At the buzzer takeaways: OU far from perfect in victory
You’re only as good as your next game, and OU didn’t handle success the way it needed to. After a statement-making victory two weeks ago, the Sooners were in all sorts of trouble Saturday.
Eventually, finally, No. 6 OU did enough in a 31-29 victory against visiting Central Florida, but it was far from pretty and far, far from perfect.
Here are your at-the-buzzer takeaways.
Sooners survive
No other way to say it. Even when it looked like OU had closed the door on UCF, this game was never over.
Not until Kendel Dolby stopped UCF’s two-point conversion and Austin Stogner recovered the onside kick.
Just a very uneven performance across the board, but the Sooners did just enough.
Dolby was in the right spot on UCF’s game-tying two-point conversion and made the play.
The running game is a problem… but hope?
No other way to say it. Tawee Walker was nowhere to be found, something head coach Brent Venables will have to address after the game.
Gavin Sawchuk got the start, but he wasn’t very effective until late. Neither was Marcus Major. It’s been a concern all season, and it was amplified Saturday vs. UCF.
OU also struggled to find its five-man offensive line. Caleb Shaffer and Savion Byrd took turns at right guard, something to watch if McKade Mettauer is out much longer.
Mettauer, interestingly enough, did see the field for an extra point attempt.
Sawchuk did have a better second half, including a 30-yard touchdown run.
Anderson comes up huge
There were a lot of storylines coming into this one, and an easy thing to target was how OU was going to adjust without wide receiver Andrel Anthony.
Nic Anderson provided the spark there. Anderson had two touchdown receptions in the first half and continues to show the ability to make plays.
Somebody needed to step up because it wasn’t as easy as everybody thought it would be for Dillon Gabriel and the OU offense.
Anderson was also crucial on OU’s final touchdown drive, catching a big-time third down conversion.
Gabriel threw for three touchdowns.
Wasted opportunity
Oklahoma really had a chance to put this game away early. The defense came out on fire. In the first quarter, it forced four three-and-outs for UCF.
The Knights didn’t get their initial first down until the final play of the quarter. UCF registered just 15 yards of total offense.
However, OU was only up 7-0, failing to capitalize on those chances. UCF woke up in the second quarter, scoring 17 points and 217 yards to let everybody know it wasn’t going to be easy for the Sooners.
Up next
OU (7-0 overall, 4-0 Big 12) heads to Lawrence one more time. OU at Kansas (5-2, 2-2) 11 a.m. next Saturday.
