Red-Hot Jalen Hurts Scores 5 Total TDs as Oklahoma Crushes Austin Kendall, WVU

Heisman Trophy contender Jalen Hurts recorded five touchdowns Saturday to help lead the No. 5 Oklahoma Sooners to a 52-14 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers in Big 12 action at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.

Hurts and the Sooners narrowly escaped a challenge from the rival Texas Longhorns with a 34-27 win in last week's Red River Showdown. Saturday's triumph over WVU moved OU to 7-0, with a mostly favorable schedule ahead in the season's second half to bolster the team's College Football Playoff hopes.

The Mountaineers dropped their third straight game since a promising 3-1 start.

Notable Game Stats

QB Jalen Hurts (OU): 16-of-17 passing for 316 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT; 75 rushing yards, 2 TD

QB Austin Kendall (WVU): 15-of-31 passing for 182 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT

RB Kennedy Brooks (OU): 10 carries for 70 yards, 1 TD

RB Jeremiah Hall (OU): 1 catches for 20 yards, 1 TD

WR Charleston Rambo (OU): 4 catches for 71 yards, 1 TD

WR Lee Morris (OU): 2 catches for 57 yards, 1 TD

WR T.J. Simmons (WVU): 6 catches for 74 yards, 2 TD

DL Reese Donahue (WVU): 2 tackles, 1 sack

LB Kenneth Murray (OU): 9 tackles

Hurts, OU Making Strong Case as Nation's Top Offense

Oklahoma was always expected to cruise past West Virginia. Yet it was still impressive to witness the nearly flawless execution on display by its offense, which entered the game ranked first in yardage (621.7 YPG) and third in scoring (50.2 PPG) in the country.

Even with the Mountaineers establishing a fairly effective ball-control attack, the Sooners were able to build a 14-point halftime lead with clinical execution when it had the ball.

After an opening punt, Hurts led OU on four consecutive touchdown drives of at least 57 yards each. He finished the opening half having completed 11 of his 12 throws for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He added 64 rushing yards and a score on the ground before the break.

He's pushed the forefront of a crowded Heisman race alongside the likes of fellow quarterbacks Joe Burrow of the LSU Tigers and Tua Tagovailoa of the Alabama Crimson Tide by sticking within the proven Lincoln Riley system.

That said, his play should be generating more attention from NFL scouts, especially after Saturday where he showcased an effortless deep ball on several occasions. The most notable being a 46-yard touchdown pass to Morris in the third quarter to remove any lingering drama.

Hurts' Heisman case isn't going to receive a significant boost from a blowout win over WVU, but a poor performance would have been a big hit given the large number of players still in contention.

Given the level of ease with which the Sooners offense has been clicking on all cylinders, it's hard to imagine any team being able to keep pace with them during the rest of the Big 12 slate.

If Oklahoma does continue to dominate and the SEC gauntlet causes a setback or two for the likes of Burrow and Tagovailoa, a CFP berth and a Heisman Trophy could both land with the Sooners.

What's Next?

Oklahoma heads out on the road next Saturday to face off with the Kansas State Wildcats. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on ABC.

West Virginia has a bye in Week 9 before facing a second consecutive tough road challenge as it battles the Baylor Bears on Halloween at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.