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Sunday, November 22, 1998
Oklahoma 20, Texas Tech 17
By OWEN CANFIELD
AP Sports Writer
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- John Blake gave his bosses something
to think about Saturday.
The Oklahoma coach, whose future is the subject of a university
regents meeting Sunday, saw his team rally from an early 10-point
deficit to upset Texas Tech, 20-17.
The victory -- with tailback De'Mond Parker and receiver/kick
returner Jarrail Jackson missing most of the game due to injuries
-- was Oklahoma's third in its past four games and left the Sooners
(5-6, 3-5 Big 12) with their best record in Blake's three years.
"Through this tough time I've gotten stronger," said
Blake, who is 12-22 and has two years remaining on his contract.
"We will continue to fight, continue to work hard and build
this program the way it should be built."
Texas Tech (7-4, 4-4) had twice as many first downs as Oklahoma,
outgained the Sooners 334-212 and didn't commit a penalty. But
three lost fumbles and a blocked field goal doomed the Red Raiders,
who also were upset by Oklahoma a year ago.
"OU outplayed us. They deserve the victory," coach
Spike Dykes said. "They made the plays when they had to."
The Red Raiders scored on their first two possessions, on a
27-yard field goal by Chris Birkholz and a 16-yard touchdown pass
from Rob Peters to Derek Dorris.
With Ricky Williams running well, they seemed to be in control
until midway through the second quarter, when Birkholz's 50-yard
field goal try into the wind was blocked. Defensive end Darryl
Bright picked up the ball and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown
to make the score 10-7.
"The turning point was the blocked field goal," Dykes
said. "That was a 10-point turnaround."
The Sooners had just 57 yards at the half. But they recovered
a poor option pitch by Rob Peters early in the third quarter,
and two plays later Jermaine Fazande scored on a 32-yard run to
give Oklahoma a 14-10 lead. They added two fourth-quarter field
goals, one after another Peters fumble, to make it 20-10.
Fazande, who had run for 80 yards all season, finished with
111 on 22 carries, the second-highest total of his four-year career.
Oklahoma ran him almost exclusively between the tackles and Tech
had a hard time adjusting.
"We thought we could run on them a little bit and make
them tighten up a little bit inside and it worked for us,"
Blake said.
With the score 20-10, Matt Tittle replaced Peters and led a
64-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown by Williams
with 4:16 left. Williams also had receptions of 16 and 29 yards
on the five-play drive.
After forcing Oklahoma to punt, the Red Raiders drove from
their 18 to the Oklahoma 31 but Williams lost a fumble to end
their hopes.
It was Oklahoma's second straight upset of Texas Tech. Last
year, the Sooners went into Lubbock as 20-point underdogs and
won, 32-21, to deny the Red Raiders the Big 12 south division
title.
"Through all the things people have put us through, and
to go out there and work hard every day to show the kind of character
it takes to be a winner, this team has it," senior tight
end Jason Freeman said.
"It didn't show up on win column, but I wouldn't trade
this team for 11-0 right now because of the kind of character
and the kind of people on this team."
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