Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops called it opportunistic. Others might have seen it as swarming, referring to the Sooner’s defense that shut down No.23 Missouri and its high-powered running game and cruised to a 26-10 victory at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo on Saturday.
Sooner’s quarterback Paul Thompson threw two touchdown passes, running back Allen Patrick rushed for 162 yards and No. 19 Oklahoma scored all of its points off Missouri's mistakes.
''Opportunistic, I guess,'' Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. ''I don't know that this should be a surprise because we've been playing this way for several weeks now.''
The Sooners (6-2, 3-1 Big 12) won for the first time this season away from Norman and snapped Missouri's eight-game home winning streak. After a 6-0 start, the Tigers (7-2, 3-2) have lost two of three.
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The game was highly anticipated by Tigers fans buoyed by a 7-1 start, the team's best since 1969. But after falling behind 3-0, the Sooners dominated in beating the Tigers for the fourth straight time and 16th in the last 17 meetings.
''They are good enough that you can't make the mistakes that we made today,'' Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. ''Obviously, that's very disappointing. Critical penalties, critical kicking plays, critical turnovers – huge momentum plays.''
Two interceptions, a fumble, a blocked punt and a roughing the kicker penalty set up every score for Oklahoma.
Thompson was 11-for-19 for 127 yards, and also ran for a score. Patrick, in his second game starting for the injured Adrian Peterson, finished with 36 carries. He rushed for 110 yards on 35 carries in a 24-3 win over Colorado last week.
Missouri came in averaging 33.1 points, but struggled against the Sooners' 11th-ranked defense. Chase Daniel was 23-for-44 for 284 yards and three interceptions. He also ran 20 times for 75 yards and a score. Other than Daniel, Missouri gained 1 yard rushing on seven carries.
Stoops said the Oklahoma defense did a good job of containing Daniel, who came into the game with 19 touchdown passes and a 66.8 percent completion rate.
''Guys pursued him, chased him, never let him set his feet,'' Stoops said.
The Sooners easily covered the single point line that had been established by most sportsbooks. The game total of 44.5-points cashed for under backers.
