West Virginia vs Oklahoma: Highlights, score and recap
The No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners stay perfect in Big 12 action and make a statement with a huge 56-28 win over No. 14 West Virginia on Saturday.
The battle for the Big 12 raged in snowy Morgantown, West Virginia Saturday night. The battle commenced before the game even started when the Sooners trotted onto the field, a longstanding jab that sent the Mountaineers charging the field. West Virginia had a lot to prove in this game after hearing that they’re lacking a quality win in the CFP Rankings.
Really, the biggest factor in this game was the weather; in just 24 hours the weather went from sunny and 76 to 40 and wintry so the field was doused in fresh snow for the start of the game.
Oklahoma got on the board first with a Samaje Perine touchdown on a 2:50 scoring drive across a snow-covered field. Credit a muffed punt to give the Sooners possession with only 34 yards to go on the drive to put Oklahoma up 7-0.
Later in the first quarter, Dede Westbrook took it to the house on a 75-yard touchdown. Westbrook fought off the tackle to surge into the end zone. The extra point was good and the Sooners went up 14-0 on a drive that took three plays and less than a minute. Only a few minutes later, Baker Mayfield connected with Jeffrey Mead in the end zone to bring the Sooners to 21-0 with three minutes left in the first quarter.
At the start of the second quarter it looked like West Virginia was going to get into this game, but another fumbled ball led to another turnover. The Sooners took advantage and got down the field so that Joe Mixon could cruise just five yards for a touchdown. Sooners go up 28-0. Two penalties and 30 free yards later, Samaje Perine takes the ball 97 yards and finishes the play with a 9-yard drive to bring the score to 34-0 after a missed extra point. With just over a minute to go in the half, West Virginia’s Skyler Howard connects with Jovon Durante on a 20-yard pass to put the Mountaineers on the board 34-7.
Early in the third quarter Jordan Evans intercepts the ball and takes it 80 yards for a Sooners pick-six. Oklahoma goes up 41-7. Toward the end of the third quarter, West Virginia’s Skyler Howard ran the ball six yards for a touchdown, bringing it to 41-14.
Skyler Howard ran another ball into the end zone at the start of the fourth quarter to make it 41-21 Sooners. But the Mountaineers weren’t done yet. Skyler Howard launched a long ball 37 yards down the field to connect with Ka’Raun White to make it 41-28. The Mountaineers scored on three straight possessions to bring the score within 13 with just under eight minutes in the game. The Sooners finally get back on the board for the first time since their pick-six at the start of the third quarter. It was a heavily reviewed play because of the pileup in the end zone, but the touchdown and two-point conversion put the Sooners up 49-28. Next came a Baker Mayfield rushing touchdown to seal the deal at 56-28.
Highlights
Three Stars
Samaje Perine– Perine had two touchdowns with 160 yards on 31 carries. He set the pace for the night by scoring the first touchdown, and from that moment forward the Sooners were in control.
Joe Mixon– Mixon had 24 carries for 147 yards. His touchdown in the second quarter put the Sooners up 28-0.
Skyler Howard-Howard was 12-27-1 for 191 yards, but he also had an impressive two touchdowns on 52 rushing yards. Howard was the spark that got the Mountaineers going in the second half, at one point bringing the score to within 13.
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What’s next
The Sooners take on Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series at home in Norman on December 3 after a bye week. A win in that game will cap off a perfect 9-0 conference season.
West Virginia travels to Iowa State on November 26th, and then they finish up at Baylor on December 3rd.