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WATCH: Odd rule on defensive penalty stops long Oklahoma touchdown

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•12/29/21•

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Mario Williams had a 33-yard touchdown for Oklahoma in the second quarter of the Alamo Bowl. Well, until he didn’t.

After catching the pass from Caleb Williams, Williams’ helmet was ripped off by an Oregon defender. By rule, if a player’s helmet comes off, the ball is dead.

So even though Williams took it to the house, the touchdown was wiped away because he lost his helmet. The officials called a face mask on the Ducks, and the Sooners had the ball at the 14-yard line after the penalty.

But instead of getting the touchdown, Oklahoma settled for a field goal to extend its lead to 9-3 over Oregon. A Sooners holding penalty took the ball back to the 24-yard line, and they got one more yard from there.

Oklahoma started the game with a three-and-out on its first drive but got the ball right back on an Anthony Brown interception. That set up a nine-play, 54-yard touchdown drive, capped off by a 16-yard run by Kennedy Brooks to put the Sooners ahead 6-0. They missed the extra point, though.

The Sooners defense did its job on the ensuing drive, forcing a three-and-out to get the ball right back. That’s when Brooks rattled off a 40-yard run to put Oklahoma deep in Oregon territory before Williams found Drake Stoops for a 6-yard touchdown. That put the Sooners on top 16-3 with 10:29 to play in the first half.

Both teams are being led by interim coaches in their lone game on the sidelines. Bryan McClendon is Oregon’s interim head coach before Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning takes over after the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma legend Bob Stoops is back in the interim before Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables takes over. Venables worked under Stoops at OU from 1999-2011 before moving on to Clemson from 2012-21.