OU-Kansas State: Q2 Report

Oklahoma vs. Kansas State: Second quarter report

NORMAN — No. 3-ranked Oklahoma needed one play to build on its first quarter lead.

Drake Stoops’ first career touchdown came at the end of a 32-yard pass from Spencer Rattler on the first play of the second quarter and gave the Sooners a 14-0 lead over Kansas State.

In the 2020 Big 12 Conference opener for both teams, OU completely dominated the early stages. The Sooners started the second quarter with a 171-12 edge in total yards, a 10-0 edge in first downs and a 25-6 edge in total plays.

That disparity got immediately worse when Rattler rolled to his right and waited for Stoops to clear two KSU defensive backs. Rattler’s throw forced Stoops to come back to the ball, but Stoops — in his first career start — caught the ball at the goal line and powered over a K-State defender for his first career TD.

Oklahoma didn’t find much early success running the football despite the return of starting running back T.J. Pledger. Pledger carried five times for 26 yards in the first quarter as the Sooners averaged just 4.8 yards per carry — 21 of which was a wide receiver reverse to Charleston Rambo.

Kansas State picked up its initial first down on third down of its ensuing drive, but soon punted.

The Sooners started another promising march, but Rattler’s deep throw to Rambo down the right sideline was held up in the swirling wind, and was intercepted by Justin Gardner.

That turnover got the Wildcats offense going: K-State converted a fourth-and-1 on a keeper by Thompson, and then on third-and-18, Thompson found Chabastin Taylor behind Tre Brown for a 39-yard touchdown that cut Oklahoma’s lead to 14-7.

OU stretched it back out to 21-7 late in the quarter as Rattler helped direct a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.

Rattler completed 4-for-4 passes for 32 yards, including the 9-yard touchdown to Marvin Mims on a quick slant, but the encouraging part of that possession was return of the ground game: Seth McGowan carried four times for 32 yards, and Pledger carried twice for 11 as the Sooners, with freshman Anton Harrison at left tackle, took over the line of scrimmage.

Mims’ score came with 44 seconds to play and put the Sooners up 21-7 at halftime.

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