Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma football: Sooners outgained on the field but not on scoreboard

By Chip Rouse

Oklahoma's Danny Stutsman (28) celebrates a play next to SMU's Sean Kane (52) in the second half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Southern Methodist University Mustangs at the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023.
Oklahoma's Danny Stutsman (28) celebrates a play next to SMU's Sean Kane (52) in the second half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Southern Methodist University Mustangs at the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. /
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On a night when the Oklahoma football offense was somewhat hit and miss until striking twice late, the defense was stretched but, unlike a year ago, failed to break enabling the 18th-ranked Sooners to come away with a 28-11 win.

It was the Sooners sixth win in eight previous games with SMU and the second by the final score of 28-11. Interestingly, it is only the third time in program history, spanning 129 years, that Oklahoma has won a game by that score.

Oklahoma begins the 2023 season 2-0. It is the 84th time in program history that the Sooners have started the season with two consecutive wins and the 20th time since 2000.

Attendance for the game was reported at 84,146, marking the 148th consecutive sellout at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The string dates back to the beginning of the 1999 season, Bob Stoops’ first as head coach of the Sooners. OU has the second-longest active streak in college football.

Dillon Gabriel had another quiet but highly productive day, completing 19 of 27 passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns. Through two games, the fifth-year senior has completed 78 percent of his passes for 484 yards, a 77.5 completion percentage, and six touchdowns. His completion percentage is up 15 points over a year ago.

Here are some more numbers that help tell the story of the OU-SMU game:

2 — Oklahoma won the turnover battle against SMU forcing two Mustang turnovers: a fumble forced by DB Key Lawrence in the third quarter and recovered by Danny Stutsman and an interception in OU territory late in the game by DB Justin Harrington. The Sooners have three takeaways and no turnovers after two games.

3 — The Sooner defense allowed just three points (a first-quarter field goal by SMU) in its first seven quarters of the 2023 season. SMU’s fourth-quarter touchdown was the first given up by Oklahoma this season. The last time OU did not give up a touchdown in the first seven quarters of a season was back in 1999.

4 — Touchdown passes by Dillon Gabriel against SMU. That gives him 101 TD passes for his career, which started at Central Florida (UCF). This was third time in 14 games for OU that he has thrown for at least four touchdowns in a game.

7 — Michigan transfer Andrel Anthony caught a career-high seven passes to lead all OU receivers in the win over SMU. One of those receptions was for a 29-yard touchdown, his first in a Sooner uniform and the fifth of his career.

8 — Eight different receivers caught a pass in Saturday’s game. Eleven OU receivers caught a pass in Week 1 against Arkansas State.

94 — One of Oklahoma’s four touchdowns in the game was a 13-play, 94-yard march in the second quarter. It was the Sooners’ longest of the season and the longest since mounting a 96-yard TD drive at West Virginia last season.

100 — Oklahoma has outscored its opponents 111-11 in two games, giving up an average of 5.5 points per game, sixth best in the country.

117 — Rushing yards by junior running back Tawee Walker in 21 carries versus SMU, a career high. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry.

367 — Despite losing by 17 points, SMU outgained Oklahoma in the game 367 to 365.

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