5-Star RB Raleek Brown Commits to Oklahoma over Alabama, Michigan, More
Feb 5, 2021
Oklahoma has added one of the best playmakers in the 2022 recruiting class, with running back Raleek Brown committing to the program on Friday.
Oklahoma #Sooners just got a commitment from ESPNJr300 running back Raleek Brown, the No. 43 ranked recruit in the 2022 class. Sooners have 5 ESPNJr300 commits & 4 ranked in the top-50 @raleek2pic.twitter.com/Qd8c6hydEO
A standout player at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, Brown is one of the best backs in this year's class. He's rated as a 5-star prospect, No. 3 running back and 25th-ranked player overall, per 247Sports composite rankings.
He had 35 offers, per 247Sports, including ones from Alabama, Michigan, Cal and Arizona State.
Despite being short at 5'8", his speed and quick acceleration allow him to get around defenders without being touched.
"Boasts elite top-end speed, burst and explosiveness, with the ability to accelerate and get to the edge before taking off up field," 247Sports' Brandon Huffman wrote. "Can stop on a dime, make one cut and go. Plus receiver with soft hands and can line up in the slot or catch the ball out of the backfield."
Brown has been unstoppable during his high school career. He averaged more than 10 yards per carry and scored 34 rushing touchdowns in his first two seasons at Mater Dei, per MaxPreps.com.
Putting Brown's skill set in Lincoln Riley's offense at Oklahoma is a perfect match.
Even though the Sooners have been defined by their quarterbacks and explosive pass plays since Riley took over as head coach in 2017, Michael Weinreb of The Ringer noted in December 2019 the 37-year-oldhas made a point to incorporate the running game into his offense:
"Ask people who have studied Oklahoma’s offense about how Riley has advanced his version of the Air Raid, and the first thing they’ll talk about is how effectively he’s incorporated the running game. Take one look at the running backs Oklahoma is able to recruit and produce, and it’s kind of a no-brainer. As ballsy as the Air Raid philosophy is, even (Mike) Leach has admitted that he’d run the ball more if he had the level of talent to do so at Washington State."
That talent includes Kennedy Brooks, Trey Sermon and Rodney Anderson.
Brown will follow in the footsteps of those players with the hope of becoming the next in a long line of successful Sooners running backs. His speed and pass-catching ability makes him a potential superstar in Riley's offense.
Spencer Rattler, No. 10 Oklahoma Hold Off No. 6 Iowa State to Win Big 12 Title
Dec 19, 2020
FILE - Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) throws a pass during the second half of the team's NCAA college football game against Baylor in Norman, Okla., in this Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, file photo. Rattler is the latest Oklahoma quarterback to light it up in the Big 12. The freshman has overcome some early rough moments and has the Sooners on a six-game win streak heading into the conference championship game against Iowa State on Saturday.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
The No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners defeated the No. 6 Iowa State Cyclones 27-21in Saturday's Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Oklahoma has now won five Big 12 Championship Games in a row and eight of the past nine, while Iowa State remains in search of its first Big 12 title.
The Cyclones nearly overcame a 17-point deficit in the second half and had a chance to win it on the final drive, but Oklahoma secured an interception to seal the victory.
Freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler was the offensive star for Oklahoma, as he accounted for two touchdowns, but it was the defense that shone brightest by picking off Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy three times.
Oklahoma improved to 8-2 and secured its place in a New Year's Six bowl with the victory, while the Cyclones fell to 8-3, although they still have a solid shot at playing in a New Year's Six bowl as an at-large selection.
Notable Stats
Spencer Rattler, QB, OU: 22-of-34 for 272 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT; 7 CAR for 17 YDS, 1 TD
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, OU: 18 CAR for 97 YDS; 4 REC for 36 YDS
Marvin Mims, WR, OU: 7 REC for 101 YDS, 1 TD
Brock Purdy, QB, ISU: 27-of-40 for 322 YDS, 1 TD, 3 INT; 7 CAR for 33 YDS
Breece Hall, RB, ISU: 23 CAR for 79 YDS, 2 TD; 3 REC for 26 YDS
Xavier Hutchinson, WR, ISU: 10 REC for 114 YDS
Charlie Kolar, TE, ISU: 6 REC for 92 YDS, 1 TD
Rattler's 1st-Half Play Spurs OU to Win
Oklahoma has produced some top-flight quarterbacks in recent years, and Rattler appears to be on track to join that list in the coming years.
Quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray won the Heisman Trophy in back-to-back years under Riley, while Jalen Hurts was a strong candidate last season. After another strong showing in the Big 12 Championship Game, Rattler could find himself in the Heisman mix as a sophomore in 2021.
Rattler set the tone Saturday, as he helped the Sooners get out to a 17-0 lead in the first half with an array of impressive throws, including this toss off his back foot and out of the reach of multiple defenders:
Iowa State got some momentum back on its side with a touchdown with 1:34 left in the half to make it 17-7, but Rattler had an answer.
In less than a minute, Rattler drove the Sooners down the field and finished the drive with a nine-yard rushing touchdown to restore the 17-point lead.
While Rattler isn't necessarily known for making a ton of plays with his legs, Cliff Brunt of the Associated Press pointed out that Rattler has been a problem for opposing defenses in that regard recently:
Spencer Rattler now has a rushing TD in three of his past four games. #Oklahoma
With Rattler rallying the troops and heading into the locker room with a 17-point advantage, he received no shortage of praise.
ESPN analyst and former Alabama and New York Jets quarterback Greg McElroy expressed his belief that Rattler is destined for greatness:
Spencer Rattler has grown from a good player to a great player over the course of this season. Depending on who stays and who goes into the ’21 Draft, he’ll be among the top 2-3 QBs CFB for 2021. He’s certainly trending in that direction.
As good as Rattler looked in the first half, the sledding was much tougher in the second half, and it resulted in Iowa State pulling to within three points with 5:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.
It would have been easy for the frosh to fold under that pressure, but he led Oklahoma on a key field-goal drive, which forced Iowa State to go for a touchdown on its final drive, leading to an interception.
Purdy's Turnovers Loom Large in Loss
Iowa State had the far more experienced quarterback Saturday with junior Brock Purdy under center, but he made some freshman mistakes that cost the Cyclones dearly.
With Iowa State trailing 17-0 in the second quarter, Purdy had a chance to get the Cyclones on the board, but his throw from the Oklahoma 11-yard line was picked off.
That prompted Curtis Fitzpatrick of WWLS to point out Purdy's penchant for making significant miscues:
Brock Purdy is really talented. But, man he helps the defense. A lot.
Purdy entered Saturday's contest having not thrown an interception in three games, but he threw three earlier in the season in a narrow win over Baylor.
Some of the issues he had in that game came into play Saturday, as Purdy was picked off for a second time in the third quarter when the Cyclones were driving and looking to cut down the 17-point deficit:
While entering the game with only six interceptions on the season didn't seem like much, Purdy was fortunate he didn't throw far more picks during the Cyclones' 8-2 start.
Lee Benson of News9 pointed out that Purdy could have been picked off as many as four times in Iowa State's upset win over Oklahoma earlier in the season:
Brock Purdy threw it to OU defensive backs four times back in October and the #Sooners refused to catch any of them.
Oklahoma's inability to capitalize in that game led to a seven-point win for Iowa State, but the Sooners were far more opportunistic Saturday.
Some of that can be attributed to Purdy making poor decisions, but the Oklahoma defense deserves credit as well, especially after being so maligned last season.
The Sooners have been much better defensively this season, and that manifested itself Saturday in the form of forcing threeturnovers and holding Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Breece Hall to 3.4 yards per carry.
To Purdy's credit, he did manage to lead the Cyclones on twosecond-half touchdown drives to get within three and had them driving for the win, but a third interception on another ill-advised throw on the final drive sealed Iowa State's fate.
What's Next?
Both the Sooners and Cyclones will await their fate, as they will learn Sunday which bowl games they will play in to close their respective 2020 seasons.
4-Star OT Savion Byrd Commits to Oklahoma Sooners over LSU, SMU and More Teams
Dec 16, 2020
Quarterbacks for the Oklahoma Sooners should feel much better about the future after they landed one of the best offensive linemen in the 2021 recruiting class Wednesday.
Offensive tackle Savion Byrd, who checks in at 6'5" and 295 pounds, committed to the Sooners, per Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.
Byrd is a 4-star prospect and the No. 62 overall player, No. 9 offensive tackle and No. 11 player from the state of Texas in the class of 2021, per 247Sports' composite rankings.
Given his status as a 4-star player, it is no wonder some of the nation's best programs were involved in his recruitment. The list of interested teams included Texas, LSU, Alabama, Oregon and Georgia at one point during the process, meaning Oklahoma outlasted significant challengers on the trail.
The Sooners also beat out SMU, which was very much in the mix throughout the recruitment process.
The prize is an offensive lineman with the highly coveted size and athleticism combination that allows him to fend off quick defensive ends and create a drive up front on running plays.
Byrd is capable of pushing through to the second level, and Gabe Brooks of 247Sports noted he "shows quickness at the snap and flashes impressive functional athleticism that allows for second-level work with relative ease." Brooks did point out Byrd "must continue to bulk and strengthen" if he is going to deliver on his "early-round NFL draft potential."
Wiltfong noted that with Byrd, Oklahoma is in the mix for its first top-five recruiting class since 2010 and its fourth top-10 class in the past five years.
With one of college football's elite programs, he could anchor the Sooners' offensive line in the coming seasons as they compete for College Football Playoff appearances.
Head coach Lincoln Riley oversees one of the most explosive offenses in college football, and bringing Byrd along as a blocker should make the Sooners even more dangerous in the coming years.
The Oklahoma Sooners extended their dominance of Bedlam on Saturday night with a thorough victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys...
Spencer Rattler, No. 18 Oklahoma Beat No. 14 Oklahoma State in Bedlam Rivalry
Nov 21, 2020
Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler looks for a receiver during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
No. 18 Oklahoma moved to second place in the Big 12 with a 41-13 home win over rival Oklahoma State in the latest edition of the Bedlam Series on Saturday.
Spencer Rattler needed only 24 pass attempts to amass 301 yards and four touchdowns. Wideout Theo Wease caught two of them, and Rhamondre Stevenson took care of business on the ground with 141 rushing yards.
Oklahoma jumped out to a 21-0 edge after nine minutes and led 27-13 at halftime before putting the game away with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. The Sooners doubled the Cowboys' yards from scrimmage, 492-246.
OU extended its win streak to five and now sports a 6-2 overall record (5-2 Big 12). The No. 14 Cowboys fell to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the conference with the loss to the Sooners.
Notable Performances
Oklahoma State QB Spencer Sanders: 10-of-19, 97 passing yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard: 8 carries, 44 rushing yards
Oklahoma State WR Tylan Wallace: 4 catches, 68 receiving yards
Oklahoma Overwhelms Cowboys on Both Sides of the Ball
This year's edition of the Bedlam Series looked as if it would be a competitive affair on paper between two top-20 teams searching for the Big 12 crown, but Oklahoma dominated from the jump during a contest that felt one-sided for all 60 minutes.
Oklahoma's first two drives went a combined 149 yards on just 12 plays, giving the team a 14-0 lead with 8:26 remaining in the first quarter.
The defense then came through, with David Ugwoegbu picking off a Spencer Sanders pass to set OU up at the OSU 20-yard line. The Sooners needed just four plays to go up 20-0, with Rattler finding Wease for the touchdown.
To OSU's credit, the Cowboys responded with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive despite losing Sanders midway due to injury. Backup Shane Illingworth jumped in and found Logan Carter for a touchdown.
That would be Oklahoma State's only time finding paydirt, however, as the Sooners defense took care of business from there. The Cowboys never crossed the OU 20-yard line until its last drive, which ended with a turnover on downs before OU ran out the clock up 41-13.
Before that moment, Oklahoma even successfully pulled off a trick play for a touchdown, which Jeremiah Hall scored with relative ease:
By the time the game ended, Rattler had joined some fantastic company among OU football quarterback greats:
Spencer Rattler is the 4th Oklahoma player over the last 20 years with 4 pass TD and 1 rush TD in a game, joining Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield and Sam Bradford. pic.twitter.com/HQh1nicOIC
OU started this conference season on an ugly note with a pair of Big 12 losses, but the Sooners have responded with five wins by an average of 28.4 points. They look like the most dangerous team in the conference and control its their own destiny en route to a Big 12 Championship berth.
Oklahoma State's Season Sinks Into Further Despair
The Cowboys started this season 4-0 and looked well on their way to a Big 12 Championship Game berth after knocking off No. 17 Iowa State 24-21 on Oct. 24.
However, very little has gone right ever since.
Oklahoma State blew a 31-20 lead at home to Texas before falling 41-34 in overtime despite Spencer Sanders throwing for 400 yards. The Cowboys then hung on for dear life against Kansas State, 20-18 in a game they trailed 12-0.
Despite the pair of shaky performances, Oklahoma State went into Saturday's rivalry matchup in control of its own destiny to finish first in the Big 12 before season's end.
That grasp is long gone, now, as the team slipped further in the standings to the point where it now looks up at three teams.
On offense, the passing attack threw for just 4.2 yards per attempt. Shane Illingworth, who stepped in for an injured Sanders for part of the game, went just 5-of-21 in relief. The rushing attack combined for just 78 yards on 28 carries.
The defense proved to be no match for the Sooners' rushing attack, which gashed Oklahoma State for 191 yards. No Sooner receiver caught more than three passes, but it didn't matter as Rattler did pretty much whatever he wanted en route to passing for 12.5 yards per attempt.
The result was another bad loss to OU during head coach Mike Gundy's era, and Bryan Fischer of Athlon Sports pointed out the details:
Mike Gundy has been involved in Bedlam for 30 years.
The Cowboys aren't out of the Big 12 Championship race, although they need some help. The good news is that they have three regular-season games remaining, all against teams below them in the conference ledger.
However, Oklahoma State must figure out its issues quickly, as another loss would assuredly end any chances at a conference title.
What's Next?
Both teams play next on Nov. 28.
Oklahoma State will host Texas Tech, and Oklahoma will visit West Virginia.
College Football Rankings 2020: Overview of Week 12 Standings for NCAA's Top 25
Nov 21, 2020
Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler (7) throws under pressure from Kansas defensive lineman Kenean Caldwell (97) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
This week's Top 25 college football polls featured little movement after a weekend with few upsets and more than half of the teams either idle or out because of COVID-19-related issues.
Four games featuring ranked teams this weekend—Clemson-FSU, Marshall-Charlotte, Louisiana-Central Arkansas, and Texas A&M Ole Miss—have been postponed as well, but at least for now, the rest of the teams will be in action.
The two biggest are in the Big Ten, with No. 3 Ohio State facing off against No. 9 Indiana and No. 10 Wisconsin taking on No. 19 Northwestern. But don't sleep on the other ranked matchup: No. 14 Oklahoma State vs. No. 18 Oklahoma; there won't be any shortage of offensive fireworks in that one. Associated Press Poll
1. Alabama (6-0)
2. Notre Dame (8-0)
3. Ohio State (3-0)
4. Clemson (7-1)
5. Texas A&M (5-1)
6. Florida (5-1)
7. Cincinnati (7-0)
8. BYU (8-0)
9. Indiana (4-0)
10. Wisconsin (2-0)
11. Oregon (2-0)
12. Miami (7-1)
13. Georgia (4-2)
14. Oklahoma State (5-1)
T15. Marshall (7-0)
T15. Coastal Carolina (7-0)
17. Iowa State (5-2)
18. Oklahoma (5-2)
19. Northwestern (4-0)
20. USC (2-0)
21. Liberty (8-0)
22. Texas (5-2)
23. Auburn (4-2)
24. Louisiana (7-1)
25. Tulsa (4-1)
USA Today Coaches Poll
1. Alabama
2. Notre Dame
3. Ohio State
4. Clemson
5. Florida
6. Texas A&M
7. Cincinnati
8. BYU
9. Miami
10. Indiana
11. Georgia
12. Wisconsin
13. Oregon
14. Oklahoma State
15. Marshall
16. Iowa State
17. Oklahoma
18. Coastal Carolina
19. USC
20. Northwestern
21. Auburn
22. Liberty
23. Texas
24. North Carolina (6-2)
25. Louisiana
Although it would already be hard enough to surpass Tulsa's come-from-behind double-overtime win against Tulane, it's not likely we'll see many shocking upsets this weekend. Alabama and Florida are massive favorites over porous teams, and even Ohio State is a 20.5-point favorite against Indiana, per DraftKings.
The Hoosiers have been able to string together an impressive series of wins, but the Buckeyes are a different beast altogether. Heisman candidate Justin Fields has thrown as many touchdowns (11) as he has incompletions, and OSU is averaging a whopping 208 yards per game on the ground.
Elsewhere in the Big Ten, Wisconsin faces its toughest test yet with Northwestern on the docket. The Wildcats offense isn't exactly lighting the world on fire, but their defense has only allowed 56 points over the course of four games.
Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz was dominant in Wisconsin's season-opening win over Illinois, but UW's running game stole the show in a crushing 49-11 win over Michigan. Wisconsin's defense has allowed just 18 points in two games, so it could be tough sledding for both of these offenses.
The last of the three ranked rumbles features bitter in-state rivals Oklahoma and Oklahoma State playing for an inside track to the Big 12 Championship Game.
After losing two straight earlier in the season, OU has racked up four consecutive wins. But a loss to the Cowboys would end any hopes of a New Year's Six appearance because the Sooners already trail No. 17 Iowa State by a game and lost the tiebreaker when the teams met earlier this season.
Oklahoma State, which earlier this season had hopes of a College Football Playoff appearance, has struggled to find consistent quarterback play and has preseason All-American running back Chuba Hubbard carrying an injury.
The "Bedlam" game is always full of surprises, and it'd be silly not to expect some this year.
Follow Keegan on Twitter @ByKeeganPope.
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Lincoln Riley Criticizes NCAA's Stance on Marijuana After Oklahoma Suspensions
Oct 30, 2020
Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley washes from the sideline as his team played Texas during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Dallas, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Oklahoma football head coach Lincoln Riley criticized NCAA rules regarding marijuana usage Thursday, per Ryan Aber of TheOklahoman.
"For a lot of people—not saying everybody—but for a lot of people this isn’t performance-enhancing. This isn’t a party deal," Riley said.
"For a lot of people, it’s a major mental-health issue. Major. And as I finally woke up and paid attention, with that realization in me finally being able to learn that and understand that—which took me too long, honestly—it shifted everything about how we handle that issue in our program."
Per Aber, wide receiver Trejan Bridges, defensive end Ronnie Perkins and running back Rhamondre Stevenson tested positive for marijuana before the team's Dec. 29, 2019, loss to LSU in the 2019 Peach Bowl.
They were each suspended for a half-season, which carried over into this year.
Perkins won a special appeal and was able to play as soon as the team's Oct. 3 game against Iowa State, per Jason Kersey of The Athletic.
However, he has still not made his 2020 debut, per Sooner Scoop. Aber wrote about Perkins' status on Oct. 18:
"Perkins’ situation is more unclear than the other two. Perkins was granted an appeal earlier this month but steps needed to be completed before he could regain eligibility and were not. The defensive end traveled with the Sooners to face Iowa State on Oct. 3 but did not play in the immediate wake of the ruling and then did not travel for the game against Texas."
All three players can hypothetically return Saturday against Texas Tech after sitting out the team's first five contests in 2020.
"It’s been really, really hard on those three kids," Riley added. "I gotta watch what I say. But I mean, it’s been agonizing for those three kids. It’s not right."
"I grew up, and even as a young coach, looking at it like this is just a lazy, dumb thing people do, and if they do they should get punished. That’s kind of how I was raised. That’s how I was raised as a coach."
Aber wrote Sept. 22 that there was hope the suspensions could be reduced.
Riley also lamented the fact that changing attitudes on marijuana have not affected the NCAA yet, to the point where the student-athletes had to serve their full punishments.
"We’ve had just a remarkable turnaround in a short time in our program on that whole issue," Riley said.
"And then the NCAA needs to wake up and figure that out too. Unfortunately, they haven’t yet for these kids. Now, it’ll get changed soon, but not soon enough for these three guys."
Riley has criticized the NCAA's stance on marijuana before in relation to the three Sooner suspensions.
"It has been a challenging year for the NCAA. There's a lot on their plate right now," Riley said per Aber on Sept. 22.
"But this is a big issue. It is. And it's a much bigger issue than these three players, and I think maybe that's part of why the process has been a little bit slower than all of us would like, but you're talking about an archaic rule within the NCAA. You're talking about a world that has really changed on the subject."
The NCAAdefines marijuana as a banned substance and outlined the punishment as follows: "A student-athlete who tests positive for marijuana in an NCAA administered drug test will be declared ineligible for competition and withheld from the next 50 percent of contests in all sports in which the compete."
A second positive test leads to a student-athlete losing a full year of eligibility.
Riley's Sooners, who are 3-2, currently rank No. 24 in the Associated Press poll. Their game at Texas Tech will begin Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
Spencer Rattler Leads Oklahoma Past Sam Ehlinger, No. 22 Texas in 4OT Thriller
Oct 10, 2020
FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, file photo, Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler throws a pass during the first half an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, in Ames, Iowa. No. 22 Texas vs. Oklahoma, at Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas. There is no State Fair of Texas this year because of the pandemic and both teams are coming off a loss, but this is still the Red River rivalry. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
This year's installment of the Red River Rivalry was another wild affair that ended with Oklahoma holding on for a 53-45 four-overtime win against Texas.
The Sooners sealed the victory when Tre Brown picked offSam Ehlinger's final pass in the end zone.
After both teams traded touchdowns in the first two overtimes, Oklahoma blocked Cameron Dicker's 33-yard field-goal attempt that would have put Texas up 48-45.
The Sooners countered with their own special teams blunder when Gabe Brkic hooked a 31-yard field goal that would have won the game. They didn't stay down for long, as Spencer Rattler hit Drake Stoops for a 25-yard touchdown on the second play of the fourth overtime.
For the second time in three weeks, Texas has erased a two-touchdown deficit in the final five minutes of regulation. It trailed 56-41 against Texas Tech before getting two late scores to force overtime. Joshua Moore caught the game-winning touchdown in the first overtime for a 63-56 win.
Entering today, FBS teams were 1-49 this season when trailing by 14+ in the final 4 minutes of regulation.
The one team to win in that situation this season? It was Texas against Texas Tech.
The Longhorns were down 31-17 when Oklahoma punted with 4:47 remaining in the fourth quarter. Ehlinger engineered a 50-yard touchdown drive that took four plays and 70 seconds off the clock to make it 31-24.
After Texas' defense forced a three-and-out, Ehlinger orchestrated an 84-yard drive that was capped by Keaontay Ingram's two-yard touchdown catch. Dicker's point-after kick tied the score at 31 with 12 seconds left in regulation.
Oklahoma took control early with a 10-0 first-quarter lead. The Longhorns lost one fumble and had two punts on their first three drives.
The contest featured five ties and six lead changes. Despite the 98 combined points, neither quarterback lit up the stat sheet passingwise. Rattler went 23-of-35 for 209 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, adding 51 yards rushing and a TD. He briefly left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury but returned after missing three series.
Tanner Mordecai was effective in relief of Rattler, completing five of his seven attempts for 52 yards. Ehlinger averaged a career-low 5.4 yards per attempt and had 287 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, though he ran for four scores and 112 yards on 23 carries.
After winning their first two games, the Longhorns have dropped their last two and are 1-2 in Big 12 play. Oklahoma is back to .500 after losing back-to-back games against Kansas State and Iowa State.
Both teams will be off next week before returning to play Oct. 24. Texas will host Baylor while looking to get back on track. Oklahoma will play at TCU.
Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler Briefly Benched vs. Texas for Tanner Mordecai
Oct 10, 2020
FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, file photo, Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler throws a pass during the first half an NCAA college football game against Iowa State, in Ames, Iowa. No. 22 Texas vs. Oklahoma, at Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas. There is no State Fair of Texas this year because of the pandemic and both teams are coming off a loss, but this is still the Red River rivalry. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Oklahoma freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler was briefly replaced by sophomore Tanner Mordecai during the second quarter of Saturday's Red River Showdown against Texas.
Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World reported that Rattler suffered a biceps injury, but Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley later said there was no injury concern, meaning Rattler was temporarily benched, per Bryan Fischer of Athlon Sports.
"They had been looking at his arm," Fox Sports' Jenny Taft said during the broadcast, per Nick Kosko of 247Sports. "That was so brief, and that was a while ago. He's been on the sideline involved. He has his helmet in hand. I think this was a wake-up call from Lincoln Riley."
Rattler left the game after his second turnover while the Sooners were leading 10-3. He was 8-of-13 for 74 yards with one touchdown, an interception and a lost fumble. He returned for Oklahoma's first drive of the third quarter.
Rattler won the starting job entering the season and had big shoes to fill, as Oklahoma's quarterbacks in the previous three seasons were Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts.
Things looked good initially, as Rattler threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions in a season-opening win over Missouri State, but he was in for a rude awakening over the next two weeks.
Oklahoma was upset by Kansas State when Rattler threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns but also three interceptions, two of which played significant roles in the loss.
Last week, the Sooners were upset again, losing 37-30 at Iowa State. Rattler threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns with one pick.
Mordecai has some game experience. He attempted four passes in 2018 and went 16-of-26 for 207 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions last season.
With Oklahoma leading Missouri State 41-0 at halftime, Mordecai relieved Rattler and completed 14 of his 17 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown with one interception.
On Saturday, Mordecai went 5-of-7 for 52 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions during the first half.
At halftime, the 1-2 Sooners and 2-1 Longhorns were tied at 17.
5-Star WR Luther Burden III Commits to Oklahoma over Alabama, Georgia, More
Oct 9, 2020
FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, file photo, Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley speaks with his team before the first half of the Peach Bowl NCAA semifinal college football playoff game against LSU, in Atlanta. Riley already has coached Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray along with Heisman runner-up Jalen Hurts. Now, he is hoping to build a new tradition at Oklahoma - pulling top quarterbacks to Oklahoma from the high school ranks. Caleb Williams, the No. 1 quarterback in the 247Sports Class of 2021 and ESPN’s No. 1 dual-threat quarterback for that class, has committed to OKlahoma.(AP Photo/John Amis, File)
The University of Oklahoma picked up a big commitment for 2022 with top-ranked wideout Luther Burden III choosing the Sooners over Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia.
Burden announced his decision in a tweet Friday evening.
At 6'2", 194 pounds, the native of St. Louis, Missouri, was compared by his high school coach Brennan Spain to former OU star CeeDee Lamb.
“He’s a straight up dog,” Spain told Steve Wiltfong of OU Insider. “He can do everything...He understands how to run routes and understands how to use his body on defenders, wide shoulders, strong hands, he can track the ball well. There are not too many things he can’t do. What I love about him most, he loves to get involved in the run game, crack linebackers and being able to put his hands on safeties. ... There’s not too many receivers with his size and athleticism."
247Sports ranks Burden a five-star prospect, the No. 14 player in the nation and the No. 2 wideout overall in the class of 2022.
Allen Trieu, national recruiting analyst at 247 Sports, compared Burden to Tennessee Titans star A.J. Brown and projects him as a first-round pick:
"Above-average size and build. Very good athlete who is also a standout basketball player. Has been productive in two varsity seasons. Shows the ability to make plays from all over the field. Can take screens and break long gains and can be a downfield receiver who wins contested passes. Long strider, very smooth and has excellent body control. Has not been verified as far as speed. Can still get more explosive in and out of his breaks. Still on the raw side as far as craft, but has great upside with his natural athleticism and competitiveness. Should be an early impact college player and have a chance to be an early NFL pick."
Burden finished his sophomore season with 48 catches, 1,191 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He becomes the third player in Oklahoma's 2022classfollowing linebacker Kobie McKinzie and wideout Jordan Hudson.
