Who knew Middle Tennessee was going to cooperate?

A turnover here, a turnover there and whoa, Paul Thompson’s Sooners looked a lot like Jason White’s Sooners. Come to think of it, Paul Thompson looked a lot like Jason White.

And defensively, well, let’s just put it this way.

The Blue Raiders might as well have been the Blue Man Group trying to stage a productive offense even against Oklahoma’s much-maligned defense.

So Middle Tennessee helped.

It helped a lot.

On the other hand, it wasn’t the wind that comes sweeping down the plain that produced OU’s 462 yards from scrimmage, 190 on the ground and 272 through the air.

And it wasn’t some invisible force that held the Blue Raiders to three first downs in the first half and seven for the game, or to 22 yards on the ground and just 73 through the air.

And it wasn’t some nameless and faceless band of young men who torched Middle Tennessee 59-0.

It was OU.

“It was good to play well in all parts of the game and to do it for 60 minutes,” Sooner coach Bob Stoops said.

The Sooners’ domination could not have been any more complete.

They only gained 462 yards because they perpetually received a short field from the Blue Raiders before pulling their playmakers late.

They scored three touchdowns on the ground, three though the air, one on a Reggie Smith punt return and another on Zach Latimer’s interception return.

Latimer’s first collegiate touchdown, he even had the presence of mind to hold the ball up for the crowd as he strode into the end zone.