Game Grades: Oklahoma Sooners 30, Kansas State Wildcats 31
By Jacob Keyes
The Oklahoma Sooners dropped yet another disappointing game on Saturday with a 31-30 loss to Kansas State at home. In Dallas, Oklahoma won despite Texas dominating in almost every major statistical category. Now it seems karma has caught up with the Sooners.
Oklahoma dominated in total yards and passing yards and out rushed the Wildcats, but miscues and the strangest kicking performance in Sooner history left Oklahoma a point short in the category that meant the most: the scoreboard.
The Offense
Trevor Knight: B
If you had told me before the game that Trevor Knight would complete 26 of 32 attempts and throw three touchdown passes, I would have guaranteed a Sooner victory. That’s exactly what Knight did against Kansas State, but it just wasn’t enough.
Despite the sophomore’s best regular season performance of his career, fans are still calling for his head and blaming the loss on his second quarter pick-six interception. Offensive coordinator Josh Heupel made one of the worst offensive play calls of his coaching career on that play. Especially after showing the defense your intention to run that same play on the previous snap that was blown dead for a delay of game penalty on the Sooners. The logic for calling that out pattern to the long side of the field with our back to your end zone will have me shaking my head for years.
Still Knight was not used much in the running game, especially after leaving the game for Oklahoma’s first scoring drive. He finished with six rushing attempts for 17 yards. In case you were keeping count, that’s 37 rushing attempts through seven games for Knight. That’s well short of the 51 attempts Heupel had through seven games as the Sooners quarterback in 2000.
Running Backs: B
Like the rest of the season to this point, there really isn’t much you can point at from the running backs that was disappointing. Samaje Perine ran for 89 yards on 24 attempts, which is amazing when you consider the fact that they call the same play every single time they hand him the ball.
Alex Ross had one of his better performances with 75 yards on just eight carries. Again, another mystery as to how a guy can run the way Ross was running on Saturday and only get eight carries in an offense that was supposed to be built to dominate in the run game.
Aaron Ripkowski provided the one black mark on the running backs. After being flagged for targeting, the fullback was ejected and would be missed sorely when the Sooners failed to score from the one-yard line late in the game.
Receivers: B
As a group the receivers played much better coming off a horrible performance against Texas. Freshman Michiah Quick and sophomore Austin Bennett both saw their first real action of the season.
Sterling Shepard kept the receivers from getting a C by having a career day with 15 catches for 197 yards and a touchdown. These type of performances are becoming the norm for Shepard.
Durron Neal also scored a touchdown and caught three passes on the day for 33 yards. Neal will need an even bigger day when Baylor comes to town.
Blake Bell continued to show his value as a tight end. The former quarterback pulled in three receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown.