First quarter
Scoring summary
OSU: Samuel 36 run (Durbin kick), 7:28. Drive: Four plays, 45 yards, 1:16. Key play: On fourth-and-1 from the Oklahoma 36, Samuel took a handoff on a sweep left, hit the corner after initial blocks from Weber and Baugh, and was sprung by a downfield block by McLaurin. Ohio State 7, Oklahoma 0
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OSU: Baker 68 interception return (Durbin kick), 4:34. Key play: On fourth-and-3 from the OSU 33, Baker’s pass to the right sideline was tipped by Holmes and picked off by Baker, who sailed down the left sideline. Ohio State 14, Oklahoma 0
OKLA: Mixon 97 kickoff return (Seibert kick), 4:20. Key play: Mixon fielded Durbin’s kick at the 3, burst through a hole when OSU’s Hill was turned around and then eluded a tackle attempt by Conley at the OSU 30. Ohio State 14, Oklahoma 7
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Analysis: Not so fast
For the first 10½ minutes of the first quarter, Ohio State couldn’t have asked for more from its first trip to Norman in 33 years. The Buckeyes did some bending but did not break on Oklahoma’s game-opening drive as the Sooners drove from their 25-yard line to the OSU 10 but came away empty when Austin Seibert’s 27-yard field-goal attempt smacked the right upright. OSU started slowly on offense but Cameron Johnston flipped the field position with a 68-yard punt and the Buckeyes took advantage on their next drive when they took over at the Sooners’ 45. On fourth-and-1 from the 36, Urban Meyer elected to roll the dice and Curtis Samuel made it pay off with a 36-yard scoring run around left end, sprung by a downfield block by Terry McLaurin. Oklahoma again drove the field on its next drive before it faced a key fourth down – a fourth-and-3 from the OSU 33. Baker Mayfield dropped back to pass but Jayln Holmes batted the ball in the air and directly to Jerome Baker, who set free on a 68-yard interception return – the Buckeyes’ fourth pick-six of the season. That made it 14-0 with 4:34 left in the quarter and Owen Field was a suddenly quiet place. But not for long. Joe Mixon fielded Tyler Durbin’s kickoff at the 3 and burst through a hole on the right side. He eluded Gareon Conley at the OSU 30 and would not be caught. But did he score? He did not. Replays showed that Mixon dropped the ball a full yard before he reached the end zone, though replay officials did not spot the error and the play stood. Ohio State then took possession and was smartly driving as the quarter ended.
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Second quarter
Scoring summary
OSU: Brown 4 pass from Barrett (Durbin kick), 14:20. Drive: Eleven plays, 89 yards, 5:00. Key plays: Weber 35 run for first down at Oklahoma 45; Barrett 9 run on third-and-5 from the 40; Barrett 12 run on third-and-4 from the 25; on third-and-1 from the 4, Barrett lofted a pass left to Brown, who reached over Cobb for the catch. Ohio State 21, Oklahoma 7
OKLA: FG Seibert 26, 11:04. Drive: Eight plays, 73 yards, 3:16. Key plays: Westbrook 35 run for first down at OSU 43; Miller 36 pass from Mayfield for first-and-goal at the 3; Mayfield took a sack on the next play, however, and OU was forced to kick a field goal. Ohio State 21, Oklahoma 10
OSU: Brown 37 pass from Barrett (Durbin kick), 6:02. Drive: One play, 37 yards, :08. Key plays: Lattimore interception and 21 return gave OSU possession at the Oklahoma 37; on first down, Barrett threw deep left to Brown, who muscled the ball away from Cobb for the score. Ohio State 28, Oklahoma 10
OKLA: Miller 35 pass from Mayfield (Seibert kick), 4:12. Drive: Five plays, 72 yards, 1:50. Key plays: Andrews 20 pass from Mayfield for first down at the OSU 47; Mayfield 11 run for first down at the 35; on the next play, Mayfield threw down the middle to Miller, who spun away from Arnette at the 20 and raced to paydirt. Ohio State 28, Oklahoma 17
OSU: Brown 21 pass from Barrett (Durbin kick), :06. Drive: Ten plays, 75 yards, 4:06. Key plays: Samuel 18 run for first down at the OSU 38; Campbell 16 pass from Barrett for first down at the Oklahoma 46; Samuel 5 run on fourth-and-1 from the OU 26; two plays later, Barrett lofted a pass left to Brown, who grabbed the ball with both hands behind Quick’s back as he fell backward. Ohio State 35, Oklahoma 17
Analysis: Wild and woolly
The Ohio State-Oklahoma game was action-packed -- and it was still only half finished. The teams moved the ball nearly at will in the second quarter, and OSU stretched its lead thanks to the pitching and catching of J.T. Barrett and Noah Brown, who combined for three touchdown receptions. They first hooked up on the second play of the quarter when, on third-and-1 from the Oklahoma 4, Barrett threw a fade that Brown snatched away from outsized cornerback Parrish Cobb. Oklahoma drove to a field goal on its next drive and appeared to grab momentum when it forced the Buckeyes to punt. But on the Sooners’ second play of their next possession, Baker Mayfield was intercepted for the second time, this one by Marshon Lattimore, whose 21-yard return gave OSU the ball at the OU 37. Barrett needed only one play, throwing deep left to Brown, who again beat Cobb for the score for a 28-10 lead at the 6:02 mark. The Sooners bounced right back, though, and became the first team to score an offensive touchdown against the Buckeyes this year, on Mayfield’s 35-yard scoring pass to A.D. Miller. OSU took over with 4:12 remaining and smartly drove the distance, with Curtis Samuel again converting a key fourth-down run. On second down from the 21, Barrett lofted left again to Brown, who grabbed the ball as he fell backward in the end zone -- with cornerback Michiah Quick between him and the ball. That made it 35-17 at the half, and the crowd finally took a breath.
Third quarter
Scoring summary
OSU: Brown 8 pass from Barrett (Durbin kick), 10:39. Drive: Ten plays, 75 yards, 4:21. Key plays: Runs of 14 yards on consecutive plays by Samuel and Barrett gave OSU a first down at the Oklahoma 47; Weber 10 run for first down at the 22; face-mask penalty on OU’s Quick gave OSU first down at the 13; on third-and-5 from the 8, Brown made a splendid move on Thomas and caught the pass alone in the end zone. Ohio State 42, Oklahoma 17
OKLA: Andrews 5 pass from Mayfield (Seibert kick), 4:06. Drive: Eleven plays, 88 yards, 3:04. Key plays: Andrews 15 pass from Mayfield on third-and-10 from the OU 12; Mixon 31 run for first down at the OSU 42; Lewis 14 pass from Mayfield on third-and-9 from the 41; Mixon 17 run for a first-and-goal at the 10; Mayfield hit Andrews on a third-and-goal play. Ohio State 42, Oklahoma 24
Analysis: Slamming the door?
Having seized an 18-point lead in the final seconds of the first half, Ohio State looked to have dropped the anvil on the Sooners’ toes by opening the third quarter with a punishing 10-play drive to make it 42-17. The Buckeyes ran eight times on the drive to soften the Oklahoma defense, then went to the air for the gut punch, with J.T. Barrett and Noah Brown again hooking up for the TD, this one on an 8-yard pass in which Brown was – no joke – open by 5 yards after making defender Jordan Thomas spin around with a hard move. OSU then forced a punt, but went three and out to give the ball back to Oklahoma. This time the Sooners cashed in, with Baker Mayfield passing to Mark Andrews for a 5-yard TD to cut Ohio State’s lead to 42-24 at the 4:06 mark. Again the Buckeyes foundered on offense, despite good field position, and Oklahoma was on the move again as the quarter ended.
Fourth quarter
Scoring summary
OSU: FG Durbin 31, 10:33. Drive: Seven plays, 25 yards, 2:54. Key plays: Sack of Mayfield by Baker and Hubbard gave OSU possession at the OU 39; Weber 4 run on third-and-2 from the 31. Ohio State 45, Oklahoma 24
Analysis: Plenty of cushion, with help
The Buckeyes never did get the offense purring again, and it didn’t really matter thanks to some ineffective play by the Sooners and particularly Baker Mayfield. Down 18, Oklahoma had moved into OSU territory after two plays in the fourth quarter. But on third-and-6 from the 48, Mayfield threw a quick screen to an uncovered Dede Westbrook, but he was quickly smothered by safety Malik Hooker for a 1-yard loss. On fourth down, Mayfield held the ball too long and then tried to make something happen, only to be sacked by OSU’s Sam Hubbard and Jerome Baker. Taking over at the OU 39, the Buckeyes drove inside the 10 before setting for Tyler Durbin’s 31-yard field goal. A kickoff out of bounds and a penalty gave the Sooners possession at the 50 but the Sooners ran the ball on third-and-3, resulting in a 1-yard loss by Samaje Perine, and Mayfield was tackled for a yard loss on fourth down. At that point, the game was over, even though 8½ minutes remained on the clock. By the actual end of the game, Ohio State’s band was chanting “Basic defense,” mocking Sooners backup quarterback Austin Kendall, who had predicted Mayfield would “light up” the OSU defense.