If there was one to expect from Oklahoma’s opener, it was that nobody knew what to expect when it came to roster management and dealing with COVID-19.

It didn’t matter that the virus is still around because freshmen Marvin Mims and Seth McGowan are going to play a huge role for the Sooners no matter what.

In their first career games, the duo combined for three touchdowns and let OU fans know the 2020 class has some special pieces in OU’s 48-0 shutout victory against visiting Missouri State on Saturday night.

It was McGowan getting on the board first, scoring a 1-yard touchdown on his first carry. Then it was Mims’ chance to turn heads in the punt return game and highlighting his evening with a deep ball 58-yard touchdown strike from Spencer Rattler.

“They both did some good things. They’re two pretty explosive kids for their age,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “Both kids physically are in a pretty good place and have picked up stuff well. They both have some home run ability.

“The moment wasn’t too big for those guys. As a young player, that’s always something you try to evaluate. We’ve said it a lot –you have a belief in yourself and knowing that you’re made for this and ready for this, that’s a decision each person has got to make. Those guys were ready for the moment, didn’t shy away.”

McGowan concluded the scoring with a 37-yard touchdown reception where he took a short pass from Rattler and then did the rest.

Mims finished with three catches for 80 yards and three punt returns for 68 yards. McGowan led the team with 61 rushing yards, averaging 6.8 yards per carry.

“Exactly what we expected from him,” said Rattler about McGowan. “That dude's a monster. I even said before the game, if he touches the ball four times, he might score four times. And I think he almost did that tonight. He's a great player.”

Defense pitches shutout

This is what you’re supposed to do against overmatched opponents, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Now year No. 2 under Alex Grinch, the OU defense (Speed D) played as solid an opener as you could ask.

OU earned its first shutout since beating Kansas State 55-0 back in 2015. OU notched four sacks and had nine tackles for loss. Safety Delarrin Turner-Yell earned his first career interception.

“That's very true. Appreciate DT for getting that one,” Grinch said. “That would've been a major black eye on an otherwise good night for the guys. To your point, the competition escalates from here but a good first start.”

OU had 608 total yards of offense, and Missouri State finally eclipsed the 100-yard mark in the fourth quarter. The Bears finished with 135 yards, averaging less than three yards per snap.

It was the linebackers anchoring the show with Brian Asamoah leading the team with seven tackles, and DaShaun White adding 1.5 sacks.

With the uncertainty about the lineup, again, couldn’t ask for me.

“It was big. It was definitely a big thing,” said White about preserving the shutout. “I know a couple of guys on the offense complimented us on it. It was a feel-good thing.”

COVID era destroys depth chart

All week nobody knew what OU’s lineup would look like because of COVID-19. And heck, 36 hours before kickoff, nobody even knew if there would be a game.

OU was missing so, so many pieces, but Riley able to reflect and try to see the bright side of what could have been a very dark situation.

“It was fun. It was. It was in a way. It’s not exactly how you draw it up. But yeah, you’ve got all these situations right now,” Riley said. “It’s either one of two things. You either see it as a hindrance and you say ‘poor me’ and you’re mad you’re in the situation and frustrated. Or you look at it as an opportunity, an opportunity to see new players that maybe we wouldn’t have seen, an opportunity to test yourselves and be able to adjust when things come up.”

Notable examples were OU playing without its top two left tackles in Anton Harrison and Stacey Wilkins, forcing Adrian Ealy to left tackle and Erik Swenson playing right tackle.

It meant OU only had two scholarship running backs available in McGowan and Marcus Major, with Rhamondre Stevenson suspended and T.J. Pledger out.

Kicker Gabe Brkic was nowhere to be found, and Stephen Johnson stepped up and made a 42-yard field goal.

Add it all up, here’s who was missing from the two-deep depth chart: Pledger, Stevenson, Brayden Willis, Trejan Bridges, Harrison, Wilkins, Andrew Raym, Obi Obialo, Drake Stoops, Ronnie Perkins, Marcus Stripling, Kori Roberson, Jordan Kelley, Shane Whitter, D.J. Graham, Kendall Dennis, Justin Broiles, Bryson Washington and Brkic.

Whether it was injury, suspension or COVID, there were some faces in new places because that’s what the situation dictated.

Crowd does its part

Of course, another COVID-19 consequence is the lack of the 85,000-plus fans at OU. Instead, the number announced 22,700.

But when can 22,700 sound like 80,000 fans? Saturday night, for sure.

“It didn't feel too different, because the crowd brought that same energy that they would with whether it was 25 percent of the stadium or 80,000 people in there,” defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas said. “And us coming out there, running out the tunnel, they were loud as can be and it felt the same as it was before.

“Obviously, it didn't look the same, but for us, we didn't care if it was 80,000 out there or nobody out there. We can still feel that energy and we brought energy upon ourselves as well. We gotta come out there with that chip on our shoulder, but the crowd helped a lot and we could tell that they were there to support us and we could feel that energy.”