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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- Through the air, on the ground and with
special teams, No. 20 Oklahoma beat Arkansas State every which way
Saturday night.
|  | | Oklahoma running back Renaldo Works avoids the grasp of Arkansas State's J.C. Miller. Works had 12 carries for 109 yards and a 75-yard score. |
Josh Heupel threw three touchdown passes, J.T. Thatcher returned
a punt 66 yards for a score on his way to a school record for
returns, and freshman Renaldo Works ran for 109 yards in a 45-7
victory.
The defense also contributed, holding Jonathan Adams to 43 yards
on 12 carries one week after he gained 137 in a double-overtime
loss to North Carolina State.
"We've got a lot to improve on," said Oklahoma coach Bob
Stoops, whose team has next week off. "We can sit now and analyze
these two games, what we need to do, what's been good and bad and
really emphasize improvement. We need to make some improvement this
week in many areas, really."
The Sooners (2-0) were penalized 11 times for 95 yards, but it
hardly mattered. Arkansas State (0-2) didn't cross midfield until
late in the second quarter while falling behind 28-0. And the
Indians were penalized 14 times themselves.
"I think they'll be tested when they play against a better
football team," Arkansas State coach Joe Hollis said of the
Sooners, who have outscored their two opponents 100-21. "They were
better, they were more athletic and they had more team speed."
All of Heupel's touchdowns came on third-and-long plays,
including two in the first half. His 35 career touchdown passes,
accomplished in 13 games, tied the school record set by Cale Gundy
in 40 games from 1990-93.
Thatcher had 160 yards on five returns, breaking the Oklahoma
record of 146 yards set last season by Jarrail Jackson against
Missouri. Thatcher also had an interception that set up a
third-quarter touchdown.
"J.T. got a game ball for defense and offense," Stoops said.
"He really played well in both parts of the game.
"I felt good in that we made a lot of improvement in the
kicking game from a week ago."
Heupel was 24-of-32 for 301 yards and, thanks to a 75-yard
touchdown run by Works in the fourth quarter, the Sooners topped
200 yards on the ground.
Oklahoma's longest drive of the night was its first, an
80-yarder that Heupel capped with a 1-yard sneak.
Thatcher then scored on his punt return, taking the ball right
up the middle before cutting to the outside and outrunning the
Indians to the end zone.
"It was a middle call and I saw I had to make one guy miss, so
I made him miss," Thatcher said. "I went to the outside and saw
the sidelines and just went to the house."
A 30-yard return by Thatcher and a personal foul against the
Indians set Oklahoma up at the Arkansas State 42 late in the first
quarter. The Sooners quickly drove inside the 10, but two penalties
left them with third-and-goal from the 26.
That proved to be no problem for Heupel. On the first play of
the second quarter, he hit Damien Mackey deep along the left
sideline. Mackey ran through a defender near the goal line for
Oklahoma's third touchdown.
The Sooners made it 28-0 when Heupel, given plenty of time,
found Andre Woolfolk in the back of the end zone for a 19-yard
touchdown on third-and-8. The drive began after a 40-yard Thatcher
return.
Heupel and Woolfolk collaborated on a touchdown again in the
third quarter, this time a 35-yarder on third-and-11. A 14-yard
return by Thatcher had set the Sooners up at midfield.
Woolfolk finished with 102 yards on five catches.
Arkansas State's only touchdown came on a 33-yard run by Danny
Smith in the second quarter. Robert Kilow had 108 yards on 10
receptions for the Indians.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Arkansas State Clubhouse
Oklahoma Clubhouse
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