Oklahoma Looks Good, Plays Good in Rout of Kansas

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel's return from concussion fixed the offense, and the defense collected takeaways as the Sooners ended a three-game losing streak.

NORMAN — Turns out playing Kansas at home is exactly what the Oklahoma Sooners needed.

Or maybe it was the uniforms.

OU routed the No. 19-ranked Jayhawks 52-42, ending a three-game losing streak this season and continuing an 18-game domination of KU dating back to 1996 with an emphatic victory on Saturday at Owen Field.

Wearing their new alternate anthricite gray “UNITY” uniforms, Oklahoma played its most complete game in a month.

The Sooners (4-3) were embarrassed by back-to-back blowout losses in the DFW Metroplex the last two weekends, but ably used KU (5-2) as a get-right game.

Oklahoma led comfortably throughout the second half but didn't put it away until after KU scored in the final minutes. The Sooners recovered the onside kick to finish it off.

Dillon Gabriel returned from 1 1/2 games in concussion protocol, and he showed no lingering problems as he completed 29-of-42 passes for 403 yards and two touchdowns and even ran the ball 10 times for 37 yards, including a decisive 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that rebuilt OU’s lead to 42-21. Gabriel did lose two fumbles, one of which KU converted into a fourth-quarter touchdown, and also threw an interception.

Eric Gray rushed for an OU career-high 176 yards and two touchdowns on just 20 carries and Jovantae Barnes added two TD runs. Marvin Mims had 106 yards receiving on nine catches and Brayden Willis contributing 102 yards and a score, giving the Sooners two 100-yard receivers for the first time since last year’s win over Texas Tech.

In all, OU finished with a season high 701 yards total offense.

Faced with another fleet-footed quarterback coming off an impressive performance last week against TCU (a loss that handed upstart KU its first loss of the season), the Sooners were mostly capable against Jason Bean, generating pressure up front for the first time in a month and intercepting two passes that the offense turned into touchdowns.

It was 14-14 after two possessions, but freshman wideout Gavin Freeman gave the Sooners a burst with a diving, 41-yard reception on a deep ball down the left sideline from Gabriel.

OU punched that in as Barnes scored for a 21-14 lead, then C.J. Coldon made an equally remarkable catch when he leaped with one hand to take down a throw by Bean, then collected it as he fell to the ground.

With the defense forcing three punts and Coldon’s pick — his second in as many weeks — the offense gained some separation with a 24-yard touchdown throw from Gabriel to Theo Wease and a 28-yard touchdown run from Gray that put the Sooners up 35-14.

OU had a chance to increase that lead before halftime, but Mims’ dive for the pylon was ruled down at the 1-yard line, and the Sooners couldn’t power in on back-to-back running plays as time expired.

KU got the ball to start the third quarter, but DaShaun White stepped in front of a throw by Bean and OU seized a 42-21 lead on Gabriel’s 1-yard power rush.

Now the Sooners — a “tired” team, coach Brent Venables said last week after a 49-0 loss to rival Texas — can rest as they’ve reached the open date. OU’s next game is Oct. 29 at Iowa State.

Venables said the team would have a light practice Monday, do some charity work on Tuesday, have a heavy, padded practice on Wednesday, and then have another light practice Thursday before giving players three days off.