Sooners Roll in Season Opening Rout of Florida Atlantic

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Oklahoma’s football team was clicking on offense and solid on defense as the Sooners routed Florida Atlantic 63-14  in the season opener at Owen Field in Norman on Saturday.

Oklahoma racked up 650 yards of total offense, with near perfect balance between rushing and passing, running for 316 and passing for 334.

Kyler Murray’s first game as the regular starter went nearly perfectly and OU built a big lead early and were never threatened.

After forcing a punt by Florida Atlantic on the opening possession, the Sooners marched 74 yards in 7 plays, with Kyler Murray throwing twice to Marquise Brown for gains of 11 and 16, then scrambling all over the field for a gain of 15.

On the next play, Rodney Anderson scored from 30 yards out to give OU a 7-0 lead with 7:40 to play in the first quarter.

The Oklahoma defense forced a three and out possession by FAU, then Lee Morris blocked the punt attempt by Sebastian Riella, and Curtis Bolton recovered the ball in the end zone for the touchdown and a 14-0 Sooner lead with 6:34 to play in the first quarter.

FAU once again had to punt after just three snaps, and it took Oklahoma just one play to score.

Kyler Murray passed to Lee Morris, who navigated through the Owls’ secondary and tip-toed down the left sideline the final 10 yards for a 65-yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Sooners with 4:49 to play in the first.

Florida Atlantic moved the ball a little on their next possession, but did not convert a 4th and 11, giving OU the ball at their own 37 yard line.

Oklahoma took five plays to score, with Murray finding Brown deep for 29 yards, then Trey Sermon scoring on a 17-yard run to give the Sooners a 28-0 lead with just four seconds left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, OU’s offense picked up right where they left off in the first, with Anderson racing down the left sideline 65 yards for a touchdown to make it 35-0 with 13:07 to play in the first half.

The next OU possession ended in a missed 53-yard field goal attempt by Austin Seibert.

The Sooners rediscovered the end zone the next time they got the ball, with Murray going deep to Brown, who caught it in stride for a 65-yard touchdown, the third of the first half by Oklahoma, to make it 42-0 with 4:17 to play in the first half.

Austin Kendall replaced Murray at quarterback for the final offensive possession of the first half, but it resulted in a punt after three plays.

On the opening drive of the second half, Oklahoma went 69 yards in six plays, with Marcelias Sutton scoring on a 22 yard run to extend the lead to 49-0 with 12:16 to play in the third quarter.

Oklahoma stopped FAU on downs, then went 57 yards in nine plays, with Kendall throwing to A.D. Miller for a 6-yard touchdown to make it 56-0 Sooners with 4:56 to play in the third quarter.

Florida Atlantic averted the shutout, by going 75 yards in 10 plays, with Devin Singletary scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run to make it 56-7 with 55 seconds left in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, FAU’s second quarterback of the day, Rafe Peavey, overthrew a deep pass that was intercepted by Robert Barnes, and returned 32 yards to the Sooners’ 42-yard line.

On OU’s ensuing possession, Austin Kendall was injured when he slid out of bounds and into an equipment trunk on the Owls’ sideline.

Kendall finished 8-for-10 for 88 yards.

Tanner Schafter replaced him at quarterback, and the drive ended with a 41-yard touchdown run from Kennedy Brooks to extend the OU lead to 63-7 with 11:42 to play.

FAU responded with their second scoring drive, with Kerrith Whyte scoring on a 7-yard touchdown run to make it 63-14 Sooners with 4:13 to play.

Murray was 9-for-11 for 209 yards passing and two touchdowns.

Anderson had 100 yards rushing on just five carries, while Brown had 133 yards receiving on six catches.

It was the first meeting ever between Oklahoma and Florida Atlantic.

 

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