Oklahoma Sooners 52, Iowa State Cyclones 16: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

This was a weird game to review in some ways. OU started hot, but, as has been the case all year, a fumble sent the Sooners into a funk in the second quarter. Then, in the second half, OU pulled away.

Finally, the prelims are over. Bring on the main events.

The Great

OU's first offensive play

The opening play call was insane. A 76-yard touchdown pass to Dimitri Flowers? No one saw that coming.

Big play potential

Baker Mayfield’s downfield accuracy might be the best of an OU quarterback since Jason White. He is playing QB at a level right now that is in the range of White/Sam Bradford/Landry Jones.

Notably, both Baylor and TCU have seemed vulnerable in their secondary coverage.

Charles Tapper and Charles Walker

They have been on a recent tear – sacks, tackles for loss and general mayhem on every down in the opposing backfield.

The Good

Devante Bond

It was great to see Bond back out there attacking at linebacker and playing the run. He’s going to be an important piece of the OU defense in the next three weeks.

Offensive line

The OL played a good game. The sacks and tackles for loss on Mayfield don’t really reflect the pass blocking. The run blocking was solid. Samaje Perine probably would have broken 100 yards if he had been givenone more carry. Joe MIxon’s cross-country run started with a nice crease.

Durron Neal

Neal is quietly having a good senior year and becoming a safety target for Mayfield. It’s nice to see him have such success.

Mark Andrews

It was on the edge of garbage time, but the catch-and-run play by Andrews was elite. OU needs to continue to find ways to maximize the matchup issues he creates for defenses.

The Bad

Fumbling

OU has to have better ball security. The fumbles seem to get OU out of sync on offense and give opponents momentum. Every time, it has stopped OU from putting a game away earlier in the second half.

The Worrying

Austin Siebert

Seibert had such a great start to the year that you could have forgotten he was a freshman. Unfortunately, since his first miss, he’s been pushing right on extra points, hooking left and hitting the goalposts.

*What’s next?

It’s all on the line in Waco. OU badly needs to end Baylor’s winning streak and grab back some control over the Big 12. After back-to-back awful games against good Baylor teams, can OU generate a great road effort to beat the Bears?

OU has a chance to wipe away the stain of the loss to Texas in these next three weeks.

-Atlantasooner