[ad_1]
(AP) – Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler and his teammates felt the pressure after barely beating Tulane in Game 1 of the season.
The Sooners simmered for a week, then expressed frustration over West Carolina. Rattler threw five touchdown passes and the Oklahoma No.4 passed the Catamounts 76-0 on Saturday night.
“When we walked into the facility on Monday, even Sunday, the mood was uncomfortable,” Rattler said. “We knew what we had to do. We were challenged last week and came here today and performed our plays, went through the reads, played hard for four quarters. And that was our big thing – four quarters and the end. We did well with that.
Oklahoma tied their fifth-highest points total in school history and posted their highest score since 2007. It was the program’s third-highest margin of victory, behind wins. 77-0 against Missouri in 1986 and Texas A&M in 2003.
The Sooners led 62-0 after three quarters, and the fourth quarter was shortened to 12 minutes.
Rattler completed 20 of 26 passes for 243 yards before resting in the second half of Oklahoma’s 10th straight win. He joined Jason White as the only Sooners to score five touchdowns in one half.
He threw two interceptions against Tulane, but took a step forward on Saturday.
ADVERTISING
“I think he was just more patient,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. “Really, just a mindset to go perform and really never get out of it, and that’s what the best do. They can reach that high level of focus and be able to maintain it, and it was much better there today. “
Gabe Brkic of Oklahoma kicked for 56 yards in the first half, his fourth from 50 yards or more in the first two games. Jadon Haselwood caught two touchdown passes and Jaden Knowles had 102 scrum yards and rushed for two touchdowns for the Sooners (2-0).
Rogan Wells completed 16 of 29 passes for 86 yards for Western Carolina (0-2), a Championship Subdivision program that fell to 0-60 against Bowl Subdivision teams.
“Well, we wanted to be successful early on,” West Carolina coach Kerwin Bell said. “When you’re in a game like this you have to have some success and then you can kind of stay a little bit and not have that big margin. But … Rogan missed a couple of shots on crucial lows. We dropped four or five balls.
Oklahoma held the Catamounts for 178 yards, including 55 rushing. The Sooners got their first shutout since last September’s victory over Missouri State.
Now the Sooners can focus on Saturday’s game with former Big 8 and Big 12 rival Nebraska.
“I know it’s a big rivalry, it was back then,” Rattler said. “It’s going to be a great fun atmosphere, especially at home. It’s just another game, however. We have to come in and prepare this week and see what they do on the defensive end and practice it perfectly, then come out on Saturday and play our best for four quarters.
NO STOP
Bell said he was asked at half-time if he wanted his team to play the second half because one of the light banks was not operational during the game.
“We’re not making it to this game. We are not going to surrender as a football team. We had very good representatives live, which is going to help us win this (Southern) conference.
ERIC GRAY
Oklahoma’s transfer from Tennessee went wild after struggling to find his way against Tulane. He led the Sooners with 74 yards on nine carries and scored his first touchdown for Oklahoma on a 20-yard pass from Rattler.
FRESH SHINE
Oklahoma freshman Danny Stutzman, a second-string linebacker, led the Sooners with eight tackles. He injured his arm and said on twitter to have a CT scan on Sunday morning.
Take it away
West Carolina: The Catamounts were outmatched and were never in the game. Oklahoma were leading 17-0 at the end of the first quarter and 45-0 at halftime.
Oklahoma: The Sooners got the most out of their running game this week, posting 277 yards on 38 attempts.
SURVEY IMPLICATIONS
The Sooners could earn a spot because the No.3 Ohio State lost at home to No.12 Oregon.
FOLLOWING
West Carolina hosts Samford on Saturday.
Oklahoma hosts Nebraska on Saturday.
© 2021 Cox Media Group
[ad_2]
Source link