NORMAN, Okla. — New Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts passed for three touchdowns and ran for three more, and the fourth-ranked Sooners rolled past Houston 49-31 on Sunday night.

It was Hurts’ first game for Oklahoma since he transferred from Alabama. He put on a show as his predecessor, 2018 Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray, watched. He posted 508 total yards, the fifth-most in school history.

It wasn’t enough for him.

“I’ve got to go talk to my boys,” he said. “We’ve got to get right. We’ve got to get better.”

Hurts had a nearly flawless first half. He completed 13 of 15 passes for 174 yards and rushed 11 times for 128 yards to help the Sooners lead 21-10 at the break.

Overall, the Sooners gained 686 total yards. Hurts completed 20 of 23 passes for 332 and ran for 176 yards on 16 carries.

Charleston Rambo caught three passes for 105 yards and a touchdown and Trey Sermon ran for 91 yards for Oklahoma.

Oklahoma’s defense was sharp too, constantly pressuring Houston quarterback D’Eriq King and limiting him to 87 yards passing in the first half. King, one of the nation’s top quarterbacks last season, finished with just 167 yards passing in former West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen’s debut for the Cougars.

Houston gained 408 total yards. Though King did rush for 103 yards, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley felt the Sooners kept the Cougars under control.

“I thought our defense flew around, was extremely active, extremely disruptive for the majority of the game,” Riley said.

Houston never fully recovered from its rough start.

“We kept fighting,” Holgorsen said. “I was proud of them. We kept fighting. I thought we were a little wide eyed early.”