Oklahoma starts slowly, then routs Tulane

NORMAN, Okla. -- It took Oklahoma awhile to get rolling but the No. 2 Sooners finally did, blowing past Tulane 56-14 on Saturday night at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 331 yards and four touchdowns to continue his hot start.

Through three games, Mayfield is 63 of 82 for 1,046 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions.

Mayfield once again spread the ball out, hitting six different receivers in the game and throwing touchdown passes to three different players.

Freshman CeeDee Lamb had four catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns, including one for 82 yards early in the game to answer Tulane's quick start.

Lamb also added a 22-yard touchdown reception later but was ejected for targeting early in the second quarter for a hit on Green Wave free safety Taris Shenall.

With Lamb out the rest of the way, Marquise Brown became Oklahoma's big-play target. Brown had six catches for 155 yards and a touchdown -- an 87-yard score from backup quarterback Kyler Murray late in the game.

Oklahoma had 631 yards of total offense. The Sooners' 197 rushing yards were their most so far this season.

While the Sooners' offense was once again running on all cylinders, Tulane's spread option gave Oklahoma fits early before the Sooners settled in late in the first half.

The Green Wave's Dontrell Hillard and Johnathan Brantley hurt the Sooners early as Tulane rushed for 184 yards in the first half but managed just 53 yards on the ground in the second half. Hilliard finished as the game's leading rusher with 104 yards.

Oklahoma's defense, after holding Ohio State's offense in check a week earlier, struggled from the start.

The Sooners turned the ball over on their initial drive, and the Green Wave drove 65 yards on eight plays to take the lead.

Tulane grabbed the lead again late in the first quarter after a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

While the Green Wave's two scoring drives were extended, Oklahoma struck quickly with a pair of first-half touchdown catches by Lamb.

Oklahoma didn't go in front, though, until cornerback Parnell Motley jumped in front of Jacob Robertson Jr. and intercepted a pass from Brantley, returning it 77 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Cornerback Jordan Thomas helped Motley finish off the defensive score with a block on Brantley at the Tulane 31.

Brantley finished 5 of 9 for 43 yards.

NOTES: Sooners DT Matt Romar left the game on the third OU defensive play of the game and did not return. Romar was replaced by Marquise Overton and Dillon Faamatau. ... Tulane QB Jonathan Banks, who was injured early in a loss to Navy a week before, did not play. Johnathan Brantley started in his place. ... Oklahoma OG Cody Ford and S Robert Barnes did not play after suffering injuries a week earlier against Ohio State. ... Tulane RB Dontrell Hilliard surpassed the 2,000-yard career rushing mark in the first half. ... The Sooners open Big 12 play next Saturday at Baylor. ... Tulane hosts Army the same day.