Sooners remember rout at home
A year ago, Ohio State was a young underdog with more questions than answers when it traveled to face Oklahoma in Norman.
The Buckeyes’ 45-24 pasting of the Sooners served as a springboard to the College Football Playoff. Now the Sooners will make the return trip, and the stakes are just as big.
“Our approach to this game is it’s the biggest game of the year,” junior receiver Parris Campbell said Monday. “It’s a
big-time opponent, a top-10 matchup. We have to prepare that way.
“These guys are probably going to come in here with a chip on their shoulder from last year’s game.”
No. 2 Ohio State had some anxious moments at Indiana on Thursday, but the Buckeyes wore down the Hoosiers
and finally converted some big plays for a 49-21 victory.
Oklahoma, which will probably be No. 6 when this week’s polls are released, barely broke a sweat in rolling over UTEP 56-7.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said, “as a great football team comes in here. We have a lot of respect, obviously, for their personnel, the way they do their business. This will be a great opportunity for us to showcase in front of a big crowd.”
Meyer sounded grateful that Indiana provided a real test heading into the Oklahoma game.
“I think to beat a team 70-0 right now is not what we need,” Meyer said.
“(I was) disappointed in certain areas, which is not uncommon for the first game when you have some new players out there. But overall, I think we tightened up.”
Oklahoma has lost a number of playmakers from last year’s team, including running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon and wide receiver Dede Westbrook. But the Sooners return their offensive line, which is one of the best in the country.
Mayfield, who can be a master at improvisation, still has dangerous targets, particularly tight end Mark Andrews. Mayfield completed 19 of 20 passes for 329 yards
and three touchdowns in the opener while playing only in the first half.
Ohio State held Mayfield in check last year behind a stifling, opportunistic defense. By the end, celebrating Buckeye fans turned Oklahoma Memorial Stadium into the Horseshoe West.
“Everybody who was here for last year's huge loss definitely remembers that,” Mayfield said on Monday. “And that’s something we talked about during camp. We've never been here for a team to sing their fight song on our field. Quite frankly, it's just embarrassing.”
But 33-year-old Sooners coach Lincoln Riley, who took over when Bob Stoops unexpectedly stepped down in the offseason, downplayed the revenge angle.
“Regardless of who would have won that game last year, I think both teams will be very motivated and excited to play this game,” said Riley, an assistant coach the past two seasons. “I don’t honestly believe that will be a huge factor in this one. We have to go out and try to play a lot better than last year and play more up to our capabilities. That will be our main focus.”
Ohio State isn’t attaching much relevance to last year’s game, either.
“No one is thinking about last year,” Campbell said. “It’s all about right now.”
Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett and Penn State running back Saquon Barkley were named the offensive co-players of the week by the Big Ten. For Barrett, it marked the seventh time in his four seasons that he has earned the award, fourth-most in conference history.