Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel (8) runs past Arkansas State’s Charles Willekes to score a touchdown during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023.
College FootballBy Arthur Weinstein on

The No. 20 Oklahoma Sooners hosted Arkansas State in their season opener Saturday, and the game was over well before halftime.

Unfortunately, they kept playing the game, and the final score, 73-0, is one of those crazy scores you always see early in the season when one of college football’s “haves” plays one of the “have-nots.”

Oklahoma is a potential national championship contender, while the Sun Belt Conference Red Wolves have won five games combined in the past two seasons. It was a mismatch on paper — Oklahoma entered as 36-point favorites — and it looked even worse after the dust settled.

Sooners senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel passed for 308 yards and two scores, and ran for another TD, one of Oklahoma’s six rushing touchdowns.

College football fans quickly reacted to the rout, with many asking the obvious question: Why does the NCAA allow these beatdowns to happen?

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

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