Oklahoma football: Brennan Clay takes a seven-minute journey of jubilation

Before 2012, Clay was a backup, and not a productive one. He watched as a walk-on and then a freshman steal the spotlight after a neck-injury hampered him.

A month ago, he sat in frustration at the end of the Notre Dame game, blaming himself and his two dropped passes for the loss.

Since his breakthrough performance at Iowa State, he's become a fixture on Oklahoma's offense. Saturday night, he carved out his place in the program's history.

This was Bedlam 2012 — a 51-48 Oklahoma victory — and the gathering at the back of the south end zone was just the start of Clay's nearly seven-minute journey of jubilation around Owen Field.

It's a journey he'd never made.

As the celebration moved across the field, Clay became a loner. He walked across midfield as the marching band struck up the fight song. Three television cameras followed.

Seniors threw their arms around him. Former players shook his hand. Freshmen jumped on his back, and a group of Oklahoma fans stood together with their pointer fingers directed at the star from San Diego.

As he walked, he slowly soaked in all the cheering, the high fives, the people reaching for a touch of the one who had just sealed Bedlam history for the Sooners. Because of Clay's touchdown, he gave OU a win in the first Bedlam game to go past regulation time.

“That's how you do it,” safety Javon Harris yelled as he embraced Clay. “That's how you do it, man.”

Clay paused for pictures before slowly, aimlessly starting to walk again. Cheerleaders patted him on the back and told him good job. Photographers ran up and snapped photos. Even the mascot had to get a hand on the running back.