Bob Stoops got his revenge against Oregon in the Alamo Bowl Wednesday night.
The Oklahoma head coach was irate on Sept. 15, 2006, as his Sooners lost a questionable game in Autzen Stadium by a single point.
Fifteen years later and playing a caretaker role, Stoops made sure Oregon was outside punching distance. The final score from San Antonio: Sooners 47, Ducks 32.
“This is not a time for consolation prizes,” Oregon interim head coach Bryan McClendon said. “We came too far to let a bad half define us.”
Williams — the freshman quarterback former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley handed the reins to midway through the season — threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns in the Alamodome.
Sooners’ running back Kennedy Brooks added 138 total yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first half en route to a 30-3 halftime lead.
Meanwhile, Anthony Brown struggled for Oregon in the first half, with 115 yards and one interception to his name. Despite freshman Ty Thompson’s preserved redshirt, McClendon stuck with the sixth-year senior.
Many Oregon coaches who had already accepted jobs elsewhere were still working the bowl.
“I really hope everyone appreciates what they’ve done,” Brown said. “I really think they stood on their word, really being there for us. That’s special.”
Dropped passes and missed throws prevented a prolific Oregon run game, led by Travis Dye with 153 yards and a touchdown, from shining. Mental mistakes by coaches and players buried the Ducks by halftime.
After Oregon held Oklahoma to a 3-and-out on the game’s first drive, the Sooners scored on their next eight possessions.
The Ducks fought back in the second half. Touchdown bombs to Dont’e Thornton, Kris Hutson and Troy Franklin helped the Ducks score 29 second-half points, but the damage had been done. A depleted defense was further worn down.
“[We] had a lot of guys in new roles,” McClendon said. He applauded his team’s effort.
Oregon missed more than 30 players during Alamo Bowl practices, including star defender Kayvon Thibodeaux and starting cornerbacks Mykael Wright and DJ James.
The limited roster took its toll on Oregon’s defense. Inside linebackers Noah Sewell and Jeffrey Bassa were the only available scholarship players at their position. Sewell exited the game in the second half with concussion symptoms. The Ducks’ defensive line featured both a converted tight end and offensive guard.
The Sooners had their share of missing players, as well. Four of Oklahoma’s five All-Big 12 Second Team defenders were absent, including leading tackler Brian Asamoah and the team’s top three sack leaders.
“The guys who haven’t played as much this year, they stepped up,” safety Verone McKinley III said. “Oklahoma did a good job today.”
Win No. 11 could have capped off an unforgettable season. A defining win in Columbus, an undefeated home record and convincing victories over regional rivals are all positive notes to end Mario Cristobal’s tenure.
A win could have been a great springboard for next year. As the Ducks enter 2022 under new leadership, the Alamo Bowl was more about letting the current team enjoy playing football.
Oregon will open the Dan Lanning era against his current Georgia team in Atlanta on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.
