Oklahoma football: Three reasons the Sooners dominated West Virginia

On a weird night in Morgantown, West Virginia, the Sooners dismantled the Mountaineers early, and then survived a comeback bid to win the game 56-28.

Oklahoma led from start to finish, jumping out to a 34-0 lead, but then had to withstand a second half charge from West Virginia. The win sets up a de facto Big 12 championship game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Norman on Dec. 3.

Here's how the Sooners got it done.

Horrendous start from the Mountaineers

West Virginia didn't even give its wheels the chance to fall off on Saturday night — they left the wheels in the locker room.

Before the game even got started, West Virginia players met the Sooners at midfield for some jawing back and forth. There were words exchanged, and emotions were stirred. 

Once the game kicked off, West Virginia wasn't ready. The Mountaineers forced a punt on Oklahoma's first possession but muffed the kick and gave it right back to the Sooners. Oklahoma scored six plays later.

On the next possession, West Virginia went three-and-out and lost its starting tailback, Kennedy McKoy, to injury.

Oklahoma's star wide receiver Dede Westbrook stiff-armed his way to a 75-yard touchdown on the next Oklahoma drive, and the Sooners were off to the races. Mayfield and company scored the game's first 34 points and led the Mountaineers 34-7 by halftime.

That start proved too rough to overcome in the end.

Dominate rushing effort

For the first time all season, the Sooners played in snow. There were questions as to how the weather would impact Oklahoma's aerial attack, and those questions were answered with two incompletions on the Sooners' first drive. 

Then Oklahoma turned to the ground.

The Sooners carried the ball 39 times for 241 yards and three scores in the first half and finished with 64 carries for 316 yards.

Joe Mixon topped the 100-yard mark for the third time in his last four appearances, finishing with 24 carries for 147 yards and a score. Mixon's backfield teammate, Samaje Perine, one-upped him with 160 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries.

The Oklahoma offense stalled in the third quarter, scoring just seven points, but relied on the running game late in the fourth quarter to cap the evening.

Defense does just enough

Despite the Sooners rolling to an early lead, it was a far from dominant performance from an embattled defensive unit.

In the first half, West Virginia averaged 12.9 yards per carry en route to 197 yards rushing. That success on the ground carried over to the second half, and Justin Crawford, who replaced the injured McKoy, gashed the Sooners repeatedly.

Crawford paced the Mountaineers with 331 yards on 24 carries and helped close the gap in the third quarter and into the fourth quarter. 

West Virginia ran it well but didn't do enough in the passing game (190 yards and an interception), and it proved to be another bend-but-don't-break type of performance from the defense.

Seven of the 22 second-half points for the Sooners came by way of an 80-yard interception return by linebacker Jordan Evans, his second straight week with a pick-six.

The Sooners were also able to force a turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter with a coverage sack and sap all remaining momentum the Mountaineers had built.