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Oklahoma vs. Nebraska football score, Week 3 game highlights

Highlights from the Oklahoma vs. Nebraska matchup in Week 3

James Parks

Oklahoma vs. Nebraska football score, Week 3 game highlights
Oklahoma vs. Nebraska football score, Week 3 game highlights /

Oklahoma vs. Nebraska football score, Week 3 highlights

Last season's anticipated matchup between Oklahoma and Nebraska played to an exciting 7-point win for the Sooners in a rematch of one of college football's greatest rivalries. This season, not so much.

Days after firing Scott Frost, the Cornhuskers came out against OU with all guns blazing, taking a quick lead. And... that was about it.

Oklahoma took over, scoring on 7 of their first 10 drives and building up a lead it didn't have to worry about the rest of the day.

No need for the Huskers to worry about losing another close game. This one wasn't close.

Let's take a look at how it unfolded between Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Nebraska strikes first

After forcing a quick three and out on the Sooners' first offensive possession, Nebraska got aggressive on offense on its initial drive.

Casey Thompson hit Trey Palmer for the 32-yard TD strike to give the Cornhuskers an early lead over Oklahoma.

Score: Nebraska 7, Oklahoma 0

Dillon Gabriel turns on the jets

OU came back strong on its next drive as Sooner quarterback Dillon Gabriel powered through the Husker D on a 61-yard touchdown gallop.

The carry was a career-high for Gabriel in his storied career. His previous longest run was for 44 yards against Bethune-Cookman.

Score: Oklahoma 7, Nebraska 7

OU tacks on another long one

Oklahoma turned on the defense late in the first quarter, sacking Huskers quarterback on 3 of 5 plays during the stretch, stopping a would-be Nebraska drive and getting the ball back on offense.

From there, Gabriel connected on a pretty 25-yard touchdown throw to Jalil Farooq in some tight coverage along the sideline.

Score: Oklahoma 14, Nebraska 7

That one looked easy

Since the Cornhuskers opened up that early lead, the Sooners settled in, getting pressure on Casey Thompson in the pocket, while developing a rhythm on offense.

That one looked a little easy as OU got some serious push on the interior of the line and Marcus Major powered through for the short TD play.

Score: Oklahoma 21, Nebraska 7

That's a loss

When OU hired Brent Venables to lead the program, everybody knew that it was only a matter of time before this defense was elite.

And it looks like the unit is well on its way as it racks up aggressive plays like this huge TFL by Ethan Downs in the 2nd quarter.

Score: Oklahoma 21, Nebraska 7

Sooners havin' fun

OU went into its bag of tricks in the second quarter on a give from Dillon Gabriel to Brayden Willis, who hit Marcus Major for the wide open score.

Nebraska bit on the fake, allowing Major to slide into space and score the easy touchdown for the 21-point lead.

Score: Oklahoma 28, Nebraska 7

Hug it out, Nebraska

It's been clear for some time that the Nebraska football program has been in some disarray for the last decade, if not longer, going back a generation to the school's last national championship.

That has led some fans to make their preference known.

But do desperate times call for desperate measures? Urban Meyer will remain in the conversation as the Huskers look for their savior, but is that a move the school, or Meyer, is willing to take?

RELATED: Best options for Nebraska to replace Scott Frost

And another one

OU held Nebraska to just 6 total yards on the previous drive and forced the quick three and out after just 1 minute 10 seconds.

Gabriel hit Marvin Mims on a 38-yard pass to put the Sooners in the red zone and Eric Gray finished the drive with a nifty 16-yard TD run, zooming around Husker defenders for the big halftime lead.

Score: Oklahoma 35, Nebraska 7

... And another one

Oklahoma picked up where it left off in the third quarter, forcing a fumble on Nebraska's first play of the second half.

OU went 46 yards in 7 seven plays in a shade under 2 minutes, capping off the drive on Eric Gray's 21-yard TD run.

Score: Oklahoma 42, Nebraska 7

And... another one

Nebraska went three and out to follow that drive and Oklahoma responded with a 60-yard scoring drive over 9 plays in 3 minutes, 10 seconds.

Theo Wease caught a 31-yard pass from Gabriel on a 2nd and 13 in Husker territory and finished it off with a 15-yard TD grab on 3rd and Goal.

Score: Oklahoma 49, Nebraska 7

Nebraska adds another

After a Huskers drive ended with an interception in the fourth quarter, Chubba Purdy regrouped and led an 82-yard drive over 13 plays against the Sooners' backups.

Purdy took it himself for an 8-yard TD run, Nebraska's 2nd of the day.

Score: Oklahoma 49, Nebraska 14

The agony of defeat

Tough times ahead for Nebraska in what looks like a lost season already, and looking forward to trying to build a foundation for the years to come.

The Cornhuskers need a visionary at the head coach position, someone who can follow the likes of Devaney and Osborne, who can radically improve the program's recruiting and get this team back in the national title chase.

We'll see if the school makes the right decisions on that path.

And the thrill of victory

As for Oklahoma? The Sooners appear on that right path under Brent Venables, who is perfect through 3 games and appears to be the favorite in the Big 12, and early on very much in the College Football Playoff picture.

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.

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