NORMAN, Ok. – A week after a season-opening loss and a fall from the top five rankings, 14th-ranked Oklahoma came out and scored 21 first quarter points on the way to a 59-17 victory over visiting ULM on Saturday night.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: #14 Oklahoma 59, ULM 17
LOCATION: Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
RECORDS: ULM (1-1)
Oklahoma (1-1)
TURNING POINT
-Oklahoma struck first, traveling 75 yards in the opening two minutes before quickly getting the ball back and going on a two minute, 64-yard drive to jump out to the two touchdown lead. They closed the first quarter with their third 60+ yard drive to take a 21-0 lead after the first 15 minutes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Oklahoma tallied 640 total yards, including 459 in the first half, while the hosts were 6-for-6 inside the red zone and the Warhawks did not notch a trip to the red zone.
-ULM converted just two third downs in 14 attempts. Oklahoma converted only three attempts, but were forced into only eight third down opportunities.
-Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield tallied 244 yards passing in one half of action. ULM quarterback Garrett Smith finished 22-for-35 passing with 251 yards and two passing touchdowns, both coming in the third quarter.
-10 different Warhawk receivers caught balls in the game, led by R.J. Turner's seven reception, 135 yard night. Turner caught Smith's first touchdown pass early in the third quarter, while Alec Osborne (2 catches, 40 yards) pulled down the second touchdown of the night.
-Osborne became the first ULM tight end to score a touchdown this season when he hauled in his pass from Smith. True freshman Kyle Nevels also made the first reception of his career.
-Ben Luckett led the ULM offense with 34 yards rushing on nine attempts. Freshman Duke Carter totaled 20 yards, while wide receiver Marcus Green notched 15 yards rushing off of a reverse play.
-Tre' Hunter led the Warhawk defense with 10 total tackles (six solo), while 25 total players recorded at least one tackle in the game.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
-ULM defensive end Caleb Tucker's third-quarter sack of OU backup quarterback Austin Kendall gave him one sack in each of ULM's first two games this season.
-Oklahoma moved to 17-1 in home openers and 97-8 in Norman under Bob Stoops.
-Sophomore R.J. Turner's 73 yard touchdown was his first collegiate touchdown.
-ULM actually had a longer time of possession (30:43) than Oklahoma (29:17).
-Saturday night's game was the first in the updated Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium after Oklahoma fully enclosed the second endzone during the offseason. The attendance of 87,037 was the largest crowd in OU history and also becomes the largest attended sporting event in the history of the state of Oklahoma.
UP NEXT
The Warhawks now get set to open Sun Belt Conference play next Saturday on the road at Georgia Southern. The Eagles defeated South Alabama 24-9 earlier on Saturday afternoon.
