Nov 14, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) runs with the ball against the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. Oklahoma won 44-34. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
A year ago, Oklahoma appeared to be rolling toward a relatively easy Bedlam win over Oklahoma State.
The Sooners were moving the ball on offense thanks largely to freshman phenom running back Samaje Perine.
But then, as Oklahoma seemed to be driving for a three-possession lead, Perine suffered an ankle injury and lost a fumble on the same play. The tide started to turn.
Perine never returned and the Cowboys came back to win in overtime.
Going into this year’s Bedlam game in Stillwater, Okla., Perine has been a big part of Oklahoma’s resurgence since an Oct. 10 loss to Texas.
In the six-game winning streak since that loss, Perine has 76 or more yards of total offense in every game and has at least 90 rushing yards in the last five. He’s topped 150 or more rushing yards three times.
“He’s playing every bit as well or better than he did a year ago,” Sooners coach Bob Stoops said.
As a freshman, Perine ran for 1,713 yards and 21 touchdowns in a run-oriented offense.
This season in offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley’s more wide-open offense, Perine’s yardage is down a bit but his yards per carry aren’t that far off.
Perine has 1,160 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging six yards per carry.
He suffered an ankle injury in the second half of the win over TCU but returned with a 72-yard touchdown run and figures to be close to 100 percent against Oklahoma State.
Last week against Baylor, the Cowboys gave up 304 yards on the ground.
With quarterback Baker Mayfield fighting the after-effects of a concussion but expected to play, the Sooners might be relying even more on Perine and the ground game.
Oklahoma State’s defensive line, most notably defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, has had success, but the back end of its defense has struggled at time.
“They build around the front,” Riley said. “Like the last several teams we’ve played, their front is definitely their strength, there’s no question about that.
“They do such a good job of mixing it up.”
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Baker Mayfield suffered a concussion in the first half against TCU but is expected to be available Saturday against Oklahoma State.
–DT Charles Walker has six sacks this season, the most by an OU interior defensive linemen and third on the team overall.
–WR Mark Andrews has 17 receptions this season with five going for touchdowns.
–CB Zack Sanchez became the first Sooner to record two games with multiple interceptions in a season since Brodney Poole in 2003.
–K/P Austin Seibert is 16 of 20 on field-goal tries this season and is averaging 42.2 yards per punt.
