Tech Offense Misfires In Loss As OU Pulls Away 63-27

On a chilly and cloudy day in Norman, Tech tries to become bowl eligible and OU tries to make a statement. In what would end up being a game of missed opportunities, how did the game play out?

1st Quarter:

Tech would open the game with the ball first and proceed to go nowhere with a 3 and out. On Oklahoma's opening drive, Mayfield and company would also be forced to punt as each defense holds serve to open the game. After another Tech punt, OU would get the scoring going with an 8 play 62 yard drive, heavy on the run game, to give the Sooners a 7-0 lead.

Looking for Tech to respond quickly, Mahomes would try to force the issue and throw an interception, made possible by a great play at the line of scrimmage by Eric Stiker who would return it to the Tech 3 and a quick TD for a Sonner 14-0 lead. Tech would finally get things going and work inside the redzone down to the 3, but would quickly stall. In what maybe called a turning point, Kingsbury decides to go for it. Mahomes would roll right and find Pearson for the TD, but it would be called back due to offensive pass interference. Some indecision on Mahomes part, if he throws it when he is supposed to, no PI, because the reception would have been behind the line of scrimmage; If he runs it in, no PI... but instead he hesitates and throws it late thus getting the flag as an outside receiver was engaged iblockingth*/ in the endzone. The penalty would force Tech to kick a field goal and get Tech on the board 14-3. 

End of 1st Qtr: Texas Tech 3.... Oklahoma 14

2nd Quarter:

In what would turn out to be a pivotal quarter, Oklahoma would start out with a 9 play 76 yard TD drive that would span the end of the 1st and beginning of the 2nd quarter pushing the lead out to 21-3. Feeling the game getting out of control, Tech's offense continues to misfire against the OU defense and being forced into another punt down 18. With OU driving, and on their way to another score and a 28-3 lead, the Tech D puts their stand. Mayfield connects with a receiver over the middle for a big gain, before Tevin Madison forces a fumble that's picked up by Jah'Shawn Johnson who runs it back deep into OU territory. The Tech offense with a short field would put it in from the 6 as Mahomes would find Reginald Davis to get Tech back in the game, 21-10.

Trying to put Tech away for good, fearing any minute the Tech offense would click, the playcalling shifts from a running attack to a passing attack, playing right into the Tech defensive strength. A horribly thrown ball by Mayfield is picked off by Justis Nelson and returned close to midfield as the Tech D once again gives the offense a short field and on back to back drives no less.

Tech's offense would capitalize with a DeAndre Washington 13 yard TD run to cut OU's lead to 21-17. Both of Tech's scoring drives were from 29 and 31 yards respectively.

OU would right the ship and get back on track scoring with 3:30 left as Samjae Perine runs it in from the 10 to get the lead back to 11... 28-17. Tech has an excellent chance to go into halftime down 4, but once again a ball batted at the line of scrimmage would be intercepted and give OU a short field.

Digging deep one last time, the defense holds and forces a missed field goal attempt and giving the ball back to the offense with 1:48 left. Tech's offense drives down the field and gets into the redzone. With Reginald Davis one on one to the right side of the field, he throws a bad... bad pass which is intercepted in the endzone for Mahomes' 3rd pick of the half. Davis had the height advantage and position. The ball needed to be soft and back shoulder and instead it was on a line to the inside. Not sure if that was miscommunication or just a bad throw.

Halftime: Texas Tech 17.... Oklahoma 28

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3rd Quarter:

Oklahoma would start the second half with the ball and would begin to impose their will on the Tech D. OU got in trouble all day passing and only had real success rushing. An adjustment that Lincoln Riley makes and basically says we won't throw again. It would only take OU 0:46 to run the ball into the redzone and Mayfield find Mark Andrews over the middle for the TD. OU leads 35-17.

With seemingly no answer, Tech's offense continues to misfire. Slowly working down the field on an 11 play, 63 yard drive and would settle for a field goal. For an offense that leads the nations in plays over 40 yards, this was painfully slow. Tech needed a quick TD and instead gets a slow FG taking 4:58 off the clock. OU leads 35-20.

Oklahoma smells blood and goes for the kill. Perine breaks free on the first play of the drive for 48 yards and into Tech territory. OU would punch it in 5 plays later to take a 42-20 lead. Tech would do their best to keep it from becoming a complete blowout as they put one final score across. A one yard QB sneak gets Mahomes the score cutting Oklahoma's lead to 42-27.

OU would respond and be totally in control with Mayfield finding Durron Neal for 15 yards, on a 3rd and 10, for the TD.

End of 3rd Qtr: Texas Tech 27.... Oklahoma 49

4th Quarter:

The final period would see OU control the clock and the ball. Tech would have the ball 3 times turning the ball over on DOWNS and another pass batted at the line of scrimmage for an INT. Mahomes' 4th of the game. The final possession had Davis Webb at QB during garbage time passing nothing but bubble screens. OU would pour on the running game and pull away. Enough said.

FINAL: Texas Tech 27.... Oklahoma 63

Game Notes:

Mahomes throws 4 INTs and just 233 yards passing

OU rushes for 405 yards

OU was 10-13 on 3rd Downs

OU outgained Tech 617 to 425

Tech called 40 run plays out of 85 plays total for 172 yards

Tech had 7 penalties for 57 yards

OU won TOP 31:40 to 28: 20

Le'Raven Clark was pulled late in the 4th to protect is leg

Prediction vs. Reality

My Prediction: Texas Tech 31 - Oklahoma 48 (7-1, 4-1)

Reality: Not sure anyone really saw us coming out of Norman with a win. The only disappointing part is the way the 2nd half played out. Very much felt like the TCU game last year. The D didn't quit as much as the offense did. Good news is Baker Mayfield was really a non-factor. It didn't help that Mahomes had the worst game of his career though. Nothing to be upset about though... 4-2 in the first half, 1-1 in the second half with a lot of football left to play. 9 wins is still in play and 8 is definitely in play.

You can find my full season predictions here.

Post Game Conference

Kliff Kingsbury

Players:

Next Week: vs. Oklahoma St at Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, 2:30pm kickoff.

As always, tell us what you thought of the game. The good and the bad and what needs to happen going into next week. You can send questions for the mailbag to me on twitter @avcoachsmith or in the comments below, titled Mailbag. You can also submit questions for the podcast and we will answer them on Sunday.