OU football: OU must contain Manziel in second half to win Cotton Bowl
Stat of the half:
Thirty. Senior quarterback Landry Jones threw the ball 30 times in the first half.
Player of the half:
Jones went 23-of-30 for 176 yards, a touchdown and an interception, besting his stat line from last year’s Insight Bowl against Iowa — 16-of-25 for 161 yards, a touchdown and an interception — in the first half.
What’s working for the Sooners:
Throwing the football. OU has been slinging it all over the field, spreading the ball to eight different receivers and running quick-hitting plays to neutralize the Aggies’ fierce pass rush.
What’s not working for the Sooners:
The one thing everyone agreed OU would need to do to beat Texas A&M: slow down freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel. The Heisman Trophy winner rushed for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first half, carrying the ball only seven times with a long of 44 yards.
What the Sooners need to do to win:
Continue to control the clock offensively and try to contain Manziel. The Sooners did a great job of the first part during the first half, but struggled mightily with the second. If the Sooners hope to end the season on a high note by giving coach Bob Stoops his 10th 11-win season — and first since 2008 — they’ll have to find a way to slow down Johnny Football.
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