Last year’s Bedlam game was the highest scoring in the rivalry’s 112-game history, a 62-52 Oklahoma win in Stillwater. We could be headed that way again on Saturday, as No. 6 Oklahoma holds a 34-28 lead at the break in Norman.
The teams traded touchdowns in each of their first two possessions -- going serve-for-serve in drives that all covered 75 yards. Oklahoma State got the first “stop” by shoving Trey Sermon out at its own 4-yard line on a 3rd-and-goal pass, setting up Seibert’s first field goal and giving the Sooners a 17-14 lead.
Oklahoma State took advantage in the break of service by going 75 yards for a touchdown on its third straight drive as Cornelius hit Tylan Wallace in stride for a 49-yard touchdown. Now trailing 21-17, Oklahoma answered in three plays (and really two) -- a 1-yard loss by Kyler Murray followed by a 29-yard Murray rush and then a 45-yard Kennedy Brooks rush, putting OU back on top 24-21.
The Sooner defense got its next stop on the next possession, but only after Cornelius missed on a wheel route that would have put Oklahoma State in the OU red zone at worst, and then threw behind an open receiver on 3rd-and-18.
CeeDee Lamb caught Zach Sinor‘s ensuing punt and raced 65 yards to the OSU 29, but the Cowboy defense stiffened, forcing a 36-yard Seibert field goal.
The field goal gave Oklahoma State a second chance to take its second lead of the day, but its drive stalled at the OU 24 and Matt Ammendola‘s 42-yard field goal sliced wide left.
Oklahoma took over with 4:30 left in the first half and a chance to go up 34-21, but instead the Sooners posted their first three-and-out of the game. However, the Sooners responded with their third straight stop and their first three-and-out.
This time, OU capitalized when Murray found Marquise Brown for a 49-yard touchdown with 1:25 left before halftime. Murray, who hit his first 10 passes of the game, finished the half 15-of-19 for 227 yards with a touchdown while also carrying seven times for 72 yards. Sermon, who opened the game with a 60-yard rush, carried nine times for 92 yards and a touchdown, while Brooks rushed six times for 58 yards and two scores.
Facing the possibility of being run out of the stadium, Oklahoma State ended its scoring drought of, oh, 11 minutes. The Cowboys knifed 75 yards in five plays, scoring on a 10-yard Chuba Hubbard rush with 31 seconds left before halftime. Despite struggling for the bulk of the second quarter, Cornelius still threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-26 passing, while Hubbard and Justice Hill combined to rush 12 times for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
For the half, Oklahoma State racked up 358 yards and 19 first downs on 40 snaps, while OU bettered those numbers with 453 yards and 17 first downs on 44 plays.
Oklahoma State will receive to start the second half.
