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Published Nov 8, 2020
Telling the story: OU 62-9
Bob Przybylo  •  OUInsider
Staff Writer
Twitter
@BPrzybylo

Every play matters in a college football game but some do a better job of explaining what happened than others. Here are the five plays that told the story of Oklahoma’s 62-9 wipeout of Kansas.

OU 62, KU 9

Play No. 1: Defense arrives early

You could legitimately just have all five plays be from the defense, either from the takeaways in the secondary or the whopping nine sacks from the guys in the trenches.

We start with the first drive, and the Tre Brown interception. Once again, you give a lot of credit to the defensive line because that internal quarterback clock was sped up like never before. Simply had no time.

Then you give credit to Brown. Because as Alex Grinch said after the game, OU has been in these positions before and then never came down with the final part of the puzzle, the interception.

Brown made a nice read on the ball and snagged it away for his second interception this season. The Sooners would score on Spencer Rattler’s touchdown pass to Austin Stogner on the ensuing possession.

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Play No. 2: Oh, Bookie, really?

Think everybody said it at the time, said it on the postgame pod, but it’s true. Even when Brendan Radley-Hiles makes a big-time play, there’s still a head-shaking moment accompanied with it.

Again, it’s a great play by Bookie to earn the interception. And then he does everything right by running down the sideline, having the ball in his left (outside) hand.

As fate would have it, got stripped by someone coming from out of bounds and somehow the ball never trickled out and was recovered by KU.

“The officials were very clear on it. Honestly, it’s a play, I don’t know in all the football in all the years, I’ve ever seen happen,” head coach Lincoln Riley said. “But they were very clear that you can cause a fumble, even if you are out of bounds.

“Now, if your hand was to stay on the ball long term or anything like that, then it wouldn’t. But if it’s just one single action, and the ball’s knocked out … I don’t know the rule. I fully admit it. I can’t ever remember seeing that happen. But our officials on the sideline communicated well. And they were very, very sure of their decision. But they certainly seem very certain.”

Big 12 director of officials Greg Burks essentially said the same thing when asked about the play. Weird rule, but an actual rule.

Play No. 3: Stevenson showing the hands

This play itself didn’t lead to anything, but hey, giving props to running back Rhamondre Stevenson and his one-handed catch.

OU was up 14-0 at the time, and it was a beautiful grab and run after where he ran over tacklers for a 13-yard gain.

The Sooners had one of their only two punts on the possession, but it just shows you the level that Stevenson is performing at right now.

“I mean he can do it all,” Rattler said. “You saw tonight, I think he had probably 60 yards receiving. Catching the ball one-handed, making guys miss. He had like 110 rushing, so just having him, those first downs where we hand it off, or a short second down, or those third and shorts, third and fives, he's going to for sure get them. He's never losing yards. He's a positive runner.”

Stevenson finished as the team’s leading rusher with 104 yards and two scores and actually had the most receptions with four.

Play No. 4: Whitter, Norwood put the fist up

A little combo play here. Because, first, you have to give defensive back D.J. Graham credit for a sure tackle on third-and-four.

Brought him down to force a fourth-and-one with OU up 21-0 midway through the second quarter.

KU elected to go for it as teams tend to do more often than not against the Sooners. And there you have it, a great early play by Tre Norwood and then a tremendous job of cleaning it up and finishing the play by Shane Whitter.

Stopped. No gain. Turnover on downs.

“Whitter’s case, one of those individuals that wasn’t with us for a stretch of time in a critical developmental stage in getting ready for this season,” Grinch said. “So just a guy that's been available, been practicing, keep working. I thought he flashed tonight. Couldn't be more thrilled for him and again, thrilled for us to see him. He made that play on that fourth-down scenario and quite frankly, that's not a play we practiced.

“I mean, defensively it was but we didn't anticipate speed option. He's the backside backer and oh by the way, he just runs over there and puts a lick on him. So that's good and again, part of it's the message to all those guys — you practice the right way and we'll put you on the field.”

Play No. 5: Bonitto takes a bow (not literally)

Close the game the only way it should go down with a sack by Nik Bonitto. Credited with a career-high three during the game, Bonitto was everywhere against KU, causing chaos.

For this play, it’s now 41-3 for OU in the third quarter. It serves no purpose for KU to kick a field goal in the red zone, so the Jayhawks go for it on fourth-and-seven from the nine yard line.

And there’s Bonitto getting home one more time for his third sack, as the team earned nine on the day with 11 tackles for loss.

“He's just really showing everything that a lot of us already knew,” Ronnie Perkins said. “What he's doing now is really nothing new to us. It's just great to see him go out there and put it on tape.”