Dillon Gabriel accounts for 8 TDs as No. 17 Oklahoma crushes West Virginia

Field Level Media|published: Sat 11th November, 23:05 2023

Nov 11, 2023; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Nic Anderson (4) runs with the ball as West Virginia Mountaineers linebacker Ben Cutter (15) defends during the first quarter at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. credits: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Dillon Gabriel threw for a season-high 423 yards and five touchdowns and ran for three more as No. 17 Oklahoma beat West Virginia 59-20 on Saturday in Norman, Okla.

Gabriel's eight combined passing/rushing touchdowns set a school record, besting the previous record of seven set by Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak and kept the Sooners (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) in the hunt for a berth in the Big 12 Championship game with two games remaining, though Oklahoma still doesn't control its destiny.

Gabriel moved into 10th place in NCAA career passing yards, passing Marshall's Rakeem Cato for 11th with his first completion of the second half — a 60-yard touchdown to Drake Stoops and then Hawaii's Colt Brennan with a 12-yard completion to Stoops late in the third quarter.

Stoops finished with 10 catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns. Stoops has set career highs in receiving yards in back-to-back games.

Nic Anderson had four catches for 119 yards and Gavin Sawchuk ran for 135 yards as Oklahoma outgained the Mountaineers 644-330. The Sooners' offensive production was its highest of the season.

West Virginia (6-4, 4-3) had its two-game winning streak snapped.

Garrett Greene was 10-of-27 for 154 yards and two touchdowns for West Virginia.

The Mountaineers got off to a quick start, scoring in just more than a minute to get the game started.

But from there, the Sooners took over.

Oklahoma scored the game's next 31 points to build a comfortable lead by the second quarter.

Gabriel scored the first two touchdowns himself, with a pair of short runs.

While the Sooners' offense heated up, the defense bounced back strong from the initial troubles.

After its first drive, West Virginia didn't record another first down until late in the second quarter, and by the time the Mountaineers did get a first down, the Sooners were up 31-7.

West Virginia stayed in the game until late in the third quarter, when Stoops caught his second of three touchdowns to put the Sooners up 45-20.

—Field Level Media

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