Oklahoma Sooners

As good as Roy Finch and Jaz Reynolds were against Texas A&M, the offensive MVP for Oklahoma might have been third-string quarterback Blake Bell. The “Belldozer” formation worked wonders, especially in the first half, when he turned six carries into four first downs and a touchdown. Bell added a four-yard touchdown in the second half, and finished with 37 yards rushing on 12 carries.

“He did a great job with different ways we used him in that formation and it's really helped us with goal line and short yardage and all of that,” coach Bob Stoops said. “He's 6-6, 255, and the guys do a good job blocking for him. He's doing a nice job with patience and finding seams, and then if he just falls forward he generally gets three yards. It's been positive for us.”

The Belldozer set could have long-term ramifications. Bell is getting valuable on-field experience with the offense, while backup QB Drew Allen stands on the sidelines. The playing time could give Bell a leg up in the quarterback derby to succeed Landry Jones, whether that's in 2012 or 2013.

THE INJURIES CONTINUE to pile up on both sides of the ball. The biggest injury to hit the Sooners since Sam Bradford went down in 2009, Ryan Broyles suffered a torn ACL in the third quarter, which will end his OU career.

"That's heartbreaking,” said safety Aaron Colvin, who claimed he wasn't aware of the extent of Broyles’ injury until he walked into the interview room.

“Ryan is a rock to our team and that's a big loss, but the defense just has to show up every week and continue playing to the best of our abilities as a team."

Broyles' injury is obviously devastating, but the Sooners enter the open week banged up across the board.

Last week, wide receiver Kenny Stills reaggravated his preseason hamstring injury and had to sit out several possessions after trying to start the game. He finished with just two catches, though one of those was a touchdown. The week off will give him some time to rest the hamstring.

Nickelback Tony Jefferson should also benefit from an extra week off. Jefferson, who played only one snap against Texas A&M, has been dealing with a sore right knee. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables downplayed the injury, noting that the Sooners went with Joe Ibiloye over Jefferson because of Texas A&M’s pro-style offense.

“I think Tony is doing great,” Venables said. “Probably wished he would have played more. We just felt that they were a strong, physical running team, and with the set that they gave us, a bigger-bodied guy would be better suited.”

Linebackers Tom Wort and Travis Lewis both had to leave the game Saturday, although neither has an injury that's believed to be serious. Wort suffered a sprained left ankle in the first quarter. He didn’t return to the defense, though he did play a snap on kickoff return. Jaydan Bird replaced Wort at middle linebacker and played well, recording three tackles. Lewis’ injury came late in the game.

Center Ben Habern, who missed five games with a broken forearm, saw time in six series while wearing a cast. However, he clearly has a ways to go before getting into game shape.

“It was fun to get back out there with the guys,” he said. “It was good to get back in the flow of things. It felt fine.”

While Habern gets closer to 100 percent, Gabe Ikard has been terrific at center and Adam Shead has come on at left guard. Tyler Evans continues to play well at right guard.

Cornerback Jamell Fleming, who missed two games after having arthroscopic knee surgery, was sharp in his return, totaling six tackles, two pass breakups, a quarterback hurry, an interception and a fumble recovery.

“Jamell's a great player,” Stoops said. “He's got the size, he's got the speed, he's got the experience out there and changes the defense.”

THE OU DEFENSIVE FRONT DID a tremendous job of tipping Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s passes at the line of scrimmage. Ronnell Lewis, Frank Alexander and R.J. Washington all batted down balls. Washington’s tip led to Lewis’ interception, which helped the Sooners put away A&M in the third quarter.

"No explanation,” said Tannehill, who was asked about the tips after the game. “A couple of times they got their hands on our cut blocks and were able to stay up, so that's a couple of them. But the other ones -- just have to find a way to get a block."

OU CAME INTO THE GAME leading the nation in sacks, but failed to sack Tannehill once despite getting constant pressure. The game plan, however, was to contain Tannehill in the pocket and not allow him to get big yardage with his legs. That’s why the Sooners were cautious with the pressure. The ploy worked, as Tannehill had only 15 yards on two carries.

“He's a good player, but I thought for the most part we were able to keep him getting out too much and making too many plays,” Stoops said. “I thought for the most part we did a good job against the run game.”

Even though OU was held without one, the Sooners are still No. 1 in sacks. OU did have three quarterback hurries.

On the other side of the ball, the Sooners continued to protect the quarterback. Jones was only sacked once by A&M, which entered the game ranked second nationally in sacks. The Aggies are now third, behind Florida State.

OKLAHOMA HAS BEEN A tremendous third-quarter team this season, and Saturday was no different. OU outscored A&M 28-0 in the third quarter, a week after outscoring Kansas State 21-0 in the third. So far this season, OU has outscored opponents 118-10 in the third quarter.

NORMAN, Okla. – After having its 39-game home winning streak snapped two weeks ago, OU started a new one Saturday. But at the expense of losing wide receiver Ryan Broyles for the season with a torn ACL:

How the game was won: OU exploded with four touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game away after a competitive first half. Jaz Reynolds got the scoring going with a one-handed 31-yard touchdown grab, his second one-handed scoring grab in as many weeks.

Player of the game: With running back Dominique Whaley out for the season with a fractured ankle, sophomore Roy Finch filled in nicely, carrying the ball 26 times for 99 yards and a touchdown. No other OU running back received more than one carry.

Unsung hero of the game: Out of the “Bell-Dozer” formation, third-string quarterback Blake Bell had six carries in the first half, which resulted in four first downs and a touchdown. The Sooners installed the offense last week to have the threat of a running quarterback on certain downs. Bell had a rushing touchdown against Kansas State last weekend, too.

Stat of the game: OU, which led the nation in sacks going into Saturday, failed to sack Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill once. The Sooners were also outgained by the Aggies 500-404. The difference was turnovers. A&M committed four; OU just one.

What it means: The Sooners picked up a big victory. But it was a Pyrrhic one with Broyles possibly out for the season with ligament damage to his knee. The pressure will be on Landry Jones, and receivers Kenny Stills, Jaz Reynolds and Dejuan Miller to keep the offense humming without one of the most prolific pass-catchers in NCAA history.

Ronnell Lewis, defensive end

The junior was disruptive and active against Texas A&M’s offensive line, often forcing Aggie quarterback Ryan Tannehill to leave the pocket. Lewis has been a dominant force all season and Saturday was one of his best games of the season.

Lewis finished with eight tackles including two tackles for loss and one interception. He currently sits at No. 17 overall on Mel Kiper's Big Board for 2012 NFL draft prospects.

Roy Finch, running back

Replacing Dominique Whaley, Finch had an excellent game and showed he can handle 20-plus carries despite his small stature (5-foot-7, 166 pounds). Whaley, the Sooners leading rusher, was lost for the season after injuring his ankle against Kansas State last week.

Finch finished with 26 carries for 99 yards and one touchdown. It was Finch’s first game with 20-plus carries during his OU career.

Jamell Fleming, cornerback

Returning from injury, Fleming showed how important his presence is in the secondary. He was good in coverage, was consistently around the football and didn’t hesitate to support the run.

The senior had an forced fumble, fumble recovery and interception in the win. Fleming added five tackles including one tackle for loss and two pass breakups.

A dominant third quarter turned a tight game into a laugher.

Oklahoma rolled to a 41-25 win over Texas A&M. They restored some pride on their home turf in their first game at Owen Field since a loss to Texas Tech.

For the Sooners, though, the focus from Saturday's game wasn't on the final score.

Ryan Broyles went down with what looked like a knee injury, and was visibly emotional on the sidelines before being taken into the locker room.

Earlier this season, Broyles grabbed the national record for receptions. The NCAA record for receiving yards still looked in reach. Now, Oklahoma must wait to learn about the status of one of their captains.

It looked serious, and Broyles is an obvious huge loss.

The Sooners have a deep, solid receiving corps with emerging stars Kenny Stills and Jaz Reynolds, as well as Trey Franks and Dejuan Miller. But no Sooner does it like Broyles, one of the team's unquestioned leaders.

Freshman mistakes turned to senior leadership for Broyles, and he helped shepherd the young receivers on and off the field, wowing coaches with both efforts.

Losing him would be a huge mental and physical blow for the team, and speaking for college football fans everywhere, a loss for us to not be able to see him.

Broyles was one of the best at his craft, and entered Saturday's game as the nation's leader in receiving yards per game. He caught two passes for 87 yards on Saturday, suffering the injury on a 30-yard catch.

Broyles' injury feels a lot like Robert Griffin III's knee injury back in 2009, if it ends up being serious. Both guys do it the right way and are so much fun to watch. They're everything right about college football.

The sad truth though, is it's a dangerous game.

Broyles and the Sooners have been forced to revisit that lesson.

NORMAN, Okla. – After having its 39-game home winning streak snapped two weeks ago, the Sooners are struggling at home against Texas A&M:

Turning point: The Sooners appeared to be firmly in control, about to take a 10-point lead into halftime. Instead on third-and-9, Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill bought time by scrambling left, then sailed a pass downfield against the wind to Ryan Swope, who had snuck past linebacker Travis Lewis, for a 79-yard touchdown.

Best player in the half: Out of the “Bell-Dozer” formation, third-string quarterback Blake Bell has six carries, which have resulted in four first downs and a touchdown. The Sooners installed the offense last week to have the threat of a running quarterback on certain downs. Bell had a rushing touchdown against Kansas State last weekend, too.

What Oklahoma needs to do: Get quarterback Landry Jones and the passing game going. Outside a 57-yard connection to Ryan Broyles, Jones has had very little success throwing the ball. The wind, with up to 32-mile-per-hour gusts, has been a big factor. But if the Sooners can hit some passes in the second half, they should be able to pull this one out.

Oklahoma sophomore running back Roy Finch knew his opportunity was going to come. Despite not seeing the field for most of the first half of the season, Finch tried to stay positive.

It’s working as not only is Finch seeing more time on the field, but he earned the Lunch Pail award last week. The award is given to the player who prepares best for the week.

“It’s my first award, and I'd rather have that than the Most Explosive award or something like that because it’s about preparation,” Finch said. “The preparation award is one of the most fulfilling awards you can get as a player.”

Finch was already starting to become a bigger part of the Sooners offense, and he’s going to have to play a bigger role with Dominique Whaley lost for the rest of the season with a broken ankle.

Finch rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown and also had seven receptions for 69 yards in OU’s 58-17 win at Kansas State.

“I never doubted myself. I knew I had the talent, but it just took some time,” Finch said. “It’s been tough. I had my days when I was down, but I would talk to my teammates about weathering the storm.

“You don’t want to give up. You have to keep pressing forward and working and the breakthrough will come.”

It says a lot about Finch that he was able to use the constructive criticism from the coaches and make himself better. A productive Finch is going to pay big dividends for OU the rest of the season.

Jake Trotter answers readers' questions about Oklahoma football in his mailbag every Friday. Got a question for Jake? Submit it here.

Joel in Lewisville, Texas, writes: You mentioned on Twitter that you thought this week’s game against A&M would be tougher than everyone thinks. Why?

Jake Trotter: Joel, my first reason is that Texas A&M way better than its 5-3 record indicates. Talent wise, this is a Top 15 team. Also, Texas A&M’s offense is the kind that can potentially give OU problems. The Aggies have pretty much run on anyone, which sets up their play-action pass. That formula has worked on OU defenses in the past. Lastly, OU losing at Texas Tech a couple of weeks ago should give A&M a little confidence that it can hang with the Sooners in Norman, a place that hasn’t been kind to the Aggies.

Jamie in Massachusetts writes: Do you see linebacker Tom Wort being an NFL player?

Jake Trotter: Wort is showing this season that he is capable of playing at the next level. When healthy, he’s been one of OU’s three or four best players on defense. Wort is a sure tackler, and strong up the middle on the blitz. He won’t be a first round draft pick, but Wort could end up being a solid inside linebacker in the NFL.

Michael in London writes: Who do you think will be favored in the Bedlam game?

Jake Trotter: At the moment, the projected line for the game is a pick 'em. I think Oklahoma State has a better chance to end up being favored because the game is in Stillwater. But barring a key injury, I can’t see the line for this game being more than a couple points one way or the other.

Joe in Tulsa writes: I got in a debate with a co-worker and need your help settling it. Does OU need OSU to be undefeated at Bedlam in order for OU to get into the National Championship?

Jake Trotter: OU doesn’t necessarily need OSU to be undefeated, but it certainly helps. A lot of that depends on what else happens. But if Oregon runs the table, and the Alabama-LSU loser keeps it close this weekend, the Sooners will need all the help they can get, and that includes the opportunity of beating an undefeated OSU team.

Ken in Dallas writes: Is there anything we can do to get a plus one game implemented? I love the BCS and the way the regular season is a playoff. But there could end up being a few one loss teams (like OU) that deserve a chance.

Jake Trotter: It will be years before we might see an expanded playoff. But a plus one has support among people who matter in college football. My guess is that within the next 5-10 years, we’ll have a plus one format in the BCS.

Tanner in Norman writes: Who do we root for, Alabama or LSU this weekend? What gives OU the best chance of getting to the national title?

Jake Trotter: This is a different question than, who would OU rather play in the national title (the answer is Alabama, since LSU in New Orleans would be like a home game)? Essentially, OU fans should root against the team they think is more likely to lose a second time. That's because the Alabama-LSU loser still has a decent chance of being ranked ahead of OU in the BCS. Looking at the schedules, Alabama goes to Mississippi State and Auburn to end the season. LSU plays No. 7 Arkansas, but in Baton Rouge. I think it's more likely that Alabama loses at Auburn than LSU loses at home to the Razorbacks. So in other words, root for LSU this weekend.

Brad in Norman writes: Any chance that running back Dominique Whaley can get an extra year of eligibility, considering he didn't play against Tech and only one play against K-State?

Jake Trotter: Unfortunately, no. To qualify for a medical hardship, a player has to appear in fewer than 30 percent of his team’s games, and none after the midpoint of the season. Whaley appeared in 42 percent of OU’s games this season, rendering him eligible for a waiver.