Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Baker Mayfield leads two underdog teams in OU 2000s Playoff semifinals

By Chip Rouse

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 23: Safety Pat Fields #10, and offensive lineman Marcus Alexander #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners run onto the field for a game against the TCU Horned Frogs on November 23, 2019 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. OU held on to win 28-24. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 23: Safety Pat Fields #10, and offensive lineman Marcus Alexander #74 of the Oklahoma Sooners run onto the field for a game against the TCU Horned Frogs on November 23, 2019 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. OU held on to win 28-24. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

No. 2 2008 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 2017 Oklahoma

There will not be an all-Baker Mayfield final in the Sooner Football 2000s Playoff. Sam Bradford and the 2008 Oklahoma team took care of that with a decisive 56-28 dismantling of what arguably was the best of the three Mayfield-quarterbacked Sooner teams.

Mayfield’s 2017 Sooner team drew first blood, scoring on its opening possession to take an early 7-0 lead. But the much-maligned OU 2017 defense yielded the next 35 points in the game. A wild fourth quarter produced 42 combined points (21 by each team), but by that time, Bradford and the 2008 Oklahoma team had already built a 28-point advantage.

Mayfield completed 19 of 27 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns, but he also threw two costly interceptions. Bradford misfired on just six pass attempts, completing 29 for 387 yards and six touchdowns.

Chris Brown had 164 yards rushing, including a 65-yard touchdown gallop in the fourth quarter against a weary 2017 defense. The combination of Brown and DeMarco Murray produced 248 of the 2008 team’s 267 rushing yards. Juaquin Iglesias caught two of Bradford’s six TD passes.

Rodney Anderson (99) and Abdul Adams (93) each exceeded 90 rushing yards for the 2017 Sooners, and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Jeff Badet hauled in four receptions apiece for 85 and 80 yards, respectively.

The 2008 team controlled the clock, converting 11 of 16 third-down attempts and registering 34 first downs to just 20 for the Mayfield 2017 team. The 2008 Sooners possessed the ball almost 10 and a half minutes longer than their 2017 brethren and forced seven punts.

Editor’s note: This game was simulated five times for greater accuracy. The 2008 team won four of the five by an average victory margin of 19 points.

So the championship final is set. It will be Sam Bradford and No. 2-seeded 2008 Oklahoma against Baker Mayfield again, this time leading 2015 Oklahoma, the No. 8 seed and the upset darlings of the Sooner Football 2000s Playoff.

Can Mayfield and the 2015 Sooners do it again and knock off the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 2 teams on its way to the unofficial title of Best of the Rest of 2000s Oklahoma football? Or will Sam Bradford walk away with the Most Outstanding Player award and spoil the upset bid by the 2015 Sooners?

Check back in tomorrow to see which story line prevails.

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