Like a fighter in battle, Dillon Gabriel rushed to help one of his fallen soldiers.
Drake Stoops, who was clobbered moments before by West Virginia safety Anthony Wilson in the end zone, laid motionless while Wilson tauntingly stood over him. The redshirt senior wide receiver had also just caught his third touchdown reception of the game, despite the clock-cleaning hit from Brown.
Gabriel wasn’t having it, and he made sure to let the Mountaineers’ safety know. The Sooners’ quarterback rushed into a brawl led by him and a throng of OU teammates, before sharing some choice words with WVU’s safety.
“(He’s) my brother, someone that I love a bunch,” Gabriel said of Stoops. “Seeing him go down and me questioning what it looked from my angle, I had some kind words to say to him. Like I said, it's competitive. It’s football.”
Redshirt fifth year wide receiver Drake Stoops during the game against West Virginia on Nov. 11.
Like they were in that moment — a glimpse of relentless comradery and a hint of brotherhood — Stoops and Gabriel united to guide OU’s offense vs. the Mountaineers. Their combined efforts led the No. 17 Sooners (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) to a 59-20 stomping of West Virginia (6-4, 4-3) in Norman on Saturday night.
Gabriel, re-focused and reinvigorated, sliced and diced through WVU’s defense for 423 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns and 50 rushing yards. His eight total touchdowns set a program record for the most touchdowns scored in a single game.
He also cracked the top 10 on the career passing yards list. He now sits in 10th place all-time with 14,274 yards.
Stoops finished with 10 receptions, a career-high 164 receiving yards and three touchdowns, all of which were thrown by Gabriel. On the season, Stoops has 694 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, the most he’s had in both categories during his six-year college career.
Just a week ago, Gabriel and Stoops watched as OU’s College Football Playoff dreams were crushed by their Bedlam rival, Oklahoma State. Questions of the Sooners' fight and will for the season were brought up, but Stoops and Gabriel candidly shared the same message: there’s still so much to fight for.
Stoops and Gabriel’s performance showcased just that.
Redshirt fifth year wide receiver Drake Stoops during the game against West Virginia on Nov. 11.
“It just showed us we're not far off,” Stoops said. “Everyone wants to paint the narrative that we're not doing good, and we're bad, or we're feeling this or that. It just shows that when we play our game and execute the way we're supposed to … we can be as good at offense as anyone in the country. We showed that in the beginning weeks of the season.”
For what started in the pair’s master’s degree class in the spring, Gabriel and Stoops connection has blossomed into one of the Sooners most potent options on the field and a tandem of strong leaders off of it.
Both are fighting to keep OU alive for a potential late push for the Big 12 title game, as the Sooners sit third in the conference standings, one game behind the Cowboys and two spots below Texas. Alongside that, it is Gabriel and Stoops’ final year of college football, making their bond that much stronger.
It was clear they both wanted to lead OU with a different mentality following back-to-back losses.
Redshirt senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel during the game against West Virginia on Nov. 11.
“I just think we came out with an edge,” Gabriel said. “I think we came out ready to play. I just like the physicality up front and everyone who played.
“I don't know if (this win was) needed. I think with what happened the past two weeks, it's tough. It's a roller coaster of life and in football. This game will humble you. But, the way we came out, the guys were hungry. I think we had our best week of practice.”
Stoops, on his own, is embracing the finer moments of what it means to be a Sooner, carrying on the same legacy created by his father and former OU head coach Bob Stoops. To this point Stoops has caught 149 passes for 1606 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.
“He's just tough,” OU head coach Brent Venables said. “People say he’s a coach's kid, but he's a fantastic football player. I think that's discrediting all the work that Drake has put into his career, his instincts, his consistency and his ability to make plays. … He’s special. Players love being around him. I’m really thankful for what he brings to the locker room every single day.”
At the end of OU’s win during the pair’s respective post game pressers, Gabriel and Stoops were not shy to share their adulation for each other. “He’s just a guy I love, our personalities mesh very well,” Gabriel said.
Stoops shared a similar sentiment.
“Eight goes for eight,” he said. “It’s just a testament of his hard work and his preparation every week.”
As the Sooners pivot to their final regular season road game against BYU (5-5, 2-5) at 11 a.m. CT in Provo OU’s offensive duo will be needed to play at a high level to close out the season strong, giving their team momentum as it heads into the SEC.
For now, both Stoops and Gabriel are just embracing the final moments, which was a big part to OU’s emphatic victory over the Mountaineers
“I think as people we're always chasing, thinking of the future,” Gabriel said. “We very rarely stay in the present and just enjoy the moment. I think the guys have done a good job of it. I've been trying to do that myself. Because tomorrow, the sun rises, whether it was a win or a loss. How you respond to good or bad, I think, is a big testament to who you are.”
