QB Landry Jones, No. 10 Sooners get back on track with

By Jeff Latzke, AP
Saturday, September 11, 2010

No. 10 Oklahoma routs No. 17 Florida State 47-10

NORMAN, Okla. — Landry Jones outplayed Christian Ponder by throwing for 380 yards and four touchdowns, and No. 10 Oklahoma moved past a shaky season opener with a 47-17 victory against No. 17 Florida State on Saturday.

A rematch of the 2001 Orange Bowl that brought home the Sooners’ most recent national championship quickly turned into a blowout as Oklahoma (2-0) scored touchdowns on its first four possessions.

Jones did much of his damage with short, swing passes and screens near the line of scrimmage before striking down field for scores. He completed 14 straight passes at one point, starting at the end of the Sooners’ opening drive and continuing past when he’d pushed the lead to 27-7 with his third touchdown pass.

Ponder was just 11 for 28 for 113 yards with interceptions on back-to-back throws in the third quarter for Florida State (1-1).

Promoted as a Heisman Trophy contender by the school, Ponder completed less than half of his passes for the first time since the 2008 season. The Seminoles had four first downs on their opening possession, but picked up only five more over the next 2½ quarters.

Just a week earlier, the Sooners’ secondary had been burned for 314 yards and a handful of big plays while Jones was uneven in a 31-24 win against Utah State.

This week, Ponder came up with only one pass play of over 20 yards while Jones had an efficient day against Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops’ scheme. The game marked the first time Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops had competed against any of his three brothers who are involved in college coaching.

With his mother and sisters in attendance, it ended up being a belated celebration of him turning 50 earlier in the week.

Jones finished 30 for 40 for 380 yards without an interception. His 321 yards by halftime were the second-most in a half in Oklahoma history, behind only 2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford’s 350 in the first half of a 79-10 blowout against North Texas in the 2007 season opener.

Ryan Broyles caught 12 passes for 125 yards and a score. He finished one catch shy of his own school record for receptions in a game.

Jermaine Thomas had a 1-yard touchdown run to finish Florida State’s opening drive, but the Seminoles didn’t score again until Dustin Hopkins’ 52-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Their biggest play of the game came on a E.J. Manuel’s 47-yard touchdown pass to Taiwan Easterling as time expired.

The Sooners’ starters stayed in the game until midway through the fourth quarter, coming out only after freshman running back Brennan Clay was carted off the field after he’d caught a 6-yard pass from Jones.

Jones’ pump-fake freed Broyles for an 18-yard score as Oklahoma went ahead for good late in the first quarter. He then added a 36-yard TD pass to Cameron Kenney, placed just over the outstretched arm of a defender, and a 46-yard score to James Hanna. Hanna, who was wide open, ran right through Greg Reid as he went in for his first career touchdown.

After giving up touchdowns on Oklahoma’s first four possessions, Florida State’s defense finally got back-to-back stops — only to be sent right back onto the field following three-and-outs by the offense.

DeMarco Murray stretched the lead to 34-7 by plowing in for his second 1-yard TD run with 28 seconds left before halftime.

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