Hurts throws No. 6 Oklahoma past Texas Tech with ease, 55-16
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Texas Tech Oklahoma Football
Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) throws in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Texas Tech in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
CLIFF BRUNT
Updated
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma receivers CeeDee Lamb and Charleston Rambo had envisioned how Saturday's game against Texas Tech would go for them.
With help from Jalen Hurts, those thoughts became reality. Hurts passed for 415 yards and three touchdowns, Lamb had career highs of 185 yards receiving and three touchdowns, and No. 6 Oklahoma rolled past the Red Raiders 55-16.
Rambo entered the day with the team lead in receptions, yards and touchdowns, but Lamb got the best of their friendly competition on Saturday.
"That's my roommate, so Thursday we were talking about stuff we were going to do on Saturday and he did it," Rambo said. "That's my dog, so I'm happy for him."
Rambo had 122 yards receiving on just two catches in the first quarter, and Lamb took it from there.
"It's exciting when you see one of your closest friends doing the things that he wanted to do and it was all planned," Lamb said. "He's doing a good job, and I just hope he keeps getting better."
Hurts also ran for 70 yards and another score for the Sooners (4-0, 1-0 Big 12). His 485 yards of total offense ranks eighth in Oklahoma history. It was the first 400-yard passing game for the senior transfer from Alabama.
"He's seeing the field really well," Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said. "He's understanding how we want to attack people. He was a little more confident today, a little bit more steady."
Trey Sermon ran for 76 yards and two scores for Oklahoma. The Sooners, who entered the game leading the nation in total offense, gained 642 yards. They have totaled at least 600 yards in each game this season.
"Those guys are elite," first-year Texas Tech coach Matt Wells said. "They're elite. They're really good."
Jett Duffey passed for 120 yards and SaRodorick Thompson ran for 96 yards for Texas Tech (2-2, 0-1). Duffey got most of the action at quarterback in place of Alan Bowman, who sat out with a shoulder injury.
Hurts passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns and ran eight times for 60 yards and two more scores in the first half to help Oklahoma take a 34-10 lead.
Wells tried to reassure his team after the game.
"The message is that it's a process," he said. "So many times, we get short-sighted by results. I understand I get paid to deliver results, but there's not a quick fix."
THE TAKEAWAY
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders were outmanned, and Oklahoma's dominance was so thorough that Bowman likely would have made little difference.
Oklahoma: The Sooners were their usual selves on offense, and Hurts continued to improve on his touch passes and deep throws. The defense took another step forward by holding the Red Raiders to 314 yards, including 122 yards passing. Oklahoma has held its past three opponents under 20 points.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Lamb moved up from ninth to seventh in Oklahoma history in yards receiving. He passed Malcolm Kelly and Dede Westbrook and now has 2,379 yards. Marquise Brown is next on the list with 2,413 yards.
Lamb also passed Kelly, Westbrook and Mark Andrews to move into a tie with Kenny Stills for fifth place in school history in receiving touchdowns with 24.
FIRST INTERCEPTION
Hurts threw his first interception of the season on a tipped ball in the third quarter. Nick Basquine couldn't quite get to it, and Douglas Coleman III picked it off.
"We could have sat there and dwelled on it, pouted, whatever, but that's not the culture we have as a team," Hurts said. "We learn from it and move forward and keep the main thing the main thing."
ROUGH OUTING
Jackson Tyner got the start for Tech, but he didn't last long. He went 1 for 5 for 2 yards before Duffey took over with 5:12 left in the first quarter.
PAYBACK
Riley said running back Kennedy Brooks was "good" after a low hit by Texas Tech's Eli Howard following Hurts' interception.
The hit drew a 15-yard penalty for an illegal block. An inspired Oklahoma defense got two 15-yard penalties before settling down and holding Tech to a field goal.
"We were emotional about it at that point," he said. "All the guys saw the play. Love how feisty and fiery we played, but it's got to be under control, too. Love how we responded. It was not poor us. Let's rise up and go do it, and we did it."
NEW KICKER
Oklahoma kicker Gabe Brkic had a perfect game in place of Calum Sutherland.
Sutherland was arrested last week in Oklahoma on a public intoxication charge. Riley said during the week that he was disappointed, but wouldn't say if Sutherland would play. Brkic made all seven of his extra points and field goals of 34 and 33 yards.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Sooners did what they could to impress voters, but it's hard to say what will happen. Oklahoma has dropped two spots since the preseason despite going without a loss.
