Dillon Gabriel threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score as No. 6 Oklahoma blew out Nebraska 49-14 on Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska.
It was the Sooners’ biggest scoring output ever in Lincoln.
After Oklahoma struggled early on both sides, the Sooners (3-0) took control and dominated the rest of the way in a renewal of the longtime Big Eight rivalry.
The Mickey Joseph era could not have gotten off to a much better start at the outset of the game.
Joseph was named the Cornhuskers’ interim head coach earlier in the week after Scott Frost was fired.
The Cornhuskers forced the Sooners to punt on the game’s first drive, then needed less than two minutes to drive 77 yards to take an early 7-0 lead on Casey Thompson’s 32-yard pass to Trey Palmer.
Oklahoma faced third-and-seven from its own 39 on its second drive, and got a strong rush. But Gabriel eluded the would-be tacklers and found plenty of room to run, going 61 yards for a touchdown.
Beginning with Gabriel’s career-long run, the Sooners scored touchdowns on seven of nine possessions.
After that early touchdown, things turned sour for Nebraska’s offense as well.
The Cornhuskers (1-3) had just 76 yards in the first half after the initial drive, being outgained 355-148 before half.
Eric Gray ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns for the Sooners for his second 100-yard game this season.
Thompson was 14 of 20 for 129 yards and a touchdown for Nebraska, but the Sooners sacked him four times in the first half.
Thompson, whose father, Charles, was a star quarterback for the Sooners, started against Oklahoma for the second time in two seasons after playing for Texas last season.
Oklahoma outgained Nebraska 580-327, with the Sooners rushing for 315 yards. The Sooners came into the game struggling on third down but went 10 for 16 on third.
The Sooners turned the ball over for the first time this season late in the game, but won the turnover battle 2-1.
Oklahoma turned to some trickery early in the second quarter when tight end Brayden Willis took a lateral, then found Marcus Major downfield for a 24-yard touchdown reception.
–Field Level Media
