A week after losing at home to Cincinnati, things were expected to not go particularly well for UCLA on the road at Oklahoma. Despite putting the first points on the scoreboard in the first quarter, Oklahoma has taken control of the game with a 21-point run to take a 21-7 lead into halftime in Norman, Oklahoma. Unfortunately, injuries have been a part of the story of the first half for both teams.
Oklahoma running back Rodney Anderson walked off the sidelines with trainers at the end of the first quarter after initially being examined on the sideline. The injury appeared to occur at the end of a 10-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. One play later, Kyler Murray kept an option to run for a touchdown and a 21-7 lead. The injury to Anderson appeared to be the right knee.
UCLA linebacker Jaelen Phillips also had to be taken in for some medical attention in the second quarter. As if UCLA’s defense did not already have its hands full with the Sooners, the loss of one of its top defensive players would not make things any better in the second half.
UCLA running back Bolu Olorunfunmi opened the scoring on UCLA’s second possession of the game with a short touchdown run to cap an 80-yard drive over seven plays, but the Sooners responded in a hurry. Anderson had his own short touchdown run on the third play of a 12-yard drive thanks to a big kick return by Tre Brown after UCLA’s score. Oklahoma took the lead four minutes later on a Kyler Murray 58-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Brown. Murray would add to the lead on with his touchdown run.
UCLA is hanging around with some good plays, but the offense must get going if they are going to put the Big 12 favorites on upset alert.