NORMAN — Dorothy was right.
There’s no place like home.
Oklahoma’s Sooners, Dobermans in their domain, took the final chunk out of Oklahoma State’s Fiesta Bowl dreams with a 27-0 dismantling Saturday.
Only several blown scoring opportunities in the red zone by OU kept the final score from ballooning further.
Oklahoma’s defense, which had a poodle-like performance in a 41-13 loss last week at Texas Tech, was downright mean and nasty against Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys, averaging 400 yards of offense per game, were limited to a season-low 109 against OU. The previous Cowboy low this year had been 277 yards in a 41-14 setback to Texas.
In seven second-half possessions against OU, OSU failed to record a single first down.
There’s no sane or explainable reason for OU’s bully demeanor at home and its anemic road play.
The Sooners possess the longest current home victory string in the nation, 30 games, and are 66-2 at home under Bob Stoops.
Cowboy quarterback Zac Robinson, a question mark before the game because of injuries, was under siege from the outset. He departed the game in favor of Brandon Weeden with eight minutes left — with just 44 passing yards on nine of 21 attempts. He was sacked twice.
Exiting along with Robinson were the Fiesta and Orange Bowl representatives, both of whom were courting a Cowboy squad that entered the game at 9-2, but was a nine-point underdog to the Sooners.
Adding insult to BCS bowl injury was OSU’s first shutout loss since a 34-0 decision to Colorado in 2005, a 57-game string.
OSU’s 52 offensive snaps averaged just 2.1 yards.
“I thought that our guys played with good technique and with very good discipline,” US defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “It was nothing magical, but again, it was just playing very disciplined and the pressure up front was good.”
With the win, OU matched its worst previous Stoops’ season record at 7-5. A Sooner bowl win — with the most likely scenario the Sun or Alamo — would eclipse that 1999 overall effort. Stoops’ first-year squad fell to Mississippi in the Independence Bowl.
“I am so appreciative of these seniors and how they handled a difficult season,” said Stoops.
“They are great kids who have left a real strong legacy.
“The defense was special today. It was one of the better defensive performances since I’ve been here. We played great run defense so we didn’t have a lot of second-and-5 situations.”
OU also received perhaps the best single-game punting effort in its storied tradition.
Redshirt freshman Tress Way of Tulsa Union averaged 58.8 yards on five punts, including a 74-yarder.
He became the first Sooner to ever have five punts of more than 50 yards in one game.
OSU head coach Mike Gundy was obviously disappointed.
“It was a very, very tough day for us offensively,” Gundy said.
“I’m disappointed in our game plan on offense. I’m disappointed with the way allowed Oklahoma to win the special teams battle. Without watching the tape, I thought our defense played fairly well. When you can’t convert and move the ball or use some of the clock and score points, it makes it extremely difficult for the defense to continue to battle and make plays.
“I wish we would have played better. I don’t feel like we gave them our best, but I’m certainly not going to take away from what they did. We were really out of sync. Coaches have to do a better job of coming up with plays and giving our players a chance. And then we have to make some plays.”
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NORMAN — Dorothy was right.
There’s no place like home.
Oklahoma’s Sooners, Dobermans in their domain, took the final chunk out of Oklahoma State’s Fiesta Bowl dreams with a 27-0 dismantling Saturday.
Only several blown scoring opportunities in the red zone by OU kept the final score from ballooning further.
Oklahoma’s defense, which had a poodle-like performance in a 41-13 loss last week at Texas Tech, was downright mean and nasty against Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys, averaging 400 yards of offense per game, were limited to a season-low 109 against OU. The previous Cowboy low this year had been 277 yards in a 41-14 setback to Texas.
In seven second-half possessions against OU, OSU failed to record a single first down.
There’s no sane or explainable reason for OU’s bully demeanor at home and its anemic road play.
The Sooners possess the longest current home victory string in the nation, 30 games, and are 66-2 at home under Bob Stoops.
Cowboy quarterback Zac Robinson, a question mark before the game because of injuries, was under siege from the outset. He departed the game in favor of Brandon Weeden with eight minutes left — with just 44 passing yards on nine of 21 attempts. He was sacked twice.
Exiting along with Robinson were the Fiesta and Orange Bowl representatives, both of whom were courting a Cowboy squad that entered the game at 9-2, but was a nine-point underdog to the Sooners.
Adding insult to BCS bowl injury was OSU’s first shutout loss since a 34-0 decision to Colorado in 2005, a 57-game string.
OSU’s 52 offensive snaps averaged just 2.1 yards.
“I thought that our guys played with good technique and with very good discipline,” US defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “It was nothing magical, but again, it was just playing very disciplined and the pressure up front was good.”
With the win, OU matched its worst previous Stoops’ season record at 7-5. A Sooner bowl win — with the most likely scenario the Sun or Alamo — would eclipse that 1999 overall effort. Stoops’ first-year squad fell to Mississippi in the Independence Bowl.
“I am so appreciative of these seniors and how they handled a difficult season,” said Stoops.
“They are great kids who have left a real strong legacy.
“The defense was special today. It was one of the better defensive performances since I’ve been here. We played great run defense so we didn’t have a lot of second-and-5 situations.”
OU also received perhaps the best single-game punting effort in its storied tradition.
Redshirt freshman Tress Way of Tulsa Union averaged 58.8 yards on five punts, including a 74-yarder.
He became the first Sooner to ever have five punts of more than 50 yards in one game.
OSU head coach Mike Gundy was obviously disappointed.
“It was a very, very tough day for us offensively,” Gundy said.
“I’m disappointed in our game plan on offense. I’m disappointed with the way allowed Oklahoma to win the special teams battle. Without watching the tape, I thought our defense played fairly well. When you can’t convert and move the ball or use some of the clock and score points, it makes it extremely difficult for the defense to continue to battle and make plays.
“I wish we would have played better. I don’t feel like we gave them our best, but I’m certainly not going to take away from what they did. We were really out of sync. Coaches have to do a better job of coming up with plays and giving our players a chance. And then we have to make some plays.”
