumble, an interception, and a key fourth down stop to help seal the game. After a rough start, you can be sure Bob and Mike Stoops made adjustments and gave the defensive unit a talk at halftime that certainly motivated them to play better. With an injured shoulder, Zack Sanchez was still able to get his sixth interception in the last seven games and recorded six tackles. The Oklahoma defense is still one of the best in the nation.

The Sooners move to 4-0 heading into the bye week and then get ready for a trip to TCU in two weeks. With the win, Bob Stoops won his 100th career Big 12 game, and his 164th overall. If Perine can keep doing what he did tonight, and the defense plays like they did in the second half, it should be great season for the Sooners moving forward.