Oklahoma was quizzed for a week about how it would cope with the loss of Adrian Peterson. Saturday night it provided an answer: Dominate defensively.

The 20th-ranked Sooners dominated from the opening kick in a 24-3 victory over the Buffs at frigid and wind-swept Owen Field.

Just about all of the 84,443 in attendance were waiting with bated breath to see how the Sooners would respond to their latest hit of adversity.

“We knew we had to step it up,” OU linebacker Zach Latimer said. “Any time a player goes down, guys have to step it up to overcome it.”

Step it up they did.

Colorado (1-7, 1-3 Big 12) only had five first downs and a paltry 113 yards of total offense. The performance had all the makings of a shutout. The only thing that prevented it was Mason Crosby’s 39-yard, third-quarter field goal.

OU coach Bob Stoops has been critical of the unit the entire year, but he was happy Saturday night..

“I was really pleased how they played the entire night,” he said of the defense. “Very solid in our position, adjusting, being physical in tackling and containing the quarterback as well.”

Colorado quarterback Bernard Jackson had the type of night that can lead to visits with a psychiatrist. He was just 3-for-14 for 39 yards. He was also picked off once by Latimer.

Jackson was never sacked, but he spent the entire night on the run.

“We didn’t expect them to blitz as much as they did,” Jackson said. “It kind of threw us off a little bit.”

Because of it, the Buffaloes were as one dimensional as they could be and the Sooners teed off on the other dimension.

“We knew coming in that Colorado is a team that likes to run the ball,” said OU linebacker Rufus Alexander, who had 11 tackles. “They do it on almost every single play, so we knew it was to be physical.”

The wind didn’t help matters.

The Sooners had problems throwing the ball as well. Paul Thompson was just 17-for-26 for a season-low 105 yards.