Sooners Runaway From Kansas, Improve To 5-0 In Big 12 Play

With Homecoming celebrations setting the scene inside of Memorial Stadium, No. 16 Oklahoma took down Kansas 56-3 on Saturday night as the Sooners improve to 7-2 on the season and remain unbeaten in Big 12 play.

Related: Cowboys Dish No. 10 West Virginia First Loss Of Season

OU head coach Bob Stoops is now 12-0 all-time against Kansas with every game decided by at least 15 points.

If 10 touchdowns over the previous four games weren’t enough, OU star receiver Dede Westbrook got the Sooners rolling on Saturday evening, and it didn’t even take an offensive possession to make it happen.

After a lack-luster start to the game that featured a three-and-out on OU’s first drive, Westbrook took a punt return 71 yards to the house to get the Sooners on the board early in the first quarter.

While the punt return was a solid start, Westbrook still had some work to do. With OU’s offensive struggles continuing into the second quarter, the Sooners’ speedy receiver decided to right the ship. OU quarterback Baker Mayfield took the snap at midfield, faked right then rolled to his left before rifling a beautiful pass to a streaking Westbrook, who hauled in the catch while falling in the back of the end zone to put Oklahoma up two scores.

Westbrook’s two scores were the wakeup call the OU offense needed, and suddenly the Sooners couldn’t be stopped.

Tight end Mark Andrews got involved when caught an out from Mayfield, shook off a couple KU defenders before rumbling in for a 15-yard touchdown. Then on the final drive before halftime, Mayfield capped off a 50-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown pass to fullback Dimitri Flowers.

Despite a slow start, the Sooners found themselves leading 28-3 at half with the opportunity to receive the ball to start the third.

While the offense struggled to get in a rhythm to start the game, it was a completely different story in the second half.

Joe Mixon capped off a nine-play drive with a one-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the half, while receiver Geno Lewis scored his first touchdown as a Sooner on the very next drive. Just like that Oklahoma held a 42-3 lead with 8:50 left in the third quarter.

If the score wasn’t lopsided enough, senior linebacker Jordan Evans picked off KU quarterback Montell Cozart on ensuing Kansas drive. While it looked like Evans would be tackled following his interception, the team captain ran towards the end zone, before reversing a running the opposite direction until he found an opening and sprinted up the sideline for a 43-yard pick six.

With the game well in hand and the Sooners facing a quick turnaround against Iowa State on Thursday, Coach Stoops had the luxury of resting most of his starters throughout the final quarter and a half.

Walk-on running back Devin Montgomery tacked on an eight-yard touchdown to put the Sooners up 53 as OU successfully ran down the clock to win the game. 

After a poor performance in the win over Texas Tech, OU's defense had a nice bounce-back game against the Jayhawks. KU was limited to 170 yards of offense while the Sooners defense forced two turnovers. 

Mayfield finished with 236 yards through the air to go with four touchdown passes, while Westbrook became the only receiver in OU history to total 100 yards receiving in five straight games with his 105 yards on Saturday. Westbrook also scored at least two touchdowns in each of those games. 

Freshman Abdul Adams led OU in rushing with 91 yards on 13 carries, while Mixon added 74 yards and a score. 

The Sooners will take on Iowa State this Thursday in Ames, with the kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.