3 Sooners Takeaways: (Almost) Perfect Headed Into OU-Texas Week

For awhile on Saturday, it felt like the Oklahoma Sooners had fallen into Lincoln Riley-era patterns of not being able to create distance between themselves and their opponent.

And then they did create that distance, en route to a 30-point win over the Iowa State Cyclones, 50-20, at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Not that it matters to most folks beyond bettors, but the Sooners have beaten the spread in every game so far this season. It's one measure of surpassing expectation. For what it's worth, the Sooners are currently 6.5-point underdogs to the Texas Longhorns for this weekend's Red River Rivalry contest from the Cotton Bowl.

If the Sooners start that game like they started Saturday's game against Iowa State, you have to think Brent Venables' group has a real shot against the No. 3 team in the nation.

Takeaway 1: Defense creates offense.

Defensive coordinator Ted Roof loved the first minute of Saturday night's game. Every Sooners fan did, too.

On third-and-9 from the Iowa State 26, quarterback Rocco Brecht threw the ball into a sea of crimson-and-cream. Billy Bowman Jr. was there for the oskie, and he wasn't satisfied.

His 44-yard interception return for a touchdown gave Oklahoma a quick 7-0 lead. The Sooners would add a safety later in the game, and ultimately the defense accounted for 8 points on the night.

While the Iowa State offense acquitted itself rather nicely for the next quarter and a half to the frustration of Sooners fans, a 30-point win is a 30-point win. It's nothing to sneeze at.

Here are a few stats from the SoonerSports team that jumped out to us:

- Oklahoma held the Cyclones to only 82 total yards (2.9 yards per play) and zero points in the second half (ISU gained 352 yards of total offense on the night). OU has not allowed more than 376 yards of total offense in a game this season (Cincinnati gained 376).

- Through 20 quarters of play this season, OU has allowed just five touchdowns and only 54 points (2.7 per quarter and 10.8 per game).

- Oklahoma has only allowed 10 scores (five touchdowns and five field goals) on 59 possessions through five contests. OU has allowed a touchdown in just four of 20 quarters.

- OU’s two interceptions gives them 10 on the season. It entered the game ranked second nationally with its eight INTs. This is the first time since 2001 the Sooners have registered at least 10 interceptions through the first five games of a season. With two takeaways (two interceptions) and one giveaway (one interception) Oklahoma now has a plus-8 turnover margin this season. OU entered the game ranked fourth nationally in turnover margin.

- The Sooners held Iowa State 4 of 15 on third downs (27%). OU has held each of its five opponents to a 42% or lower third-down conversion rate and has held four below a 30% conversion rate.

Takeaway 2: Everybody got involved in the running game.

Almost everybody.

Marcus Major carried the ball 19 times for 66 yards. Gavin Sawchuk gained 20 on seven carries. Tawee Walker carried the ball four times for 17 yards.

QB1 Gabriel carried it eight times for 37 yards, and QB2 Jackson Arnold carried it twice for four yards.

Even Drake Stoops got a carry for 13 yards.

Jovante Barnes did not get a carry Saturday night. After the game, OU coaches said that Barnes still wasn't 100 percent after surgery this spring.

Getting the running game going will be vital if the Sooners are to upset the Longhorns on Saturday. In last year's 49-0 loss, the Sooners were out-rushed 296 to 156 yards. In the 55-48 win over Texas the year before, Oklahoma out-rushed the 'Horns a whopping 339 to 128.

The last time the loser of this game had more rushing yards than the winner was 2018, when Oklahoma out-rushed the Longhorns 222 to 177 and lost by 3. Before that was 2014. In fact, those are the only two times the loser of the Red River Rivalry had more rushing yards than the other team in the past 20 years.

Rushing the ball well is everything at the Cotton Bowl. It is as close to the perfect indicator of who will win as anything in at least the modern history of this series.

Takeaway 3: Dillon Gabriel is much better than we realize.

Oklahoma's star lefty wasn't perfect, no. But he did go 26 of 39 for 366 yards for three scores in the air and two on the ground.

His QB rating (QBR) was 95.7. His passer-efficiency rating was 165.8.

But... do you realize that with eight more games with those types of totals, Dillon Gabriel has the chance to finish his college career in the Top 6 all-time in passing yards in FBS college football history? If it weren't for Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman, Gabriel would have a shot at Top 5. And he still might have that shot. Put up a couple crazy numbers, and we might be talking Top 4.

That includes passing Oklahoma legend Baker Mayfield but probably not quite approaching under-appreciated OU quarterback Landry Jones. Jones is third all-time with 16,646 yards. Mayfield has 14,607, and Gabriel has 12,798.

Again, he wasn't perfect. But who ever is?

Well, at least today the 5-0 Oklahoma Sooners are perfect for the 31st time in program history and the 13th since 2000.

Bring on Saturday.