Halftime in Ames, and it ain't pretty
Published: 10/20/2007 1:14 PM
Last Modified: 10/20/2007 1:14 PM
AMES, Iowa – It is halftime at Jack Trice Stadium, and just when you think you've seen it all. . . .
OU, ranked fourth and a 30 1/2-point favorite, trails the Cyclones 7-0.
It's the first time the Sooners have been shut out in the first half since the 2005 season opener against – you know what I'm getting ready to say next – TCU.
The thing about it, OU could be trailing 17-0, or worse. Bret Culbertson missed a 38-yard field goal, and the Cyclones ran up the middle on fourth-and-1 from the OU 9 after getting an interception late in the second quarter.
The Sooners can't run, although Chris Brown showed some life. The Sooners can't pass, especially with Sam Bradford looking so shaken in the pocket. His decision to run on fourth-and-5 instead of dumping it to a wide open DeMarco Murray was maybe his worst of the year. Although, there's no guarantee Murray would have caught it. He dropped a sure first-down catch on third down of the Sooners' first possession.
Jermaine Gresham let a ball hit him in the chest that was intercepted, and he apparently ran a wrong route on what could have been a touchdown pass.
Allen Patrick lost a fumble on the Sooners' second drive.
OU's players are playing with no spirit. Those sidelines are flat. The coaches look a little confused.
The defense has turned in a handful of big plays, particularly in the second quarter when they bowed up after OU failed on a fourth down and did so again after Bradford's perfect throw to Gresham turned into an interception.
Iowa State has outgained Oklahoma 137 yards to 109. Bradford is 8-of-16. OU's leading rusher is Allen Patrick, with 29 yards. Jason Scales, who scored the game's only TD so far, leads the Cyclones with 40 yards.
I'm marking what could be considered "bad" plays by the Sooners (either offense, defense or special teams), and OU has committed 23 so far. There have been 66 scrimmage plays, four punts and two kickoffs, a total of 72. That's one out of three plays on which the Sooners have made some kind of glaring error or been badly beaten.
– John E. Hoover
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
