Do not. 6 Oklahoma lost one of the worst losses in the history of its program to Nebraska on Saturday, 49-14 at Nebraska’s Lincoln Memorial Stadium . The 49 marks marked the Sooners’ highest score against the Cornhuskers in 88 encounters between the two events.
Nebraska joined the board early with an impressive script drive, but from there, the effort turned into awkwardness. The Sooners led 49-7 and won with 9 minutes left in the third quarter, and the Cornhuskers didn’t score a point until 3 minutes left in garbage time.
And soon, quarterback Dillon Gabriel is stellar in his first start against a top-five opponent in 2022. Gabriel ran on a career 61-yard touchdown to advance the offense and added 230 yards and two touchdowns in the air. However, the rushing game took over with more than 300 yards, 113 of which came from running back Eric Gray, who scored two of his 11 carries.
Nebraska quarterback Kathy Thompson threw for 129 yards and touchdowns, while Trey Palmer added 10 catches for 92 yards and a score. However, a porous offensive line gave the Sooners four sacks off Thompson and only produced 2.8 yards per possession, starting running back Anthony Grant.
An important statement for Oklahoma
Oklahoma had a solid first two games against UTEP and Kent State, but the first half against Nebraska was perfect. The Sooners are 355 yards per game with 8.1 yards per game, while the Cornhuskers are 3.4 yards per game. The line of defense put Nebraska underwater, making Thompson’s life a hell on earth.
When the Venables take over the program, the Sooners could recapture some of the physicality of their old team. The win over Nebraska may not be as meaningful as it used to be, but it’s a marked shift in their level of dominance and execution from last season’s 23-16 matchup between the two teams.
In a season that has looked flawed for many top state contenders, Oklahoma State has its own opener. After beating Big Ten opponents on the road, the Sooners should go straight into the national conversation.
Totally embarrassing for Nebraska
Any hope that the end of the Scott Frost era would quickly lead to a leap in capability was quickly defeated by a sworn foe. The opening script drove the ball away, but after a few quarterback hits, the body language quickly dropped.
The Nebraska defense looked shaken after allowing Gabriel a long touchdown early in the game and struggled to regain any magic. Receivers have no confidence in their quarterback performance. After one punch, Nebraska wobbled.
Oklahoma never scored more than 48 points against the Cornhuskers, but the Sooners hit it early in the third quarter. The 35-point win margin is the widest since 1990, with 16 straight. Lincoln was tragic on every level.
Welcome to the party, Jalen Kanak
Leading Oklahoma tackle Dashaun White was ejected after a goal penalty in the second quarter. Venables inserted freshman Jaren Kanak, the only recruit to follow him from Clemson to Norman. Expectations were high for the former four-star player, but his performance was unexpected.
Canak, who led the team with 10 steals in less than halftime, caused major problems for Nebraska’s defense. He was only credited for one quarterback rush, but Canak was around the ball a few times.
Oklahoma State has been looking for a star to fill its linebacker “Cheetah” position. White is a serious player, but Canak is the future of the position.