By Fitzgerald Cecilio

Dallas, TX

Backup quarterback Blake Bell bulldozed his way for four touchdowns and No. 13 Oklahoma used a blistering first half to rout 15th-ranked Texas, 63-21, Saturday at Cotton Bowl.

The Sooners improved to 4-1 (2-1 Big 12) while the Longhorns slipped to 4-2 (1-2 Big 12).

Bell started the first period with an eight-yard scoring burst then added three more one-yard touchdown runs in the second quarter to spark the Sooners' 36-point outburst that left the Longhorns eating their dust.

Bell became the third player in Sooners history to score four touchdowns or more in a game twice, joining Steve Owens and Billy Sims.

"Whenever I can get in there, when coach calls my name and I go in there, I'm just going to do my job and that is just trying to get the first down or the touchdown or whatever I am in there to do," said Bell, whose touchdown barrage gave him a sixth career multi-rushing touchdown game.

Quarterback Landry Jones masterfully orchestrated the Sooners' offense, completing 21 of 37 passes for 321 yards and two touchdown heaves in the second half.

"We just played really well. We're capable of doing that all the time if people are going to play hard and people are going to play smart. We're just capable of doing a lot of different things," said Jones, who improved his record to 33-9 as a starter, passing QB Steve Davis for the most wins in school history.

Fullback Trey Millard caught five passes for 119 yards and a score while wide receiver Justin Brown had 73 yards on five catches and a touchdown.

The rushing corps also did its part in the huge victory, with running back Damien Williams leading the pack with 167 yards on 22 carries and his 95-yard touchdown rush was the third longest run in school history.

"It's a great feeling to know that I am compared to any running back who has been here because I don't consider myself on that level yet. I'm going to just keep doing what I have been doing," Williams said.

The Longhorns tried to spark a comeback in the third quarter behind Carrington Byndom's 28-yard interception return but the Sooners responded with a 10-point run from Michael Hunnicutt's 36-yard field goal and a touchdown pass by Jones to Millard for a 46-8 lead.

Things turned worse for the Longhorns in the fourth quarter when they lost starting quarterback David Ash to an apparent left wrist injury.

He was replaced by Case McCoy, who the last two drives in the fourth quarter, amassing 102 passing yards and two touchdowns on 5-of-8 passing.

McCoy connected with Mike Davis on a 44-yard pass for his first touchdown pass of the season and found John Harris in the end zone on a 19-yard pass on the last play of the game to cut the Sooners' lead to 63-21.

 

Blake Bell Rushes for Four TDs, Leads Oklahoma Past Texas