Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel elaborates on emotional victory 31-29 victory over UCF

At the onset of the fourth quarter, Brent Venables called upon the Oklahoma Sooners‘ running game to take them home. Gavin Sawchuk said, “I got you Coach.” Maybe he didn’t, maybe he did, but the play on the field spoke for Sawchuk all the same.

His 30-yard touchdown run and the Oklahoma defense put an upset bid from Gus Malzahn and the UCF Knights on ice (even though they allowed a touchdowns, they stood tall on the two-point conversion), and it was sweet, sweet music to Venables’ ears, even if it wasn’t a pretty game as a whole.

Moreover, quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the Oklahoma offense got off to a slow start on Saturday, following their big victory over the Texas Longhorns and a subsequent bye week, but he ended up accumulating a solid 253 passing yards and three passing touchdowns.

Afterwards, he spoke with ESPN, following achieving a win over his former school that he still has so much respect for in UCF.

“Man, we came out slow and we let them hang in there, but I just loved the way we finished, and with adversity, we found a way to win,” Gabriel said. “UCF’s a damn good football team, as well. Credit to them, playing their butt off, and then us coming out with the win, is the main thing.”

Additionally, Gabriel elaborated on how the Sooners were able to get their run-game working in the fourth quarter, but he didn’t want to reveal too much.

“Slight adjustment,” Gabriel explained. “You know, in the run game … and then just the guys running downhill. You know, they killed it. They played their butts off. Hats off to them, and then of course the o-line, setting the tone upfront.”

What’s next for Oklahoma, UCF

Moreover, Oklahoma will travel to Lawrence, Kansas to take on the Kansas Jayhawks in Week 9. At the moment, ESPN Analytics is giving the Sooners an 89.8% chance at victory in that game. Last season, Oklahoma put up 52 points in a ten-point victory over the Jayhawks, so Kansas will certainly be looking for a measure of revenge.

Meanwhile, UCF will go back home to Orlando, Florida, where the West Virginia Mountaineers will come to town in Week 9. The Knights are being given a 60.2% chance at victory in that one, a game that’ll surely be huge as both teams jockey for position in the Big 12.

Moving forward, it’ll be fascinating to see the parallels between how Oklahoma and UCF finish out 2023, as the Sooners end their time in the Big 12, and the Knights’ journey is only at it’s onset.