Dillon Gabriel joins NCAA career passing yards top 10 as OU football beats West Virginia
NORMAN — Dillon Gabriel got the Sooners back on track.
OU snapped a two-game skid with a 59-20 win over West Virginia on Saturday at Owen Field thanks in large part to Gabriel. The redshirt senior quarterback led the Sooners (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) to victory and moved to 10th in NCAA career passing yards (14,274) in the process.
Here's a look at the win through the numbers:
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Dillon Gabriel runs for two touchdowns in the first quarter
2: West Virginia's CJ Donaldson ran for a 13-yard touchdown to give his team a 7-0 lead with 11 minutes left in the first quarter. After not allowing an offensive touchdown in the first quarter of a game all season, OU has allowed one in each of its last two games.
10: Gabriel ran for a 2-yard touchdown on each of OU's first two drives to give his team a 14-7 lead. He has recorded 10 rushing touchdowns this season, which is a career high and a team high.
4: OU converted on all four of its third-down attempts in the first quarter.
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OU extends its lead in the second quarter
1: Austin Stogner hauled in a 3-yard touchdown pass to give his team a 24-7 lead with 9:06 left until halftime. It marked the senior tight ends' first touchdown of the season and his first with OU since a game against OSU on Nov. 27, 2021.
31: Sophomore wide receiver Jayden Gibson caught a 32-yard touchdown pass to give OU a 31-7 lead with 6:20 left until halftime. It capped off a run of 31 unanswered points by the Sooners, which is their longest during conference play this season.
5: OU scored on each of its first five possessions. It didn't punt until its sixth drive with 1:08 left until halftime.
371: West Virginia entered Saturday allowing an average of 366.8 yards per game, which ranked fourth in the Big 12. OU recorded 371 yards of offense in the first half alone, and it held a 31-14 lead.
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Drake Stoops erupts in the third quarter
60: Gabriel connected with Drake Stoops for a 60-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 38-14 with 13:48 left in the third quarter. It marked the longest reception of Stoops' six-year college career, surpassing a 51-yard catch against Kansas State on Sept. 26, 2020.
1: Reggie Pearson intercepted a pass with 6:27 left in the third quarter. It marked the redshirt senior safety's first interception of the season.
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59: OU scored 59 points against West Virginia. It's the most points the team has scored in conference play since it earned a 62-9 win over Kansas on Nov. 7, 2020.
135: Redshirt freshman running back Gavin Sawchuk ran the ball 22 times for a career-high 135 yards.
164: Stoops caught 10 passes for a career-high 164 yards and three touchdowns.
10: Gabriel has thrown for 14,274 career yards. He now ranks 10th all-time in NCAA career passing yards.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Dillon Gabriel joins NCAA career passing yards top 10 as OU beats WVU
