Baker Mayfield did not start No. 4 Oklahoma’s game with West Virginia, but he was in the game for the Sooners’ third offensive play. Not because Lincoln Riley put him in for a third down pass, but because backup Kyler Murray needed only two snaps to get the Sooners on the board.
Murray opened the game with a 66-yard rush, and Rodney Anderson punched in a 4-yard score to put the Sooners on top for good. The Sooners took a 45-10 lead into the half.
West Virginia’s first touch consumed nearly half the first quarter, moving 64 yards in 13 plays before settling for a 28-yard Evan Staley field goal.
Mayfield entered the game after that and Oklahoma was off to the races. He led five touchdown drives in five chances over the remainder of the first half, helping the Sooners move 349 yards in 30 snaps. Mayfield completed his first eight passes and hit 10-of-11 throws for 238 yards and two touchdowns, an 8-yarder to CeeDee Lamb and a 14-yard strike to Mark Andrews with 13 ticks left before halftime.
Anderson accounted for three second quarter touchdowns with runs of 13, 17 and one yard. He led all runners with 13 carries for 118 yards in addition to his four touchdowns.
Oklahoma notched scored 10 points inside the final 13 seconds of the second quarter. After Mayfield’s pass to Andrews, West Virginia attempted a hook-and-ladder just before the final horn, but the ball was fumbled and OU’s Austin Seibert turned it into a 51-yard field goal as time expired.
Playing without starting quarterback Will Grier, West Virginia has been forced to get creative offensively, using a number of Wildcat snaps to running back Kennedy McCoy. McCoy accounted for nine carries for 66 yards and West Virginia’s only touchdown. Chris Chugunov completed 7-of-11 passes for 99 yards.
The game has been chippy, with a scuffle after nearly every play for a stretch in the second quarter. Sooners offensive lineman Dru Samia was ejected for throwing a punch, and WVU’s Xavier Preston was flagged for roughing the passer for a two-handed shove at Mayfield’s head.
West Virginia will receive to open the second half.