Missouri State: Q1 Report

Oklahoma vs. Missouri State: First quarter report

John E. Hoover | Sep 12, 2020

Missouri State: Q1 Report /

OKLAHOMA 31, MISSOURI STATE 0

NORMAN — Spencer Rattler certainly looks next.

Oklahoma’s redshirt freshman took his place in the Sooners’ remarkable line of quarterbacks on Saturday night at Owen Field, and he got the party started early with a stunningly good first quarter against Missouri State.

Rattler began the game by completing 7-of-7 passes for 201 yards and threw long touchdowns to freshman Marvin Mims (58 yards) and Charleston Rambo (53 yards) as OU opened up a 21-0 lead against a hopelessly overmatched FCS opponent.

While FCS teams only get 63 scholarships, the Sooners had their own limitations. A total of 20 players listed on the two-deep — almost half — sat out, reportedly because of either positive COVID-19 tests, contact tracing or suspensions.

True freshman Seth McGowan scored two touchdowns, opening the game with a 1-yard touchdown run, then after the Rattler bombs, he took a short swing pass from Rattler, he broke two tackles on his way to a 37-yard TD reception.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s defense limited Missouri State to negative-4 yards on its first five possessions — all three-and-outs.

Rattler tried to build on the lead late in the quarter, but a perfect third-down throw went through Rambo’s hands in the end zone. That brought on Stephen Johnson — subbing for All-American kicker Gabe Brkic, who didn’t suit up — for his first career field goal, a 42-yard kick that put OU up 31-0.

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Published Sep 12, 2020

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.