Sooners end 2-game losing streak with home win over West Virginia

NORMAN — The Oklahoma Sooners wore their “Unity” uniforms in a mid-season home game last year and snapped a three-game skid. The Sooners did it again Saturday night, this time snapping a two-game losing streak as it dominated West Virginia 59-20 at Owen Field before a crowd of 83,525.

After two weeks of struggling with turnovers, penalties, injuries, poor tackling and so forth in losses to Kansas and Bedlam rival Oklahoma State, the Sooners (8-2 overall, 5-2 in Big 12 play) appeared as the team they had been during a 7-0 start. They would move the offense with phenomenal passing and controlled the West Virginia run game with a suffocating defense.

Early in the week, quarterback Dylan Gabriel wasn’t sure what to do about the Sooners’ recent struggles. He looked sure of himself Saturday night as he set a school record of eight touchdowns, running for three and throwing for five while the Sooners outgained the Mountaineers 644-330.

Gabriel finished the night with 423 yards passing on 23-of-36 attempts, overcoming being sacked twice. He also rushed for 50 yards on 11 carries.

Drake Stoops and Nic Anderson had big nights receiving. Stoops caught three TDs, 10 catches for 164 yards. The receiving yards was a career-high, surpassing last week’s mark of 134 against OSU. Anderson totaled 119 yards with four catches.

Gavin Sawchuck was the ground-leader with 135 yards on 22 carries.

Back from injury, linebacker Danny Stutsman led in tackles, three for solo and two for a loss of three yards.

However, the game did start as if OU’s problems remained when the Mountaineers (6-4, 4-3) got the ball first and drove for a touchdown, with C.J. Donaldson running it in from 13 yards, but Oklahoma answered immediately.

Gabriel’s first pass intended for Drake Stoops was dropped, but his second to Anderson was caught for a 19-yard gain to the 44. After a 1-yard gain by Sawchuck, Austin Stogner picked up 23 yards on a reception from Gabriel. Sawchuck then rushed for 30 yards to give the Sooners first-and-goal at the West Virginia 2-yard line. Gabriel got into the end zone on a keeper three plays later on third down, and OU tied the score at 7-all.

The defense forced the Mountaineers to 3-and-out on the next series, then the Sooners moved again on their next drive, with Gabriel adding another 2-yard TD. It was 14-7, and OU looked to be returning to form as it followed up with another 3-and-out on defense.

However, the Sooners then relapsed back into their turnover issue when they fumbled a punt, and West Virginia recovered at the OU 33-yard line. However, the OU defense responded again as the Mountaineers could not get a first down and missed a 48-yard field goal attempt.

Zack Schmit added a 23-yard field goal, and Gabriel hit Stogner in the end zone for a 3-yard TD pass and another to Jayden Gibson, who was wide open for 32 yards. It was 31-7, and it appeared a rout was in the making in the second quarter.

With 2:01 left in the first half, the Sooner D made its second significant goal-line stand of the year. Fans cheered as it brought memories of the key stop OU made last month against Texas, but the Mountaineers bounced back on their next possession as Garrett Greene threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Kole Taylor with seven seconds left in the half, making it 31-14 at halftime.

OU stormed out the gates as Gabriel hit Stoops for a 60-yard TD on the first drive of the second half, making the score 38-14. It was OU’s longest score from scrimmage so far this season.

Stoops would catch his second TD of the game with a 9-yard reception in the end zone from Gabriel with 4:34 left in the third quarter.

A third Stoops’ TD reception, also in the end zone for nine yards from Gabriel, made it 52-20 with just a minute gone into the final quarter. Gabriel later scored the final TD.

OU, still with hope for a shot in the Big 12 Championship after losses by Kansas and OSU on Saturday, travels to Provo, Utah, this Saturday to play conference newcomer Brigham Young University.