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By CLIFF BRUNT, AP Sports activities Author
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — One other day, one other ugly win for Oklahoma.
Gabe Brkic’s 30-yard area purpose as time expired gave the fourth-ranked Sooners a 16-13 win over West Virginia on Saturday evening.
Oklahoma began its closing possession at its 8-yard line with 3:39 remaining. Quarterback Spencer Rattler, who was booed by the house followers on a number of events, accomplished all six of his passes for 54 yards on the ultimate drive to get the Sooners into scoring vary. The ultimate possession was 14 performs and 80 yards.
Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley was upset that the gang turned on Rattler and gave him credit score for his late-game effort.
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“I’ll let you know what, it takes a whole lot of balls to do what we did there on the finish,” he mentioned. “So folks higher see that too.”
Rattler handed for 256 yards and a landing. Mike Woods caught eight passes for 86 yards for the Sooners (4-0, 1-0 Massive 12), who gained their third sport by seven or fewer factors this season.
“We’re blissful to be at 4-0,” Rattler mentioned. “We’re not blissful, we’re not happy with the best way we’re profitable. However a win is a win.”
West Virginia (2-2, 0-1), coming off a 27-21 win over then-No. 15 Virginia Tech, was held to 226 whole yards.
“That was a troublesome, bodily soccer sport, and I believed we went toe-to-toe with Oklahoma right here of their again yard,” West Virginia coach Neal Brown mentioned. “Should you have a look at it, we had possibilities. I feel completely, we had some possibilities. The sport performed out in a great way for us, and we simply ran out of time.”
West Virginia opened the sport with a 17-play, 75-yard drive that took greater than 9 minutes and ended with a 2-yard Garrett Greene landing run.
Oklahoma evened the rating on Rattler’s 5-yard landing cross to Austin Stogner.
After Rattler threw an interception to West Virginia cornerback Jackie Matthews late within the first half, a loud chant of “We wish Caleb!” — referring to backup quarterback Caleb Williams — rang out.
Rattler mentioned he did not perceive why the gang responded negatively.
“We sort of simply lock in on what we’ve bought to lock it on,” Rattler mentioned. “I don’t actually like — I don’t care. We don’t care. It doesn’t matter. We’re out right here to win a sport they usually’re within the stands.”
Casey Legg’s 25-yard area purpose as time expired within the first half gave the Mountaineers a 10-7 lead on the break. Oklahoma had simply 91 yards of whole offense within the first half.
The Sooners moved down the sector to open the second half, and a 28-yard area purpose by Brkic tied the rating. Legg responded with a 21-yarder to place West Virginia again forward by three.
Brkic’s 35-yard area purpose with 8:59 remaining tied the rating at 13.
West Virginia, aided by a roughing the passer penalty in opposition to Oklahoma, moved into scoring vary on its subsequent drive. However the Mountaineers misplaced 21 yards on a foul snap and ultimately have been compelled to punt, establishing Oklahoma’s closing drive.
The way in which Oklahoma closed the sport provided an instance of why Riley hasn’t given up on his offense.
“I nonetheless have zero doubt about what we’re able to offensively, however clearly, that’s an space — all areas of the crew have gotten to get higher, however an space there that we’ve bought to take some huge steps, and I do know we are able to,” he mentioned.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers practically pulled off one other win over a ranked crew, however they have been held to 62 yards within the second half.
Oklahoma: The Sooners waited till their closing possession to get into an offensive groove, however they did sufficient to get the win, which on this season of upsets, counts for one thing.
Oklahoma most likely will not drop as a result of Iowa and Penn State, who’re slightly below the Sooners, weren’t dominant of their wins. West Virginia missed out on an opportunity to leap into the High 25.
Brkic made all three of his area objectives for the Sooners. He entered the sport having made 4 area objectives of fifty yards or extra — probably the most ever for an Oklahoma participant in a complete season. He now has made 8 of 10 area objectives this season. Now, he’s bought the dramatic second to go together with it. Oklahoma sports activities data believes it’s the first walk-off game-winning area purpose in class historical past.
“You understand, he at all times comes by for us,” Rattler mentioned. “We belief him quite a bit. And, you realize, we set him as much as kick the winner and that’s what he did. You understand, we’re all assured in him, and he’s an incredible kicker.”
Woods, a switch from Arkansas, had 9 catches for 68 yards in his first three video games for the Sooners earlier than his breakout efficiency Saturday. He had 83 catches for 1,248 yards and 10 landing in three seasons with the Razorbacks.
West Virginia: Host Texas Tech subsequent Saturday.
Oklahoma: Visits Kansas State subsequent Saturday. The Wildcats beat the Sooners final season in Norman and defeated Oklahoma in Manhattan, Kansas two years in the past.
Comply with Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP.
Extra AP school soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Join the AP’s school soccer publication: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25.
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