No. 13 Sooners rout No. 15 Texas 63-21

By JEFF LATZKE

Associated Press

DALLAS — When Bob Stoops starts to rattle off the scores of the big wins he’s brought home for Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, they all start to sound alike — and oh, that’s so sweet for the Sooners.

Damien Williams broke off a 95-yard touchdown run for the longest rush in the rivalry’s history, Blake Bell powered his way in for four TDs and No. 13 Oklahoma beat No. 15 Texas 63-21 Saturday for its second straight blowout in the series.

Stoops is now 9-5 against Mack Brown and responsible for three of Oklahoma’s five most lopsided wins over Texas — and that doesn’t include last year’s 55-17 clobbering.

Put this one right up there with 65-13 in 2003 and 63-14 in 2000, both seasons when the Sooners played for the national championship.

“It’s in the same ballpark,” Stoops said, trying to rank his glut of triumphs against Texas. “If we’d have left our (starting) defense out there, I don’t think the end would have been like it was. It would have been right there with those.

“Those are pretty special ones, and this definitely is right there with them.”

Landry Jones threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns and for the third straight time got to slap on his head the Golden Hat trophy that goes to the winner. He entered rare territory, breaking Steve Davis’ record for wins at the school and becoming just the fourth Sooners QB to beat Texas three times.

“Just the game of football is great, but this game in particular, there’s something about it,” Jones said.

“There’s something about the atmosphere — the crimson versus the burnt orange and just this rivalry. There’s something special about it. I’ve just been so thankful that I’ve been able to play in this game.”

The Longhorns (3-2, 1-2 Big 12) couldn’t get a stop and never got their offense going, then lost quarterback David Ash to an apparent left wrist injury when they were trailing 49-8 in the fourth quarter.

Ash grasped at his left hand after getting hit by Oklahoma’s Chuka Ndulue after he’d released what turned out to be his final pass attempt of the game. He headed to the locker room, pointing to the sky with his right hand and a towel over his bruised and swollen left wrist.

“It’s just unacceptable for Texas to lose like that to Oklahoma, much less anybody, and especially two years in a row,” Brown said.

“I’m disappointed for our coaches, our fans and our players because that’s not who we are.”

Case McCoy relieved Ash and threw late touchdown passes to Mike Davis and John Harris against the Sooners’ backups. Carrington Byndom returned an interception for a touchdown just after halftime, but it didn’t create a spark for the Longhorns.

Defensive tackle Casey Walker weaved through players to plant an OU flag at midfield, punctuating a day when Oklahoma amassed a 677-289 advantage in total yardage and ran for 343 yards.

A Texas defense that had high expectations at the start of the season has now given up 1,186 yards rushing in the past five weeks, with back-to-back losses that could knock them out of the Big 12 race.

“We couldn’t stop the run. When you can’t stop the run, things get ugly real quick,” said Alex Okafor, the Longhorns’ defensive end and NFL prospect. “It’s been like that all season. We’ve got to find a way to stop it.”

Fullback Trey Millard had a career-best 119 yards receiving, including a 73-yard catch that was one of two early back-breaking plays by the Sooners (4-1, 2-1 Big 12).

After Texas’ second of four straight three-and-outs to start the game, Williams zipped through a hole on the right side of the line and got a smashing block from receiver Kenny Stills against Quandre Diggs to clear the way for the longest run in the rivalry’s 107 games.

Millard then went hurdling over safety Mykkele Thompson to turn a short pass into a 73-yard gain and set up Bell’s third score to make it 27-2.

The Longhorns were being outgained 314 yards to 14 at that point.

All that kept Texas from a completely inept first half was a botched extra-point snap by the Sooners after their first touchdown, allowing Chris Whaley to block Michael Hunnicutt’s kick and Diggs to return it for a 2-point conversion.

Even when there was a tiny glimmer of hope for the Longhorns, Oklahoma quickly snuffed it out.

Davis provided the first Texas first down with a leaping 31-yard catch along the sideline, getting up and pumping his arms to try to get his teammates fired up. But on the very next play, Ash tried to go deep again and Aaron Colvin picked off his pass.

The Sooners didn’t score on that drive, but Justin Brown downed Tress Way’s punt at the 1-yard line and a horde of Oklahoma players converged to take down Joe Bergeron for a safety on the next play. Williams ran right through the Longhorns to set up Bell’s fourth touchdown run — a 1-yarder that had him backing his way in for a 36-2 advantage.

It was a dominating performance from a Sooners squad that looked ordinary at best three weeks earlier in a home loss to Kansas State that featured three turnovers, including two critical ones by Jones.

“I think we’re just cutting it loose. Whatever happens, happens,” Jones said. “We’re having fun out there. On the sideline, there’s so much more energy.”

And there was nothing Texas could do to stop it. Bell converted a fourth-and-1 to keep the first drive going, then scored on an 8-yard run in the “Belldozer” short-yardage package. He’d add three 1-yard TD runs, and Jones threw a 25-yard scoring pass to Millard and a 14-yarder to Justin Brown.

“It’s going to make the bus ride relaxing. Guys are going to be laughing and joking for three hours,” defensive end David King said. “Probably the best part is you see those UT buses going by.

“I know how they’re feeling. It’s so much better being on this side of things.”