The Oklahoma Sooners may have found something in the second half with their offensive line. Bill Bedenbaugh's group has been central to the discussion about why things haven't gone as planned so far this season.
Oklahoma ranks No. 133 in rushing offense at just 95.8 yards per game. That number dropped after the Sooners rushed for just 83 yards on Saturday. However, the second half brought some excitement. Oklahoma ran for over 80 yards in the half. It also busted off its longest run of the season when Lloyd Avant carried it for 42 yards. He finished with 10 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown, for 7.2 yards per carry.
Texas also had only three sacks, one of which was an intentional grounding call on quarterback John Mateer. He also held the ball
too long, allowing Colin Simmons to sack him on a different play. Overall, Mateer thought the line performed strongly.
"They did a great job," Mateer said via Sooners Illustrated. " They really persevered and did really good in some huge moments. I'm proud of them. You can see it in the work. They had a great bye week and a great week last week. They came out and did it again (Monday)."
The second-half surge could be an important building block for an Oklahoma offense that has struggled to establish a consistent ground game. Avant's breakout run showed what the Sooners can do when the offensive line creates space, while improved protection gave Mateer more chances to make plays in key moments. One strong half won't solve every issue, but it offers the group something tangible to build on heading into the next game.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma's offensive line is building momentum after win over Texas
