Sooners' return to glory derailed by gut-wrenching game in Oregon

OU vs. Oregon

Sooners disagree with review calls

OU wonders: What happened

Scene & heard

THREE QUESTIONS WITH: Oregon's Brian Paysinger

Last three plays

How Oregon saw it: Inside the onside kick

Notebook

Game Balls

Stock report

OU injury report

• When: 6 p.m., Saturday

• Where: Norman

• TV: Pay-per-view

• Radio: KRXO-FM 107.7; KOKC-AM 1520

OU's lead is 33-20 and superfan Toby Keith is in full celebration mode with less than two minutes left. Here's how that lead disappeared in 26 seconds, with the aid of some blown assignments and two huge instant-replay calls.

First, Dennis Dixon steps up in the pocket and converts a third-and-14, finding Jaison Williams all alone at the OU 16.

Then Dixon scrambles untouched into the end zone. The PAT kick pulls the Ducks within 33-27 with 1:12 left.

Did Oregon recover the ensuing onside kick? A TV replay shows OU's Allen Patrick falling on it and walking away from the pile after it squirts through the hands of Oregon's Patrick Chung and the legs of OU's Juaquin Iglesias. That aspect was not reviewed.

Two plays later, OU's Darien Williams is flagged for pass interference on Brian Paysinger near the OU 20.

Paysinger stutter-steps past OU's Nic Harris at the 19 and — with no help for Harris from a safety — is wide open in the end zone to catch Dixon's 23-yard pass to make it 33-33. The point-after kick provides the winning margin.

Turnovers are the biggest play in football. But not Saturday. Oregon committed four turnovers and OU committed none, though it was credited with a lost fumble on the late onside kick.

Rare is the game when a team with a three-turnover deficit wins.

Oregon overcame it with sheer offensive prowess. The Ducks finished with 26 first downs and 501 total yards.

By Berry Tramel

As expected, OU made changes in the secondary. Lendy Holmes replaced D.J. Wolfe at cornerback and Jason Carter replaced Keenan Clayton at strong safety.

Marcus Walker also saw plenty of action at cornerback. Wolfe played only on special teams.

Also, Ian Pleasant started at fullback, replacing the injured Matt Clapp.

By George Schroeder and Blake Jackson