John Shinn
TULSA — The numbers are staggering if not unprecedented. In four games, Oklahoma has piled up 246 points and 2,249 yards of total offense.
Friday night’s 62-21 victory over Tulsa at Chapman Stadium followed a similar blue print to what the Sooners laid out in previous wins over North Texas, Miami and Utah State.
There have been lengthy drives, but big plays are the biggest of part of the Sooner offense.
Friday night, OU averaged 8 yards a play and is averaging 7.8 on the season.
“We have so many different weapons that if you try to take one thing away, we have two or three other things that we can go to and hurt you with as well,” OU quarterback Sam Bradford said.
Bradford threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns Friday. The numbers are on par to what the redshirt freshman did in his first three starts.
The only thing that changed is where he distributed the ball. His favorite target, Malcolm Kelly, was double covered most of the night. Everywhere he lined up a Golden Hurricane safety shadowed him along with a cornerback.
Outside of an interception on OU’s first possession, Bradford didn’t force the ball into the congestion.
Juaquin Iglesias was the beneficiary. He set single-game bests in catches (eight), reception yards (142) and touchdowns (two).
“With Sam making the plays that he is, he has a lot of talent around him,” Iglesias said. “We’re just trying to spread the ball out, and we have so many playmakers on our team. Right now, our offense is clicking so much.”
Five different players scored a touchdown against Tulsa and 11 different players have reached the end zone this season.
“We probably played our poorest game thus far, but when you play someone that has the athleticism and speed that they do, you have to give them a lot of credit,” Tulsa coach Todd Graham said. “They are definitely one of the top teams in the country.”
Friday night’s victory completed non-conference play. The fourth-ranked Sooners (4-0) enter Big 12 play undefeated for the first time since 2004.
The Sooners weren’t the preseason pick to win the conference, or even the south. No. 7 Texas, which blasted Rice Saturday night, picked up those accolades. But it’s hard to believe opinions haven’t reversed as conference play begins.
The only question OU hasn’t answered is how will it play in a tight game. The Sooners have won their first four games by an average of 50 points.
At some point it will come. The showdown with the Longhorns Oct. 6 figures to be likeliest opportunity.
OU coach Bob Stoops said only one thing matters, though.
“To me, it’s about are we improving and getting better?” he said.
It’s hard to argue his team isn’t.
Tulsa entered Friday night’s game fourth in total offense in Division I. It had success moving the ball. Paul Graham threw for 350 yards and two touchdowns.
But only 86 of it came in the second half.
“Defensively, they had us on our heels at first but we settled in and played quite well,” Stoops said. “I think we will learn from this and improve in the areas that we need to. We gave up some big plays with deep passes, but then we started to create some turnovers and made some plays to force interceptions.”
It’s a long season and it’s less than a quarter complete. But OU couldn’t enter conference play in any better position.
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
