After falling behind 14-0 midway through the first quarter on back-to-back interceptions by Sooner quarterback Kyler Murray, the Oklahoma offense finally got going, producing touchdown drives on four consecutive possessions. With 4:24 to go in the first half, the Sooners took their first lead in the game, 28-24, capping a seven-play, 99-yard drive on a five-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Carson Meier.
The OU lead was short-lived, however, in a back-and-forth opening half. Texas Tech responded with a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive of its own to regain the lead 31-28 right before the half. Two plays before a one-yard touchdown run by Texas Tech running back Da’Leon Ward, quarterback Alan Bowman took a hard hit short of the Sooner goal line by OU linebacker Curtis Bolton on a play that proved to be very unfortunate for the Red Raiders.