Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma Defense Hold Off Cincinnati in Tough Big 12 Opener

Gabriel dominated the air and cashed in a short touchdown run, and the Sooners' defense shut down the potent Bearcats with takeaways and gang tackling.

CINCINNATI — Dillon Gabriel threw the football all over Nippert Stadium on Saturday.

But it was Gabriel’s 1-yard run — the kind where you drag tacklers with you into the end zone — that was the difference for Oklahoma.

Cincinnati hosted OU in its first-ever Big 12 Conference game on an idyllic, sunny, autumn Saturday, and the No. 16-ranked Sooners — playing in their final Big 12 opener — were pushed to the brink in a 20-6 victory.

"Dillon passed for over 300 yards and had some good, tough running," head coach Brent Venables said. 

For much of the day it was Cincinnati who played harder and faster and, driven by a sellout crowd of 38,193, with greater intensity and focus.

"That's how you build a team," Venables said. "There's lots of different ways to win."

But ultimately it was Gabriel who overcame an uneven start (he overthrew Jalil Farooq for an easy touchdown and missed two other receivers in the end zone) to carry the Sooner offense (he began the fourth quarter with 298 passing yards and a double-digit lead) and eventually power them to a demanding victory.

Gabriel finished 26-of-38 and threw for 322 yards and one touchdown as OU improved to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in Big 12 play.

The Sooners finally got some separation late in the third quarter after Carter Brown’s career-long 54-yard field goal cut the Sooners’ lead to 10-6 with five minutes left.

That’s when Gabriel — and the OU running game, which had been largely grounded all day — finally got going.

Marcus Major popped an 18-yard run up the middle, and Gabriel kept for 9 yards. Major added nine more, and Gabriel found Drake Stoops for a 6-yard pickup to move the chains and put the football at the Cincinnati 24. On third-and-7 from the 15, Gabriel’s 8-yard throw to Andrel Anthony on the left sideline picked up another key first down.

Tawee Walker bulled his way for 6 yards, and then Gabriel ran an option keeper but got caught in the backfield. He stood up for a count, then got low and pushed his defender to the goal line. That’s when Walker reached out and pulled him across the finish line for a 17-6 lead.

The OU defense also delivered a dominating finish on the Bearcats’ ensuing possession, stuffing quarterback Emory Jones on a second-and-2 run, stuffing him again on third-and-2, then forcing an incomplete pass on fourth down.

"Dominant means you're playing almost perfect," Venables said. "I don't think we are."

The Sooners then flipped that defensive stop into Zach Schmit’s second field goal and a 20-6 lead with 10:59 to play.

Gabriel wasn't perfect. He missed two receivers in the end zone before Schmit's field goal, and he lost a fumble inside the 10-yard line.

"Sometimes we got in our own way," Venables said.

As good as Gabriel was at times slicing up the stout Cincinnati defense, the OU defense was even better in stifling the Bearcats’ attack.

Cincinnati didn’t reach 300 yards total offense until less than 10 minutes remained on the clock, at which time they had converted only 3-of-13 third down attempts and averaged just 3.5 yards per rush.

The defense’s biggest play came in the first half and was delivered once again by safety Key Lawrence, who stymied a potential touchdown drive by intercepting Jones in the end zone.

Safety Billy Bowman came up with a twice-deflected interception with 7:42 to play to kill off a late Bearcat drive.

Cincinnati led 3-0 in the first quarter, but Gabriel’s short TD throw to Nic Anderson got the Sooners’ scoring with 34 seconds left in the opening period.

"A lot to get better from. A lot to improve on," Venables said.