Joe Mixon returns kickoff for 97-yard TD vs. Ohio State (Video)

Sep 10, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon (25) runs the ball against Louisiana Monroe Warhawks safety Wesley Thompson (6) during the second quarter at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Joe Mixon had a perfect response to Ohio State’s 14-0 start. His 97-yard kickoff return TD might be just what Oklahoma needs to mount a comeback.

Ohio State vs. Oklahoma has been as good as advertised. There have been plenty of momentum swings already in less than one half, but after Oklahoma got off to a nightmare start, Joe Mixon may have given them the necessary spark to mount a comeback.

After Ohio State scored the first touchdown, Jerome Baker turned a potential Oklahoma field goal into a pick-six. That 10-point swing seemed like it would mark a routine game for Ohio State and their “basic defense”, but the Sooners responded just one play later. They needed a big play, and Joe Mixon provided one with a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown:

"OU responds!Joe Mixon takes the kick back 97 yds for the score, but did he cross the goal line with the ball? https://t.co/di5WuThPn6— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 18, 2016"

All of a sudden, the complexion of the game has changed, and it’ll be interesting to see how Ohio State responds on their next drive.

Joe Mixon has a knack for making big plays. He made his OU debut in 2014, and marked it with a 76-yard touchdown reception, the longest catch ever by a freshman running back for Oklahoma. It’s why he works so well on special teams, and while Samaje Perine is Oklahoma’s bellcow back, Joe Mixon is like the Kenyan Drake to Perine’s Derrick Henry.

While Mixon’s return is awful for Ohio State fans, it’s great for neutral fans. They already had to endure an hour-and-a-half long weather delay just for this game to start, and having it be a blowout would’ve been even worse. We already had to endure a one-sided affair between Louisville and Florida State.

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Given how explosive these two offensive units are, there’s no telling how this game is going to end. But if Oklahoma comes back to win, Joe Mixon’s return was definitely the catalyst for it.

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