Game report: No. 23 Oklahoma 44, Kansas 7
First quarter
Key play: Oklahoma freshman running back Samaje Perine sprinted around the left edge for a 49-yard touchdown, giving the Sooners a 7-0 lead with 11:49 left in the quarter.
Key stat: KU had negative-5 yards rushing.
Second quarter
Key play: Perine finished off a dominating 82-yard drive with a 33-yard touchdown run, his second of the day.
Key stat: KU had 48 total yards.
Third quarter
Key play: On the first play of the half, Perine burnrf Kansas for a 66-yard touchdown, his fourth of the game. Oklahoma led 31-0.
Key stat: Perine had 378 rushing yards through three quarters.
Fourth quarter
Key play: Perine rushed 42 yards in his final carry, setting the NCAA FBS single-game rushing record with 427 yards in 34 carries.
Key stat: Oklahoma had 510 yards rushing.
Player of the game: Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine. What more can you say? The day belonged to Perine, a true freshman from Pflugerville, Texas. Perine finished with 427 yards and five touchdowns on 34 carries. He set the NCAA single-game rushing record, and perhaps put his name on the fringes of the Heisman race.
Reason to hope: Kansas’ own freshman running back, Corey Avery, had his moments on Saturday. A 17-yard run there, a nice catch here. He has the talent to be a factor over the next three seasons.
Reason to mope: By midway through the third quarter, the Jayhawks’ spirit appeared to be broken. While Samaje Perine rushed for his fifth touchdown, Kansas’ Dexter McDonald just slapped him hard on the back as he cruised into the end zone.
Looking ahead: Kansas, 3-8, will finish its season with a trip to in-state rival Kansas State on Saturday.
Report card
F | Offense | On a rainy and windy afternoon, the Jayhawks’ passing game could never conquer the adverse conditions. For the last three weeks, junior quarterback Michael Cummings has led an offensive resurgence under play-caller Eric Kiesau. But with no passing game to lean on, the Jayhawks’ rushing attack was also useless. |
F | Defense | Oklahoma freshman running back Samaje Perine was a one-man first down, gashing the Kansas defense for 340 yards and four touchdowns by the 10-minute mark of the third quarter. The Jayhawks were repeatedly beat by the same cut-back play. It offered a bit of misdirection before Perine came sprinting through a truck-sized hole. The defense did score Kansas’ only touchdown. |
C | Special teams | The Jayhawks allowed a big return on the opening kickoff and launched a snap over the head of punter Trevor Pardula. That was just in the first half. The bad snap didn’t cost KU points — Oklahoma promptly fumbled the ball back to Kansas — but it was certainly not a pretty day on special teams. |
D | Coaching | For the first time since interim coach Clint Bowen replaced Charlie Weis, the Jayhawks were totally manhandled. Oklahoma’s offensive line was dominant all day, but the KU defense could never find a way to adjust or slow down the Sooners’ blistering rushing attack. Bowen still has hopes of being Kansas’ next full-time head coach, but these are the kind of performances that can leave a lasting impression. |
To reach Rustin Dodd, call 816-234-4937 or send email to rdodd@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @rustindodd.
This story was originally published November 22, 2014 at 8:07 PM with the headline "Game report: No. 23 Oklahoma 44, Kansas 7."