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Bedlam Memories: Adrian Peterson Spins Oklahoma to Victory

Originally posted on FanNation All Sooners
By John E. Hoover | Last updated 11/3/23

NOTE: This is the fifth in a series of memorable Bedlam matchups between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State leading up to Saturday's game in Stillwater, the last in a rivalry spanning more than 100 years. The AllSooners staff picks its favorite games we either covered or watched live.

No. 1-ranked Oklahoma stayed in the hunt for another return to the BCS National Championship Game, but had to ride the broad shoulders of their star freshman to hang on in Stillwater.

Adrian Peterson rushed for 249 yards, including a ridiculous, spinning, 80-yard touchdown burst midway through the third quarter, and the Sooners needed every inch as they avoided another upset to the 20th-ranked Cowboys, this time 38-35 at Boone Pickens Stadium.

OSU’s Jason Ricks was wide left with a 49-yard field goal in the final seconds to seal the deal.

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Peterson ran for 196 yards in the second half alone, but it was his 80-yard sprint that will live forever in Sooner lore.

He took a toss sweep from reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jason White toward the left sideline, cut upfield into traffic at the line of scrimmage and was grabbed around the waist by 300-pound tackle Xavier Lawson-Kennedy.

But as Peterson pivoted and spun, his momentum was enough to break XLK’s tackle and actually slingshotted him toward the OSU sideline and upfield at full speed.

From there, OSU corner Daniel McLemore — the previous year’s indoor Big 12 Conference 60-meter sprint champion — could only watch and give hopeless chase as Peterson pulled away.

Mark Bradley caught four passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns, including a 72-yard score on a crossing route that he tipped to himself and sprinted untouched into the end zone, tying it at 14-14 in the second quarter.

White was 14-of-26 passing with 221 yards and Bradley’s three TDs.

OU found itself down 14-7 early thanks to two special teams mistakes, but Mark Clayton — who also caught five passes for 48 yards — scored on a 50-yard punt return early in the third quarter to take a 27-14 lead, but the Cowboys stayed within striking distance.

Peterson’s big TD put OU up 35-21 midway through the third quarter, but OSU was far from done.

OSU answered immediately with big plays from Donovan Woods, Vernand Morency and Prentiss Elliott, and Morency cut it to a one-score game with his 2-yard TD.

OU started its next possession at its own 6-yard line as Cowboy fans amped up the volume, but Peterson went 57 yards up the middle on the very next play to silence them.

On third-and-16, White hit Clayton for 14 yards, and on fourth-and-2, Peterson smashed ahead for a 3-yard gain to keep the drive alive. That eventually set up Trey DiCarlo’s 27-yard field goal for a 38-28 lead.

OSU cut it to 38-35 on its next drive as Donovan Woods found brother D’Juan Woods across the middle for a 50-yard completion. Donovan Woods then converted a third-and-1 at the OU 5, and Morency scored from 4 yards out to cut OU’s lead once more to a single touchdown.

The next two Cowboy possessions, however, were fruitless: a three-and-out by the OU defense, and Ricks’ missed field goal.

OU needed a moment of Sooner Magic ahead of the field goal. After Woods picked up a tough third-and-short, Elliott got behind the Oklahoma secondary, and Woods found him. But Woods’ throw was a touch too long, and the ball glanced off Elliott’s hands as Elliott adjusted to his left and stretched out.