Sooners Too Much for No. 10 Nebraska, 45-10

Oklahoma, getting 396 yards on offense and coming up with seven turnovers, beat 10th-ranked Nebraska, 45-10, Friday.

The Sooners improved to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the Big Eight. But the Sooners can’t go to a bowl because of NCAA sanctions.

Nebraska (9-2, 5-2), which will play Georgia Tech in the Citrus Bowl, was held to 118 rushing yards and 229 overall, both season lows. The Cornhuskers entered the game averaging 362 rushing yards and 465 total yards.

Nebraska also had to play most of the game without quarterback Mickey Joseph, who was injured early in the first quarter and did not return. Joseph was hurt on Nebraska’s second series when, after scrambling 13 yards for a first down, he was knocked out of bounds into the Oklahoma bench. He sustained a deep cut to his lower right leg.

Oklahoma was penalized 15 yards.

Later in the first quarter, Nebraska received a similar penalty after knocking Oklahoma freshman quarterback Cale Gundy out of bounds. Gundy wasn’t hurt on the play, but he did leave the game in the third quarter after being sacked and injuring an elbow. He returned a short time later, but left again in the fourth quarter after hurting the elbow again.

Oklahoma took control with three touchdowns in the second quarter. Gundy threw for one of the scores and sneaked in for another, then set up the third with a long pass.

After the Cornhuskers made it 21-10 with a touchdown early in the third quarter, Oklahoma fullback Mike McKinley scored two consecutive touchdowns to erase any doubt about the outcome.

McKinley, who had 87 yards in eight carries, scored on a seven-yard run four plays after an interception gave Oklahoma the ball at the Cornhusker 20. Then he scored late in the third quarter on a 48-yard run, his longest of the season.

Gundy completed five passes, but they went for 119 yards. He teamed with tight end Adrian Cooper on a 36-yard touchdown pass play early in the second quarter that gave the Sooners the lead for good, 7-3.

Then two plays after an interception gave Oklahoma the ball at the Nebraska 46, Gundy passed deep to Cooper, who outjumped two defenders and came down with the ball at the nine-yard line. McKinley scored his first touchdown of the day on the next play.

Oklahoma scored four touchdowns and a field goal after turnovers. One of the touchdowns was a 43-yard interception return by Greg DeQuasie in the fourth quarter.