Tag: 2023 week 2

Danny Stutsman named Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week in win over SMU

After an incredible performance against the SMU Mustangs Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman earned the Walter Camp National Player of the Week Award.

The Oklahoma Sooners put together a strong defensive performance on Saturday evening against and SMU team that hadn’t been held to 11 points or fewer since the end of the 2017 season.

Making his mark on the game all night long was junior linebacker Danny Stutsman. Stutsman, who led the Big 12 in tackles in 2022, is off to another blistering start in the 2023 season. In the Sooners 28-11 win over SMU, he logged 17 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a quarterback hit, and recovered Key Lawrence’s forced fumble.

Stutsman earned the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week award for his efforts.

It’s the first time a Sooners defender has won the award since Kenneth Murray did in 2018, and marks the 11th time it’s gone to Oklahoma since 2004.

On a night when the Sooners offense seemed to take a conservative approach, Danny Stutsman and the defense played a great game to shut down a promising SMU Mustangs offense. In Brent Venables words, Stutsman was “all over the field.”

At the heart of Oklahoma’s defensive development is Danny Stutsman. And as Stutsman goes, so will the Oklahoma Sooners defense.

Here’s a look at the best photos from the Oklahoma Sooners 28-11 win over the SMU Mustangs.

Oklahoma Sooners continue to climb in US LBM Coaches Poll after win over SMU

After the Oklahoma Sooners win over SMU, the Sooners moved up to No. 16 in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll.

The Oklahoma Sooners moved to 2-0 on the season with their 28-11 win over the SMU Mustangs. The win helped Oklahoma climb one spot to No. 16 in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll.

The 11 points allowed by the Sooners defense are the fewest the Mustangs have scored in a game since a 51-10 loss to Louisiana Tech in the Frisco Bowl at the end of the 2017 season. That’s more than 60 games of offensive proficiency.

Perhaps times are changing in Norman as Brent Venables and Ted Roof rebuild a defense that struggled during the Lincoln Riley era.

The Sooners are the third-highest ranked Big 12 team behind the Texas Longhorns at No. 6 and the Kansas State Wildcats at No. 15, one spot ahead of Oklahoma.

Texas is coming off arguably its biggest win in the last decade, a 10-point victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa. If you’re asking if Texas is back, the answer just might be yes.

The Georgia Bulldogs remained the No. 1 team in the nation after a 45-3 win over Ball State. The Dawgs earned 64 of the 65 first-place votes issued by the coaches.

The Michigan Wolverines were the only other team to receive a first-place vote this week. They come in at No. 2. They’re followed by Florida State, Ohio State and USC to round out the top five.

After Texas at No. 6 are Penn State, Washington, Tennessee and the Crimson Tide.

The road back to the College Football Playoff just grew far more difficult for Nick Saban and the Tide. The loss means they will likely have to run the table to be considered for one of the top four spots in the postseason. It’s certainly doable but not an easy task.

Colorado, Duke and Miami also saw decent climbs in the poll after wins. The Buffaloes picked up another solid win over Matt Rhule’s Nebraska Cornhuskers. Miami beat Texas A&M in a 48-33 shootout.

For the Sooners, it’s still early in the season, giving them a lot of time to make a climb. As long as they keep winning, we could be looking at a top-15 matchup between OU and Texas in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas for the Red River Rivalry game. As if the best rivalry game in the country didn’t need any more juice to it.

A look at the full US LBM Coaches Poll:

Rank Team Record Points Change
1 Georgia 2-0 1624 (64) –
2 Michigan 2-0 1533 (1) –
3 Florida State 2-0 1441 +2
4 Ohio State 2-0 1401 –
5 Southern California 3-0 1319 +1
6 Texas 2-0 1318 +4
7 Penn State 2-0 1229 –
8 Washington 2-0 1129 –
9 Tennessee 2-0 1039 –
10 Alabama 1-1 1016 -7
11 Notre Dame 3-0 1004 –
12 Utah 2-0 893 –
13 Oregon 2-0 870 –
14 Louisiana State 1-1 714 –
15 Kansas State 2-0 675 –
16 Oklahoma 2-0 584 +1
17 Oregon State 2-0 562 +1
18 North Carolina 2-0 506 -2
19 Ole Miss 2-0 503 +1
20 Duke 2-0 363 +4
21 Colorado 2-0 357 +4
22 Clemson 1-1 207 -1
23 Miami 2-0 195 NR
24 Iowa 2-0 166 NR
25 UCLA 2-0 101 NR

Schools Dropped Out

No.19 Wisconsin,  No. 22 Tulane, No. 23 Texas A&M

Others Receiving Votes

Washington State 80; Kentucky 38; Texas Christian 26; Auburn 23; Texas A&M 21; Fresno State 21; Kansas 17; Tulane 16; Missouri 14; Maryland 14; Wake Forest 13; Oklahoma State 12; Central Florida 11; Arkansas 10; Syracuse 9; Cincinnati 8; Wisconsin 7; Mississippi State 7; Wyoming 6; Minnesota 6; Air Force 5; South Carolina 3; Memphis 3; Louisville 3; James Madison 2; Michigan State 1.

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Is Texas back after rolling the Tide? Big 12 power rankings after Week 2

Texas Longhorns beat Alabama Crimson Tide and Big 12 goes 1-2 vs. Pac-12. Who’s on the move in this week’s Big 12 Power Rankings?

Week 2 had several fantastic matchups. Three Big 12 teams played Pac-12 opponents. The Texas Longhorns provided an SEC preview in its win over Alabama.

Big 12 teams matched up with the Pac-12, Big Ten, ACC and SEC on Saturday, providing an intriguing group of games for fans to dive into. The conference went 10-4.

Here are this week’s Big 12 power rankings after Week 2.

 

5 takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners win over SMU Mustangs

From Danny Stutsman to Tawee Walker, here are five takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners 28-11 win over the SMU Mustangs.

“Just win, baby.” The words made famous by long-time Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, remind us the most important thing a football team can accomplish on Saturdays is going home with a W.

And that’s what the Oklahoma Sooners did.

The offensive performance may not have met expectations, but the defense certainly stood strongly, allowing the Sooners’ offense to do enough.

In the end, the Sooners won a tough football game in which the defense was relied upon to make plays and stand strong long enough for the offense to find its rhythm in the fourth quarter and put the game away.

The Sooners played a complete game in Week 2. Here are five takeaways from the win over SMU:

5 final thoughts on the Oklahoma Sooners’ matchup with the SMU Mustangs

With kickoff approaching here are a few final thoughts on the Oklahoma Sooners week 2 matchup with the SMU Mustangs.

The Oklahoma Sooners look to move to 2-0 on the season as they host the SMU Mustangs at 5 p.m. CT in Norman.

The Sooners welcome an SMU team that’ll join the ACC for the 2024 season. The Mustangs want to improve to 2-0 on the season as well and show they belong at the Power Five level.

The Mustangs have a good group of players on offense that can create problems for Oklahoma. Sooners’ Wire’s Bryant Crews did a deep dive on five Mustangs to know ahead of tonight’s contest.

Bryant also took a look at three Sooners to watch on offense and defense for week two as well as his three keys to a Sooners win on offense and defense.

Jaron Spor broke down the point spread and betting lines ahead of this week’s matchup. Make sure to check out our Sooners Wire staff predictions in addition to John Williams’ Big 12 predictions for Week 2.

With kickoff hours away, here are a few final thoughts on the Oklahoma Sooners Week 2 showdown with the SMU Mustangs.

Oklahoma vs. SMU among College Sports Wire’s top 5 Big 12 matchups in Week 2

The Sooners matchup against the Mustangs is flying under the radar but College Sports Wire doesn’t think it should be.

The eyes of the nation will almost assuredly be on the contest between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other really good games in the conference this weekend.

One of those matchups is the one happening in Norman between the Oklahoma Sooners and the [autotag]SMU Mustangs[/autotag]. College Sports Wire’s Patrick Conn ranks the Saturday evening showdown as the third-best matchup of Week 2.

The Sooners will get tested this week against the SMU Mustangs. On defense, Oklahoma will have to deal with a quarterback that can throw it all over the field. Their main issue will likely be Jordan Hudson, who transferred over from TCU during the offseason. Dillon Gabriel and the offense can get a better idea of any dropoff from last year’s unit that scored 32.8 points per game. – Patrick Conn, College Sports Wire

There is no doubt the Sooners will get tested this weekend. SMU has one of the best offenses the Sooners will face all season long. The Mustangs will attack a Sooners secondary that many think is much improved.

Offensively Oklahoma should have success, but SMU did have six sacks a week ago.

The Sooners hold an all-time series lead of 5-1-1. You can watch the game this Saturday at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+. If you need help figuring out how to get that to work, let your friends within the football team help you out.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

No. 17 Oklahoma Sooners vs SMU Mustangs: How to Watch, key players, weather forecast for gameday

How to Watch, key players, weather forecast for Oklahoma’s Saturday evening matchup with the SMU Mustangs.

The Oklahoma Sooners are set to take on the SMU Mustangs in Norman at Gaylor Family Memorial Stadium. The Sooners are fresh off a 73-0 win, and SMU is coming off of a 38-14 win.

SMU brings a high-powered offense to Norman and one of the best offenses Oklahoma will see all season. It totaled 457 yards of offense in its opener and is a team not afraid to go for it on fourth down. SMU converted three of four fourth downs.

The Sooners’ run defense which wasn’t tested last week, will be this week. The Mustangs ran for 209 yards on 5.1 yards per carry.

Offensively the Sooners’ pass blocking will be tested as well. SMU had six sacks last week and 11 tackles for loss. It should be a good matchup to see how much improvement Oklahoma has truly made this offseason on both sides of the ball.

Without further adieu, let’s talk about how you can watch the game, the key players to look out for, and if you are going to the game, what the weather is going to be like.

3 defensive keys to a Sooners win against the SMU Mustangs

Oklahoma’s defense will have a talented offense to stop come Saturday. Take a look at three keys for the defense to be successful vs. SMU.

Saturday evening in Norman should provide the Oklahoma Sooners with a mini benchmark to test their defense’s off-season improvements. Instead of a defunct and rebuilding Arkansas State team, their defense will have to take on an SMU team with playmakers at every skill position and a veteran offensive line.

It won’t be a walk in the park, and Oklahoma’s defense knows this because their head coach knows this. Earlier this week, Brent Venables addressed the media and had this to say.

“The challenge is going to be greater this week for obvious reasons,” Venables said. “You’re looking at a team that’s probably got more depth and certainly got more experience. Arkansas State was a very young team. (SMU) has 15 seniors starting between the offense and the defense. That’s a bunch of seniors.”

SMU’s offense has multiple playmakers capable of giving Oklahoma problems. Still, the Sooners’ team speed and their improvement in overall talent can shine through if they play smart.

There are a handful of things Oklahoma can’t allow to happen if they want to win this game. Here are three defensive keys to a Sooners win Saturday night in Norman.

Up Next: 3 Keys to the Game

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No. 17 Oklahoma Sooners vs. SMU Mustangs: Sooners Wire staff predictions

Sooners Wire Staff Predictions for the Oklahoma Sooners week 2 matchup with the SMU Mustangs.

Week two is upon us, which provides another opportunity for the No. 17 Oklahoma Sooners to show what they’re working with in 2023.

It was a strong opening week for Oklahoma, who put up 73 points in a shutout win over Arkansas State. SMU also had a good performance against Louisiana Tech to open the season 1-0.

In Oklahoma’s first big challenge of the season, what can we expect from the Sooners when they host the SMU Mustangs on Saturday night at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

Here are this week’s staff predictions from here at Sooners Wire.

Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

I think Oklahoma’s offense should have its way with SMU’s defense. But the offensive line will be tested. SMU had six sacks a week ago. Defensively the Sooners face one of the better offenses they’ll face all year.

If Oklahoma can hold them in the 20s, it’s a good performance. But if you hold them under 20, it’s a great one.

Oklahoma 48, SMU 24

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Up Next: More Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

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‘It felt surreal’: Peyton Bowen makes impact in front of Sooners faithful, expects challenge vs. SMU

The first game for the Sooners saw a lot of players get their first action including five-star Peyton Bowen.

The [autotag]Oklahoma Sooners[/autotag] are just a few days off from their blowout win versus the [autotag]Arkansas State Red Wolves[/autotag]. During that game, 87 players earned snaps.

One of those players was highly-touted freshman [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag]. Bowen looked solid. He finished second on the team with three tackles. He showed quick instincts and power once he arrived at the ball.

Bowen told reporters it was great to get game one under his belt.

“It felt surreal,” Bowen said. “The whole Walk of Champions, running out of the tunnel, all of it felt crazy. All in all it kind of felt smooth. I didn’t feel like any of that nervousness. It just felt like it was just football, the game I love.”

You could tell he looked comfortable when he was in the game. He played early, rotating with the starters, which shows the staff expects him to make an immediate impact this season.

While the Arkansas State win was nice, Bowen said the [autotag]SMU Mustangs[/autotag] bring their own challenge.

“Really explosive,” Bowen said. “They have fast receivers. They recruited great in the transfer portal, so they’ve got guys like Miami (Hurricanes) transfer running back (Jaylon) Knighton. Their receivers are fast and twitchy. They can make plays. They’re going to take shots. They’re going to give us 50/50 balls, but in my eyes, we’ve got to make those plays.”

This upcoming game will be a challenge for Oklahoma. It’s also the first big test for the defense in 2023. SMU brings in one of the best offenses the Oklahoma Sooners will see all year.

With everything Peyton Bowen’s done since arriving in Norman, he looks more than up for the challenge.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.