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Norman knockout

OU running back Chris Brown scores a touchdown in the second quarter Saturday against Texas Tech in Norman. Brown finished with three touchdowns for the Sooners. STEPHEN HOLMAN/Tulsa World

 
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer
Published: 11/23/2008  3:35 AM
Last Modified: 2/11/2009  7:14 AM

Sooners rout Tech, leave impression



NORMAN — They call Oklahoma-Oklahoma State "Bedlam." But that can wait until next week.

This? This was "Pandemonium."

OU defensive tackle Gerald McCoy sprinted to the stands and hugged anyone within six feet of the front row. Sooner assistant coach Chris Wilson stood his ground as vanquished Texas Tech players exited Owen Field, shouting, "You're not us! You're not us!"

And there, weaving his way through the hive of activity, was Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops.

Stoops stopped in front of the churning Oklahoma student section, put his hands above his head and bowed down to the fierce tribe that for three hours had tormented the Red Raiders into desperate timeouts and uncharacteristic pre-snap penalties.

The final result was a 65-21 Oklahoma victory, one that casts the No. 5-ranked Sooners into a three-way tie with No. 2 Tech and No. 4 Texas atop the Big 12 South standings.

But the impression left by this one — nationally regarded as college football's game of the year — may also thrust Oklahoma forward in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

"It's good to go out there and complete the game like we did," Stoops said.

Saturday's game marked the fifth time two top-five teams clashed at Owen Field and the first time OU has faced a 10-0 team in the regular season since losing 37-0 to Nebraska in 1995. But it was no challenge.

OU improved to 10-1 overall and 6-1
in Big 12 play, while Tech falls to 10-1 and 6-1.

The Sooners finish next week at Oklahoma State, a 7 p.m., nationally televised Bedlam clash with the No. 11-ranked Cowboys.

"Our players," Stoops warned, "are already focused on next week."

Anticipating a significant roadblock with Big 12, BCS and even Heisman Trophy implications, Stoops — who concluded his 10th season at Memorial Stadium with a 60-2 home record — had challenged Sooner fans to raise their decibel level and give his team a competitive advantage. They responded.

An Owen Field-record crowd of 85,646 (the previous high was 85,357 for last year's game against Miami) popcorned over and over to the old-school rap classic "Jump Around" — appropriately, performed by a group called House of Pain — and turned Norman into a squirming mosh pit. Afterward, Stoops saluted his army with a bow, then upped the reward by giving them a game ball.

"That's the way fans should be," Stoops said. "I've always envisioned a loud and raucous crowd to influence a game, and they sure did tonight."

As impactful as the crowd was, it was the Oklahoma defense — maligned since an October loss to Texas — that owned the night, shutting down an otherwise indecipherable Tech offense and setting up easy points with turnover runbacks.

Texas Tech All-American wide receiver Michael Crabtree was held to just two catches in the first half and was a non-factor despite trying various positions throughout the night. He finished with six catches for 62 yards and didn't score.

Tech quarterback Graham Harrell was pressured on virtually every throw and committed two of the Red Raiders' three turnovers. Harrell had been sacked just five times in his first 10 games, but was dropped four times by Sooner pass rushers. He completed 33-of-55 passes for 361 yards and three TDs.

Texas Tech was held to a season-low 406 yards and didn't reach 300 until the four-minute mark in the fourth quarter. A 99-yard touchdown drive against OU backups in the closing minutes was Tech's best possession. The Red Raiders converted just 1-of-13 third down plays.

It was hardly all defense. The OU offense amassed 625 yards, including 299 rushing and 326 passing.

Quarterback Sam Bradford completed 14-of-19 passes for 304 yards — his school-record ninth 300-yard game of the season. His four touchdown passes gives him an Oklahoma single-season record (and nation-leading) 42, surpassing Heisman Trophy winner Jason White's mark of 40 in 2003.

"We felt really confident going into this game," Bradford said afterward as receiver Manuel Johnson stood nearby shouting, "Get that Heisman speech ready!"

"We heard everyone talking about how good their defense was," Bradford continued. "We kind of felt a little disrespected. No one talked about how good our offense was. We knew if we came out here and played the way we could that 65 was very possible."

Tech came in with the Big 12's second-ranked run defense, allowing just 107 yards per game. But the Sooners could not be stopped on the ground. DeMarco Murray ran 18 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns and Chris Brown carried 21 times for 108 yards and three scores.

Oklahoma extended its national-best home winning streak to 24 games (the school record is 25), while the Red Raiders 12-game winning streak — a streak that started with a 34-27 triumph over the Sooners last year in Lubbock — had been major college football's longest.

Last year's game, though, happened without Bradford, who went out early with a concussion. No such luck for the Red Raiders this time. Bradford was healthy, and so are the Sooners' national championship hopes.

"We were tired of everyone talking about them," Bradford said, "and not us."



World Sports Writer Guerin Emig contributed to this story





John E. Hoover 581-8384
john.hoover@tulsaworld.com
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

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COMMENTS 
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7 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!
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If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you.  -- Web Editor Jason Collington
 

 
Report Comment
drhawks1963, Anadarko (11/23/2008 6:17:31 AM)
Excellent executed game from start to finish.
Report Comment
El Capitan, Tulsa (11/23/2008 10:02:34 AM)
I was there and it was loud! Way to be fans but more importantly way to be sooners! JUMP AROUND!
Report Comment
ExTribbie, Pueblo West, Colorado (11/23/2008 11:08:38 AM)
I said before that the Sooner defense -- all highly talented, top-rated players -- had to play as never before to win, and what do you know? They did, with every superlative fitly attached. The offense -- Sam Bradford was masterly and hardly tested -- did what they normally do, but the defense won this game by attacking, constantly and implacably. Am I worried about State? Always. But not as much, now. Remember: Texas Tech 56, Oklahoma State 20.
Report Comment
ExTribbie, Pueblo West, Colorado (11/23/2008 11:17:17 AM)
P.S. -- I hate it when I think of what I should have added, later -- but the game against State and whatever follows may demonstrate the benefit of a late-peaking defense.
Report Comment
kyote, (11/23/2008 3:09:46 PM)
I am not a fan at all of mr stoops and his actions in the game was so unprofessional, he is so arrogant and thinks he is the only coach around when he does nothing. I would like to see the ou team play a game with only him coaching and without his little head phones that he play with during the whole games, is there really anyone on the other end? Someone had to win but just the way he presented himself was too much for me. The team would survive without him but he thinks the world would stop turning without him. Sorry that is just my feelings about the man.
Report Comment
ok sooner, (11/23/2008 4:37:02 PM)
Kyoye you are an idot!!!!!!!! I remember John Blake. And yes stoops is one of the best coaches period. He could have any job in football he wants. Just cause you got passed over as head fry cook at McD don't go hateing on people who are good at what they do.
Report Comment
soonerchic, (11/25/2008 12:56:50 PM)
Kyote what is your problem??? He is the freakin HEAD COACH!!!!! What about him is so arrogant? He at least cares enough about his team to be involved. LOVE YA BOB!!!!! He and the Sooners have worked very hard to get to where they are. You act like your a Texas Tech fan and mad because the #2 team went down. The Sooners did an excellent job offensively and defensively through the whole game!!! BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

 
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