Patrick's career day leads Oklahoma to 49-17 Bedlam win

By JEFF LATZKE
AP Sports Writer

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Allen Patrick returned to form just in time for the postseason, running for a career-best 202 yards and two touchdowns as No. 10 Oklahoma wrapped up a spot in the Big 12 championship game with a 49-17 win Saturday against Oklahoma State.

Patrick, who had four 100-yard rushing games after Adrian Peterson broke his collarbone last season, passed the century mark for the first time since September and also caught a touchdown pass in easily his best game of the season.

The Sooners (10-2, 6-2 Big 12) had been all but assured of playing in their fifth Big 12 title game in the past six seasons even with a loss, but a Bedlam blowout left no doubt.

Sam Bradford returned after sustaining a concussion in Oklahoma's 34-27 loss at Texas Tech last week to break the NCAA freshman record for touchdown passes in a season. He had four scoring passes, including two to tight end Joe Jon Finley, to give him 32 this year. Nevada's David Neill (1998) and Texas' Colt McCoy (2006) held the old record with 29.

The Sooners were playing without leading rusher DeMarco Murray (knee), but that didn't stop them from pummeling their in-state rival with a constant ground attack. Oklahoma went with the rush on 28 of its 35 first-half plays, and Patrick carried most of the load a week after a fumble on his first carry led to Bradford getting hurt while making the tackle.

Patrick went for more than 100 yards for the first time in eight games, clearing the mark early in the second quarter with a 32-yard run around the left end that set up Chris Brown's 3-yard touchdown push to make it 21-7.

By that point, Patrick had already been in the end zone twice on an 11-yard scoring pass from Bradford and a 5-yard TD run.

The Sooners then came up with a huge goal-line stand, stuffing Oklahoma State (6-6, 4-4) on four straight rush attempts from the 1-yard line. On fourth down, three Sooners converged on quarterback Zac Robinson just shy of the goal line to jar the ball loose, and safety D.J. Wolfe scooped it up to end the threat.

Patrick ran on each of the next four plays to pick up 31 yards, and Oklahoma cashed in on Bradford's 2-yard touchdown pass to Joe Jon Finley for a 28-7 lead.

Finley also caught a 12-yard TD pass from Bradford, and Patrick's 2-yard run in the fourth quarter extended the lead to 42-17.

Bradford finished with 150 yards on 11-for-15 passing with one interception, which set up one of the Cowboys' two touchdowns on the day.

Dantrell Savage scored them both, catching a 16-yard pass from Robinson and rushing in from 6 yards out. He ran for 112 yards for his ninth straight 100-yard game.

Pregame warmups brought a glimmer of hope for Oklahoma State, as leading receiver Adarius Bowman jogged around and went through drills a week after coach Mike Gundy announced he'd be out for the rest of the regular season. Bowman was in uniform and had his helmet on, but didn't play in the game.

The result was Robinson's least productive passing day since he took over as the starter in the third game of the season. He completed 8 of 20 passes for 105 yards before being replaced by backup Bobby Reid in the fourth quarter.

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: OU Athletics Department

No. 6 Sooners have revived title hopes after rivalry win

By JEFF LATZKE
AP Sports Writer

DALLAS (AP) - Consider the Sooners revived.

Only a week after a second-half breakdown seemed to rob of Oklahoma of its lofty goals for the season, the Sooners (5-1, 1-1 Big 12) are one giant step closer to washing the bad taste of that 27-24 loss to Colorado out of their mouths. v ``It's still there, but we know that we've got a lot that we've got to do to erase that,'' tight end Jermaine Gresham said after catching two touchdown passes in the Sooners' 28-21 win over Texas on Saturday.

Even as it trails Texas A&M (5-1, 2-0) by a game in the Big 12 standings, the South Division title still arguably runs through Norman. Oklahoma and Texas have combined to win the past eight Big 12 South titles, and the Aggies must come to Norman in three weeks to stay in first place.

And beyond that, the Sooners are back alive in the national championship picture after losses by Southern California, Wisconsin and Florida bumped them up to No. 6 in The Associated Press rankings and No. 5 in the other two polls in a college football season that has been turned on its head the past two weeks.

The key for Oklahoma was avoiding back-to-back losses in a Red River Rivalry game that was more like a double-elimination playoff game.

``We knew that was a must-win game,'' Gresham said.

Quarterback Sam Bradford rebounded after the first shaky performance of his young career, when he threw two tipped interceptions in the second half at Colorado the previous week. The redshirt freshman seemed unfazed by the big-game atmosphere of the rivalry played at the Cotton Bowl.

``He did a great job out there, the way he presented himself,'' receiver Juaquin Iglesias said. ``I know my first OU-Texas game, I didn't act nearly as he did. It was going too fast for me out there.

``He stood in the pocket for us, he made a lot of plays for us and he's been doing what he's been doing since he started.''

Surviving Texas wasn't the only hurdle for Bradford and the Sooners, though. Next up is a home game against No. 11 Missouri, which obliterated then-No. 25 Nebraska 41-6 on Saturday in its Big 12 opener.

``They look like they've got a great team - a really, really good team,'' Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables said.

The game will feature Bradford, the nation's top-rated passer, and Missouri's Chase Daniel, who ranks third in the nation with an average of 380 yards of total offense per game.

Venables said the key would be changing up defensive looks against Missouri's spread, no-huddle approach and limiting the Tigers' ability to run the ball.

``If they have success running the ball, we won't be able to stop the pass, I promise you,'' Venables said.

Coach Bob Stoops said tailback Allen Patrick, who sat out much of the second half against Texas, was not seriously injured and instead was suffering from cramps. Patrick ran 35 times for 157 yards last year in a 26-10 win against Missouri.

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: OU Athletics Department