No. 3 Oklahoma holds off Kansas 35-23 behind Williams’ runs

3 years ago 339

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Facing a acold tougher trial than expected against Kansas, Caleb Williams bailed retired No. 3 Oklahoma with speedy feet and speedy thinking.

The freshman converted 2 important 4th downs successful the 4th quarter, 1 with a 40-yard touchdown run, and Oklahoma rallied to debar an tremendous upset and bushed Kansas 35-23 Saturday,

The Sooners (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) trailed by treble figures connected 2 occasions — including 10-0 astatine the fractional —- but outscored the Jayhawks 35-13 successful the 2nd fractional to triumph their 16th consecutive game.

“I’m excited for the win, but we played mediocre shot successful the archetypal half,” Oklahoma manager Lincoln Riley said. “We couldn’t get Kansas disconnected the tract and missed respective opportunities. I springiness our squad recognition for rising up. Kansas deserves a batch of credit, and they did a fewer things that gave america trouble.”

Jason Bean passed for 246 yards and a people for Kansas (1-6, 0-4), which led 17-7 precocious successful the 3rd quarter.

A 66-yard tally by Trevon West sparked the Oklahoma offense, and 2 plays aboriginal Williams tossed a abbreviated TD walk to chopped the pb to 17-14 successful the 3rd quarter.

Kansas was capable to enactment successful the crippled due to the fact that of the legs of Devin Neal, who ran for 100 and a brace of touchdowns. Kansas didn’t punt until the 4th quarter.

“I’m arrogant of our guys and the mode the archetypal fractional particularly went,” Kansas manager Lance Leipold said. “We were capable to premix immoderate things unneurotic and support their explosive discourtesy disconnected the field.”

In his 2nd start, Williams threw for 178 yards and 2 scores and ran for 70 yards.

Williams utilized a crisp chopped to debar 2 tacklers connected a fourth-and-3 and past raced the region for a 40-yard people to marque it 28-17 midway done the 4th quarter.

After KU chopped it to 28-23, Oklahoma faced a fourth-and-1 adjacent midfield. Kennedy Brooks looked arsenic if helium would beryllium stopped abbreviated of the enactment to gain, but Williams took the shot from the back.

“I saw Caleb truthful I gave it to him,” Brooks said. “I knew it would beryllium adjacent if I was down the enactment of scrimmage and I was blessed Caleb ran for a archetypal down.”

Williams scampered 5 yards to support live what turned retired to beryllium the sealing touchdown thrust precocious successful the 4th quarter.

“That was conscionable a truly astute play by some of those guys,” Riley said. “We speech astir situations similar that, but I can’t instrumentality recognition due to the fact that that’s each Caleb and Kennedy.”

Brooks ran for 2 scores.

“We tin decorativeness with the champion of them, but we don’t play our champion aboriginal successful the crippled truthful we request to support battling that,” Riley said. “It’s clip for america to commencement closing the gaps and playing much consistently.”

STREAK GOES ON

Oklahoma has scored 30 oregon much points successful 35 consecutive roadworthy games, the longest specified streak since astatine slightest 1980.

THE TAKEAWAY

Oklahoma: The Sooners were astir apt fortunate to beryllium playing Kansas due to the fact that this was their worst show of the season.

Kansas: The astir encouraging crippled of the play for Leipold. The Jayhawks had respective agelong touchdown drives that shortened the crippled and constricted OU’s opportunities. Kansas had the shot for much than 35 minutes.

POWER OUTAGE

On the archetypal thrust of the game, the powerfulness went retired connected the full campus, turning disconnected some scoreboards. The crippled continued and the powerfulness came backmost astir 20 minutes later.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma hosts Texas Tech adjacent week.

Kansas travels to Oklahoma State.

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