Oklahoma football: Five worst losses of the 2010-19 decade
By Chip Rouse
No. 1 — Dec. 28, 2019 — #1 LSU 63, #4 Oklahoma 28
It is somewhat ironic that Oklahoma’s worst defeat during the past decade would come in one of the biggest games for the Sooners. There was nothing ironic, however, about the LSU talent superiority in this game.
Virtually every handicapper in the land had top-ranked LSU as a double-digit favorite coming into its College Football Playoff national semifinal game against Lincoln Riley’s 12-1 Sooners.
LSU (13-0) featured Heisman-winning Joe Burrow at quarterback, and Oklahoma had Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts, who had played in three consecutive national championship games, calling signals and leading the Sooners’ high-octane offense.
LSU jumped out to a commanding 21-7 first-quarter advantage on three touchdown passes by Burrow, all three to wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
The Tigers drew first blood three-minutes into the game on a 19-yard scoring play from Burrow to Jefferson. Two possessions later, Oklahoma tied the game on a three-yard run by Kennedy Brooks that was set up by a 51-yard pass from Hurts to OU All-American CeeDee Lamb.
The 21 first-quarter LSU points proved to be just the beginning of the scoring avalanche. The Oklahoma defense, which was down three starters on the defensive unit because of injury and suspensions, and then lost defensive back Brendan “Bookie” Radley-Hiles to an injection in the second quarter, suffered a total collapse during the second 15 minutes.
LSU scored 28 more points in the second quarter to take a 49-14 lead to the locker room at halftime. The game was effectively over at that point, and you could see it in the eyes of the Oklahoma players that there would be no miracle comeback this time (as there was in overcoming a 25-point deficit against Baylor during the regular season).
In the second half, the two teams played to a 14-all tie, but all that did was keep the OU deficit from getting any worse than the 35 points it was at halftime.
Burrow was every bit the Heisman-winning quarterback in this game, completing 29 of 39 passes for 493 yards and seven touchdowns. He even ran one in, accounting for eight of LSU’s nine TDs in the game.
Can OU dispel enough concerns to legitimize a 2020 national title run?. dark. Next
The eventual 2019 national champions totally dominated every major statistical category in this game and outgaining Oklahoma 692 to 322. The 322 yards of total offense was the lowest output by the Oklahoma offense all season.