Oklahoma Sooners: 10 Things We Learned from Sooners' Victory over Cowboys

Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 51-48 in overtime to win the Battle of Bedlam.
Richard Rowe-US PRESSWIRE

The Oklahoma Sooners needed overtime to take down their in-state rivals, the Oklahoma State Cowboys by a final score of 51-48. 

Landry Jones followed up his clutch performance against West Virginia with a 500-yard game against the Cowboys.

Oklahoma never led until Brennan Clay's game-winning touchdown run, and the Battle of Bedlam lived up to the anticipation.

Let's take a look at 10 things we learned from Oklahoma's win over Oklahoma State.

Sooners Need to Improve Their Red-Zone Offense

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The Sooners put up 51 points against the Cowboys, but they had their share of struggles scoring inside the red zone.

Oklahoma only scored in three of its first six possessions from inside the 20-yard line. Kicker Michael Hunnicutt missed an easy 32-yard field goal after an impressive opening drive for the Sooners.

Finishing drives are vital to success in college football.

Sooners Must Improve Their Red-Zone Defense

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The Sooners allowed the Cowboys to score on all five of their possessions inside the red zone.

OSU's Joseph Randle scored four touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line, and Oklahoma had no answer for the Cowboys' red-zone attack.

Clint Chelf Is No Ordinary Backup

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Clint Chelf did a solid job managing the game for the Cowboys and had his team in excellent position to win the football game.

Chelf finished 19-of-37 for 253 yards and a touchdown along with 63 yards on the ground.

The junior made his first road start of his collegiate career in the most hostile of environments and had a solid game for the Cowboys.

Oklahoma Must Continue to Play Disciplined Football

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Most teams have a hard time keeping their composure when facing a rival. The Oklahoma Sooners did an exceptional job by only being flagged three times for a total 15 yards throughout the entire game.

Nothing frustrates a head coach more than stupid penalties that kill drives for themselves or extend drives for the opposition.

Oklahoma Can Never Be Counted Out

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Just like they did against West Virginia last week, the Sooners used the entire game (and then some) to get the victory over Oklahoma State.

The only time Oklahoma had the lead was when Brennan Clay scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime.

Oklahoma State deserves credit for keeping the Sooners down the entire game at home, but Oklahoma deserves even more credit for overcoming an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit to get the win.

Third Down Continues to Be a Strong Suit

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Third-down conversions is one of the most important stats in football.

It shows how teams can handle the pressure of converting when it matters most.

The Sooners converted 10 of 19 third downs against Oklahoma State and continue to be one of the most efficient teams in the nation in third-down conversions.

The Defense Must Get Better

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The Oklahoma defense has given up over 43 points a game, and continues to struggle against well-rounded offenses.

The Sooners have given up nearly 1,700 yards over their last three games. That's not very good at all.

For as good as Oklahoma's offense has been, its defense has been extremely disappointing.

Landry Jones Is a Machine

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Oklahoma's senior quarterback threw for 500 yards and three touchdowns while completing 46 of 71 passes against the Cowboys.

Jones passed Graham Harrell for most yards all time in the Big 12 and still has a couple more games to extend his record.

It's rare to see a team succeed when its quarterback throws an insurmountable amount of passes like that, but it's easier for the Sooners since they excel in the no-huddle offense.

Jones has also been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation by completing 67 percent of his passes on the season.

Sooners Must Continue to Dominate the Game

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Oklahoma ran a ridiculous 103 total plays against Oklahoma State.

One hundred and three. Think about that.

The Sooners' no-huddle offense had the Cowboys defense struggling all game long and allowed them to run 22 more plays than their counterparts.

The time of possession was nearly identical, but Oklahoma's ability to control the offensive tempo allowed them to tire out the Oklahoma State defense.

Kenny Stills Is a Reliable Target

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Kenny Stills had one of his best games of the season in the Battle of Bedlam, as he finished with nine catches for 103 yards and a touchdown.

He didn't score four times like he did last week, but he had nearly as many catches against Oklahoma State as he did against West Virginia.

Stills has 19 catches in his last two games and gives Landry Jones a solid option to work with deep down the field.