OU Football 2012 | Film Study | West Virginia | Second Half

West Virginia, down two touchdowns, to receive as the second half gets underway.

* Welp, that didn't take very long. Just your basic ho-hum two play, 30 second scoring drive. 74-yard scamper from Mr. Incredible, a.k.a Tavon Austin. Horrible play from Javon Harris who comes up, completely stops his feet (which is game over against Austin), while also running directly into the WVU player already blocking Tony Jefferson.

They show Mike Stoops and Jackie Shipp on the sideline following the play and the look of cluelessness on both their faces is truly priceless. 31-24 OU

* We're obviously in the second half at this point and nearly every single big Austin run has come while Oklahoma had seven defensive backs and zero linebackers on the field. Yet Mike Stoops continues to trot out this formation for some inexplicable reason.

* 3rd Q, 13:37 - 2nd & 9 (shocking!) for OU from their 21. Huge play here from Sterling Shepard, who turns a simple out route into a 52-yard gain. He's ridiculously wide open as the catches the ball, realizes it, and quickly turns the ball up field. He makes a Tavon Austin-esque move on a WVU safety leaving him grabbing at air, runs through a tackle, and sprints down the sideline. Doesn't quite have the speed to take it all the way, but cuts back inside to get a couple extra yards. Not just a huge play because of the yardage, but it completely takes back the momentum which WVU clearly had following that last score.

* Again on Stills' second touchdown catch, not your traditional fade route but Jones puts it up and allows Stills to go get it. Perfectly placed by Landry, outstanding job by Stills to high point it. 38-24 OU

* Woah, Owen Schimtt flashback as Demontre Hurst tries to shoulder tackle a wide bodied white dude.

* If there was an 'almost sacked only to watch the opposing quarterback find a way out of it' statistic, I guarantee Oklahoma would lead the country in it.

* 3rd Q, 5:51 - 3rd & goal WVU from the OU 4. This move by Austin on Javon Harris just isn't fair. He completely undresses him. Barry Sanders would be proud of that one. He (Austin) only has to put on half a move against Hurst, who gives almost no effort, before waltzing into the end zone untouched. 38-30 OU (HUGE missed extra point, btw)

* Hell of a catch by Justin Brown at the 4:46 mark, reaching back across his body in what could have very easily been an interception.

* I don't have any other words to properly describe what Austin is doing to this defense.

* Great push up the middle by Stacy McGee and Jordan Phillips on the fourth down stop late in the third. Also nice play from Harris off the edge to shoot in and make the ankle tackle. How you don't give Austin the ball there I'll never know, but thanks anyway Holgs!

* How huge has Jalen Saunders been for this offense since being ruled eligible?

Sooners close out the third quarter driving and with a 38-30 lead.

* Before he leaves, my affinity for Sterling Shepard could reach an uncomfortable level.

* 4th Q, 13:33 - 1st & 10 OU from the WVU 48. Just a horrible decision here from a fifth year senior. Tyrus Thompson gets beaten badly to the inside allowing a WVU defender to flush Jones to his left. He manages to avoid the initial rush, but has another defender baring down on him from the backside. Rather than throwing the ball away and living to fight another day, he heaves an arm punt down the field. Stills, the presumed intended receiver, is nowhere close to open and it's your prototypical jump ball which the WVU defender wins. Absolutely inexcusable interception.

* Piss poor tackling.

* West Virginia goes on one of the easiest 95 yard drives you'll ever see to make it a 38-36 game. Just barely fails to get the two point conversion, keeping it 38-36 OU.

* Makes perfect sense that Trey Millard had zero carries and just three touches in this game. Oh wait, that makes no freaking sense? Ahhhh, got it.

* Where on earth did this botched snap issue with Gabe Ikard come from and can we please get it fixes ASAF'ingP.

* Aaron Colvin didn't get beat so much on the Stedman Bailey touchdown to give WVU the lead as much as it was a perfectly placed ball from Geno Smith. Admittedly, Colvin failed to get his head around but even if he had I'm not sure he could have even made a play. Sometimes the other team just makes a great play. 43-38 WVU

* FWIW, that sideline penalty was definitely on Joe Washington.

* 4th Q, 6:42 - 1st & 10 OU from their 37. This game was just about over as Jones attempts to force one into triple coverage here. Very lucky the defender dropped it, very lucky. An absolutely terrible decision with the ball from Jones, even for him.

* To his credit though, on the very next play he hangs in the pocket, double clutches, steps up and drills one to Saunders for a big first down.

* Kenny Stills could not have possibly been more wide open on his third touchdown catch of the night. I mean how on earth do you allow that to happen? Wow. 44-43 OU following a really poor play call for the failed two point conversion.

* After a penalty on the kick return, WVU takes over at their own eight yard line. And in the blink of an eye, Austin has them in OU territory. Ridiculous.

* This Bailey touchdown is just flat-out inexcusable. Double coverage with Jefferson over the top and they still allow Bailey to get behind them. It's one thing for the other guy to make a great play, it's another entirely to play piss poor defense. That last play was the latter. 49-44 WVU after another failed two point conversion.

* Didn't know it at the time, but a game changing kick return from Brennan Clay here. Made the somewhat questionable decision to even field it as the ball might have gone out of bounds, but proves to be the right one as the takes it all the way to the OU 46.

An easy throw from Jones to Justin Brown, but he puts it on the money and hits him in stride allowing him to turn it up field for a big gain.

They bring Blake Bell in for a third and two which fails miserably. How was this really any different from the spot in which they threw it with Bell against Notre Dame? Instead they go with the ever predictable run up the middle that gets stuffed for a loss.

* 4th Q, 0:27 - 4th & 3 OU from the WVU 5. What a huge play. Anyone who thinks Josh Heupel's comments after the game that this play was an audible by Landry were not true, I'd suggest you go back and watch it again. You can clearly see Landry step out towards Stills, who is on his left, and shout something in his direction. I know this because Stills is looking right at him and as he hears it, gives Landry a little nod before Jones resets preparing to take the snap.

You know the rest. Stills beats his man, for his fourth touchdown on the night, to the inside on the quick slant. 50-49 OU.

Game, blouses.