Oklahoma football notebook: Sooner defense comes alive in the fourth quarter

Stills had been held out of the end zone for his first two games against Oklahoma State but late in the first half, came up with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Landry Jones to send the game to halftime tied 24-24.

Jones' pass bounced off Cowboys defender Justin Gilbert, hit Stills' facemask, then Stills tipped the ball over his head, turned and made the catch in the end zone.

Late in the first quarter, with the Sooners trailing 14-0, Stills dropped what would've been a touchdown pass on third and goal and the Sooners had to settle for a field goal.

Stills dropped three passes.

“I had a few drops there and that's pretty uncharacteristic for me,” Stills said. “I really wanted a TD after dropping the one earlier.”

Stills, from California, arrived at OU with little concept of the Bedlam rivalry but certainly understands it now.

“Some games, I'm out there talking to guys on the other side and it's friendly,” Still said. “This is not one of those games. There's nothing friendly about it. You know it means a lot to the people around here and it means a lot to us.”

KING WINS KEY AWARD, INJURED

Before Saturday's Bedlam game, Sooners senior defensive lineman David King was presented with the Don Key Award.

The award is presented to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of Key on the field and in the classroom.

The celebration wasn't a long one for King, who injured his leg early in the game and did not return.

Key was a three-year starter for the Sooners until cancer surgery ended his football career in 1981.

The award was established the next year.

King has started every game this season after being a part time starter in each of the two previous years.

King is the first solo award winner since 2009 when Brody Eldridge was given the award.

In 2010, Jeremy Beal and Adrian Taylor split the award. Last year, Ryan Broyles, James Hanna, Travis Lewis and Corey Wilson were given the award.

EXTRA POINTS

Jalen Saunders' punt return for a touchdown gave the Sooners two 80-plus yard put returns on the season. The only other time in Sooners history they accomplished that was in 2002 when Antonio Perkins returned two more than 80 yards. ... The crowd of 85,824 was the second-largest in stadium history. ... Stoops compared the game to the 2010 Big 12 Championship Game against Nebraska where the Sooners fell behind 17-0 before winning 23-20.