The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Oklahoma Sooners 38, Oklahoma State Cowboys 20
The Sooners put together a fantastic finish for what started as a tough year: 10-2, undefeated in Big 12 play and mostly unchallenged in the last six games of the year.
OU probably starts next season as a top 10 team.
The Great
Samaje Perine
He dominated OSU's defense in the second half. The big run to start the half signaled the end of OSU’s chances to win the game. His final play, kneeling down instead of scoring, will be a Sooner highlight for years.
Baker Mayfield
The terrible conditions clearly got to Mayfield's Aggie counterpart, Mason Rudolph, but OU's quarterback executed at an elite level. His final stats were impacted by three or four outright drops by Sooner receivers.
Joe Mixon's run and Dede Westbrook's moves
Mixon certainly has a flair for the dramatic this season, with some well-timed long touchdown runs. The game-sealing TD run was a crusher for the Aggies.
The other great singular play of the game was Westbrook’s main contribution. The Biletnikoff Award winner scored another long TD that showcased his unreal moves.
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
A, truly excellent game by Obo, who pressured Rudolph all day and ended OSU’s last possession. He has been missing a little since his injury in the second half of the year, but he responded with a big game.
The Good
Offensive line in the second half
The OL tore up the OSU defense, opening up holes that produced 300 rushing yards and 21 points. Mayfield also had plenty of time to throw.
The final eight minutes of the game saw OU bleed away the clock, even though by all Samaje everyone knew Perine was getting the ball.
Defense in second half
If you told me before the game that OU would hold OSU to 20 points, I’d have been heading to a bookie with a load of cash to put on the Sooners.
OU stuffed the running game, pressured Rudolph and, for the most part, had good coverage down field.
The other WRs
Despite the aforementioned drops, the WR corps sans Westbrook stepped up and made some big plays. Jeffrey Mead has had a very encouraging second half of the season. Wish OU had another season of Geno Lewis.
The Bad
Run defense in first half
Too many missed tackles and too many holes for OSU's RBs in the first half. The inside linebackers have to play much better against a more sophisticated run game from Auburn.
The Ugly
Losing Westbrook
Targeting or not, with the year OU has had with injuries and the plague of concussions, it was scary to see Westbrook laying prone on the field. Fortunately, he seems okay, but you have to wonder if he would have been cleared to play if OU had a rematch in the absurd conference championship game coming next season.
-Atlantasooner