No. 15 Oklahoma beats No. 23 West Virginia 44-24
Barber, who could only watch helplessly from the sidelines previous year, is also making slowing down Perine a personal challenge.
But for the first time since entering the Big 12 in 2012, West Virginia has a veteran defense with depth. Westbrook led the Sooners’ receivers with five catches for 107 yards but it was Andrews, Shepard and Neal who found the end zone. But one of the most important aspects of having that kind of speed is knowing how to use it – and when to slow down.
The Big 12 is the only league averaging over 500 yards (509.21) of total offense and over 300 yards (309.12) through the air, and one of just two leagues averaging over 200 yards (200.09) on the ground. They’ll need to clean up a few sloppy play if they want to beat the undefeated Cowboys at home.
“A lovely play”, said Striker of Oklahoma’s first defensive touchdown since the Sugar Bowl closed the 2013 season. Both the Mountaineers and the Sooners are putting up good offensive numbers and keeping the opponents to a reasonable score (excluding Tulsa, I’m looking at you Mike Stoops).
The Mountaineer offense struggled for a majority of the game.
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The whole point of up-tempo offenses is to manipulate opposing defenses. “Not everybody’s committed to going to this defense on first down, second down, third down”. In classic Dana Holgorsen fashion, the Mountaineers have scored 130 points on their first three opponents. He needs to manage the game and control the tempo.
Howard did however have one of the best plays of the game in the third quarter on a QB keeper, rushing for a 50-yard touchdown that shifted momentum in the Mountaineers favor. That’s a huge range to plan for. I have a hard time seeing TCU, Baylor and whoever else running the table, considering how deep the league appears to be. “And they stayed in it even when we let (West Virginia) back in the game”. We are. They have a solid returning defense that should be able to stop the Oklahoma attack reasonably.
Offered their first glimpse at top-level competition, the Mountaineers faltered, and the schedule won’t get any easier.
It’s randomness, but a calculated randomness. “Our players have really taken to the new system”. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Fans have voiced their displeasure and OU has done the same to the Big 12.
“Yeah, it worries me”, said Stoops. “But you’ve got two good guys, so be thankful for that and thankful that you have a sixth man”.
Sooners coach Bob Stoops feels his team did what it needed to do in non-conference play. I think as much as anything too, the spacing-you can rush three; you can rush six. “It’s a really good group”.
The more quirks that are thrown into up-tempo offenses, the more they are going to frustrate opposing coaches. How will Nick Saban’s squad respond to the pressure?
Oregon – often considered the stylistic antithesis to Alabama – is masterful at changing tempo, which it began to do under current Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly.
Perine’s performance against the Mountaineers a year ago introduced him to the national football audience.
Kansas at Iowa State: The two teams have one victory between them.
“I saw Texas get 16 for 400 yards last week”, he said.
“We actually tried it our first game”, he said, “and the first time we tried it we jumped offside and spooked ourselves a little bit”.