Jackson Arnold – Page 11 – Syndication Server

Predictions for No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners vs. Houston Cougars

Sooners Wire staff predicts this week’s matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Houston Cougars.

The No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners welcome the Houston Cougars (0-1) to Norman for a Saturday evening affair. The Sooners lead the all-time series, 3-1, with their most recent win coming in 2019 in Jalen Hurts’ debut.

Since that meeting, both teams have changed coaches and conferences. However, Saturday night will make for an intriguing nonconference affair inside Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

The Cougars are coming off a disappointing 20-point loss to UNLV, while the Sooners beat Temple by 48. Oklahoma’s offense ranks 23rd in points per game at the Football Bowl Subdivison level, and Houston is sitting at No. 124 after Week 1.

However, the Sooners are likely to see a better team this Saturday night than the one that lost in Week 1. How will the game turn out, our team here at Sooners Wire predicts Oklahoma vs. Houston.

Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

Week 2 has arrived in Norman, and after the Sooners dispatched the Temple Owls with little resistance, they turn the page and continue to gear up for their inaugural conference schedule in the SEC.

In front of them this week at Owen Field is the Houston Cougars. Houston lost key pieces this offseason with Patrick Paul heading to the NFL and Matthew Golden transferring to the Texas Longhorns. Houston also lost convincingly to UNLV, so morale was depleted to start the season. I expect a better effort from them this week, but it will not matter.

Here’s why.

This Oklahoma team is bigger, stronger, faster and better. Improved health should help the stability and overall production of the offensive live that struggled against Temple. Bounce-back performances from some depth receivers will help the Sooners look more explosive this week.

Jackson Arnold throws for another three touchdowns, Jovantae Barnes touches pay dirt for the first time this year, and I think the Sooners’ defense forces Cougars QB Donovan Smith into a couple of turnovers. The Sooners improve from their dreadful 1 of 12 performance on third down and get closer to 45%.

Oklahoma 49, Houston 17

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3 keys to an Oklahoma Sooners victory over the Houston Cougars

The Oklahoma Sooners have a underrated challenge coming to town and here are three keys for their matchup with the Houston Cougars.

Brent Venables and his team are putting the finishing touches on preparation for their second game of the 2024 season. After a 48-point win over Temple, OU readies to host the Big 12’s Houston Cougars.

The Cougars are the first Big 12 team Oklahoma will face since moving to the SEC. The two teams have played twice in the last decade, with each side picking up a win.

In Week 1, Oklahoma struggled on third down, going 1 of 12. The defense, however, suffocated the Owls. Offensive line play was a focus of much post-game angst, and rightfully so. The Sooners struggled to run the ball, and the depth at receiver was called into action. Most probably weren’t expected to contribute in 2024, but injuries have forced Emmett Jones’s hand.

Willie Fritz left Tulane to take the job at Houston, and his team will be ready to play after a disappointing performance against UNLV.

Oklahoma should win the game convincingly, but the Sooners can’t get caught napping or the action could get weird quickly.

Below, we compiled our three keys to a Sooners victory.

Establish the line of scrimmage

This is a direct message to Bill Bedenbaugh and his offensive line. The big boys up front have been in a battle all offseason to decide who would earn snaps. As the games go by, the Sooners need to put their five best out there so they can jell.

Projected starter at right tackle Jake Taylor looks ready to suit up. Though we haven’t yet seen what Taylor’s capable of as a starting offensive lineman at the collegiate level, with a four-star pedigree, there are high hopes for the 2022 signee.

The Sooners need to come out and let the Cougars know that whatever ideas and inspiration they might have gleaned from the film against Temple will not work. The running game should pop much more often than it did in the first half of their week one win.

Up Next: 2 More Keys to Victory

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Oklahoma Sooners have to improve efficiency per Saturday Down South

The Oklahoma Sooners have to improve their work on third downs when they face the Houston Cougars.

The Oklahoma Sooners will play their first game against a fellow Power Four opponent this season, when they host the Houston Cougars on Saturday night. It’s also the only Power Four opponent outside of the [autotag]Southeastern Conference[/autotag] that OU will see in 2024.

The Cougars are in their second season in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] and are also the only new member of the conference that OU didn’t play in 2023. As the Sooners enter their first year in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], Houston is far from the most daunting opponent on the schedule. The Cougars fell at the hands of UNLV by a score of 27-7 last week, while Oklahoma defeated Temple 51-3. That being said, anything can happen in college football and OU needs to improve in a couple of areas as league play approaches.

Saturday Down South staff writer Connor O’Gara gave his early thoughts on each SEC matchup as we head into the second week of the season. Oklahoma vs. Houston is far from the most notable matchup on the docket, but there will be a few things to watch for.

Oklahoma’s first-team offense was 0-for-10 on 3rd down in the blowout win against Temple. That was the bizarre stat of the night for a Sooners offense that showed promise with [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], but left plenty of opportunities on the board. A depleted group of receivers could’ve played a part in that, but against a defensive-minded coach in Willie Fritz, Oklahoma isn’t guaranteed to figure that out just because the Cougars couldn’t stop UNLV. Oklahoma OC [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] would like to find that identity before the gauntlet really begins. – O’Gara, Saturday Down South

Converting on third downs is something that Oklahoma will have to improve before conference games begin. However, Saturday’s game against Houston is another solid opportunity before tougher opponents come to town.

First-year head coach Willie Fritz is an excellent coach who has moved up a level in competition from Tulane to Houston. Though he doesn’t have the highest level of overall talent on his roster yet, he’ll still be an intriguing matchup of wits on third downs against Seth Littrell.

Oklahoma and head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] didn’t get many breaks when it came to the SEC schedule in 2024. However, one break they do get is that their first big-time game isn’t until week four on September 21st. Having three non-conference games to break in new starters and new coordinators before Tennessee comes knocking is a situation that the Sooners need to take advantage of. That began on Friday against Temple, in a game that showed what OU needs to improve. It needs to continue on Saturday against Houston, beginning with an improved conversion rate on third downs from the offensive starters.

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Last time Oklahoma faced Houston, there were plenty of fireworks

The Oklahoma Sooners and Houston Cougars have played twice in the last decade. Can the Sooners get a win this Saturday night?

The Oklahoma Sooners will look to improve to 2-0 on the 2024 season when they host the Houston Cougars on Saturday night. The two programs have faced off twice in the last decade, splitting the matchups, but this time around is a little different. Oklahoma is in their first season as a member of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], while Houston, previously of the AAC, enters Year 2 in the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag].

Back in 2016, the No. 15 Cougars upset the third-ranked Sooners in the Advocare Texas Kickoff game by a score of 33-23. The game was played at NRG Stadium in Houston. Though OU lost the season opener to fall to 0-1, the Sooners would bounce back with an 11-2 season, winning the Big 12 and the Sugar Bowl in [autotag]Bob Stoops[/autotag]’ final year at the helm.

But the most recent matchup between these teams came just five years ago. Opening the 2019 season on a Sunday night at home, the No. 4 Sooners defeated the Cougars by a score of 49-31. The game marked the debut of [autotag]Jalen Hurts[/autotag] in Norman, as he broke onto the scene in a big way.

Hurts completed 20 of 23 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns. He added 176 yards rushing on 16 carries and three more touchdowns on the ground. It was the beginning of an excellent season that ended with Hurts as the [autotag]Heisman Trophy[/autotag] runner-up. A performance like that from current OU starter, [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag], would certainly thrill Sooner fans everywhere and answer a few questions about the Oklahoma offense.

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Oklahoma would finish 12-2, win the Big 12, and make a trip to the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag], all beginning with that win over Houston.

The third matchup between the Sooners and the Cougars since 2016 will also feature the third different matchup of head coaches. Bob Stoops faced Tom Herman in 2016, [autotag]Lincoln Riley[/autotag] faced Dana Holgerson in 2019 and [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] will face Willie Fritz in 2024.

Oklahoma will kick things off against Houston at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday in Norman.

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Where does Oklahoma land in CBS Sports’ latest power rankings?

Despite a 48-point win over Temple, the Oklahoma Sooners dropped in CBS Sports updated power rankings.

The Oklahoma Sooners won their first game as a member of the [autotag]Southeastern Conference[/autotag] on Friday night, defeating the Temple Owls, 51-3. It was one of many big wins by the top programs in college football in Week 1.

CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello released his power rankings as we head into Week 2, and his list included plenty of movement.

Despite the sound victory, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team dropped six spots to land at No. 16 on the list. Here’s what Marcello had to say about OU’s place in the rankings.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]’s debut was a success. He threw four touchdowns in the first half against Temple, picking up where [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] left off last season. The Sooners have scored 50-plus points in six games since last season, the most in the FBS. – Marcello, CBS Sports

Understandably, there were more impressive wins than Oklahoma’s across the world of college football, but the Sooners did nothing to drop from their initial spot at No. 10. Instead, several teams with statement-making wins in Week 1 jumped OU in the rankings.

But there’s no need to worry. Oklahoma will have plenty of opportunities to make a statement once [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play begins later this month. With the tough schedule the Sooners face, they’ll be able to jump back up the rankings if they take care of business in their conference games.

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Where does Saturday Down South rank Jackson Arnold among SEC quarterbacks?

Where did Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jackson Arnold land in Saturday Down South’s SEC quarterback rankings after week one?

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] had a strong home debut for the Oklahoma Sooners. He didn’t put up the big yardage numbers that some of his [autotag]SEC[/autotag] counterparts did, but he threw for four touchdowns and had an adjusted completion percentage (taking away drops and throwaways) of 83.3%.

He showed off his arm on the first drive of the game, connecting with Jalil Farooq on a 47-yard strike before finding Bauer Sharp for his first passing touchdown of the day.

Later, he connected with transfer wide receiver [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] on three beautiful touchdown throws to highlight Arnold’s day. After his performance, and with what happened across the SEC, Saturday Down South’s Matt Hinton moved Arnold up one spot to No. 8 in his SEC quarterback power rankings.

Good luck trying to discern much from Arnold’s Week 1 line against Temple, which you could describe as prolific (4 touchdowns!) or underwhelming (5.6 yards per attempt?) depending on which stat you prefer to linger on. In real time the verdict was more straightforward: Kid can sling it. – Hinton, Saturday Down South

Arnold comes in just behind Garrett Nussmeier of LSU at No. 7, Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava at No. 6 and Missouri’s Brady Cook at No. 5.

Nussmeier played really well in the Tigers’ loss to USC right up to his final two plays on a critical drive late in the game. But still, he showed he’s more than capable of directing LSU’s offense.

Like Arnold, Iamaleava was making his first home start as the Volunteers starting quarterback. He wowed those in attendance with 300 yards and three touchdowns. Like Arnold, Iamaleava was a five-star quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class. The pair will likely be forever linked as they’re on a similar timeline.

Then there’s Cook, who, like Arnold, wasn’t asked to do a whole lot for the Tigers in their win over Murray State. But he accounted for a pair of touchdowns and is one of the more important players in the country. If he continues to play like he did in 2023, the Tigers could be in for a playoff berth.

Arnold no doubt has the talent to be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, but with just two starts under his belt, there’s still a lot to prove for the former five-star prospect.

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New wide receiver emerging as Sooners’ lead target

Deion Burks flashed his exceptional skills and his chemistry with Jackson Arnold.

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] has stolen the show both times he’s appeared in front of Sooner fans in 2024.

In April, he was the star of the spring game after transferring from Purdue this winter. Everyone left spring ball thinking he could become an explosive weapon in OU’s passing game.

In his first OU football game last Friday night, Burks was at it again, catching six passes for 33 yards and three touchdowns against Temple. He emerged as a star and the focal point of the passing game as the Sooners won 51-3.

Burks has gone from one of the guys to “the guy” for sophomore quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and new offensive coordinator [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag]. He has been the only starter at wide receiver that has been immune to the injury bug, and his performance against the Owls could signal the start of a colossal season in 2024.

Oklahoma will be without [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] for the season and will not have [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag] for at least the next six to eight weeks. As [autotag]Andrel Anthony[/autotag] and [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] continue to work back from their injuries, Burks’ role in the offense will only increase in the early stages of the year.

The first-year Sooner has a chance to join some of the great OU names at wide receiver if he continues to lead the way as Arnold’s go-to target. It’s been a couple of years since Oklahoma had a true No. 1 wideout, but if Burks continues to shine, he could etch his name in the history books in 2024.

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Jackson Arnold details Sooners win over Temple with Paul Finebaum

Jackson Arnold threw for four touchdowns in the Sooners win over Temple and the OU starting quarterback joined the Paul Finebaum Show to break down the win.

Oklahoma Sooners sophomore starting quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] earned his first career win on Friday night in his debut as OU’s full-time starter. Oklahoma beat Temple, 51-3, in Norman, as Arnold threw four touchdown passes.

Arnold joined host Paul Finebaum on “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Tuesday to go over the win, OU’s first as a member of the [autotag]Southeastern Conference[/autotag]. Arnold told Finebaum he was happy with the win over the Owls, but that the Sooners had plenty of things to clean up on offense.

“(In the) film room first off, just seeing what the mistakes actually are, whether it’s missed assignments, missed signals, missed throws or missed reads,” Arnold said. “Anything like that you first see it in the film room, know what you need to adjust and then you go out to the field whether it’s the next day or next couple days and you work on those things that you messed up.”

The [autotag]SEC[/autotag] analyst commented that the offense looked very vanilla in the first game, something offensive coordinator [autotag]Seth Littrell[/autotag] also alluded to in his postgame press conference.

Arnold said that is about to change.

“The playbook is definitely going to open up,” Arnold said. “It’s not that the playbook was very vanilla to begin with for the game plan it’s just coach Littrell liked the things that coach Littrell liked. I felt like he called a great game, put us in great positions, and I think for these next couple weeks it’s just us developing an identity, really establishing what we’re going to do with this offense and yeah I’m super excited for these next couple weeks to really open up the offense.”

Arnold also talked about his growth as a leader and his confidence coming into this season, as he knew he was going to be “the guy” after [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]’s portal exit. He credited his coaches for their help in his development in that area as well.

“That was the biggest thing, I think, for me this offseason was going into a situation where I knew I was going to be the guy,” Arnold said. “I knew that all these coaches had faith in me to go out and perform. I think for me, just building that leadership and the toughness that it takes to be the quarterback at, not only a Power Four school, but at the University of Oklahoma. Just having the offseason to really prepare myself for what I was walking into was huge for me, and to build chemistry with my coaches and my teammates.” —

Arnold is no doubt aware of the heavy burden he carries on his shoulders both in the present and the future at Oklahoma, but his first start as “the guy” showed he’s got the potential to lead the Sooners were they want to go.

Oklahoma will face the Houston Cougars on Saturday night in Norman. Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m.

Jackson Arnold’s first start at home a strong showing for the Sooners

Jackson Arnold threw four touchdowns, leading the Oklahoma Sooners offense to a great showing in week one.

The Oklahoma Sooners are used to high-flying offense powered by good to great quarterback play. For 25 years, the Sooners have had some of college football’s best quarterbacks.

From [autotag]Josh Heupel[/autotag] in 1999 to [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] last year, Oklahoma’s passing era is chock-full of prolific passers. In 2024, we get to witness another quarterback hoping to establish himself alongside those great quarterbacks of the last quarter century: [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

Arnold was the subject of much offseason discussion, with most of the rhetoric focusing on the four turnovers from his first career start in the Alamo Bowl. Few people talked about the 360 passing yards or the two touchdown passes. But such is life.

Arnold had a good first start in his journey as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback. He was 17 of 25 for 141 yards and four touchdowns and carried the ball 11 times for 38 yards. Sooners head coach Brent Venables lauded Arnold’s efficiency in the 51-3 win over Temple.

Take away the four drops and a throwaway and Arnold’s adjusted completion percentage was 83.3%, according to Pro Football Focus.

Arnold showed off his high level arm on his first throw of the game where he took a big hit, but stood tall in the pocket and delivered a strike to Jalil Farooq on an over route.

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On Arnold’s first touchdown to Bauer Sharp, he showed off an ability to throw on the move with great touch.

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And he showed great touch and accuracy on each of his touchdown throws to Deion Burks.

It was the first time an Oklahoma Sooners quarterback had thrown four touchdowns in their first home start since Heupel did back in 1999. It’s easy not to get overly excited about yardage total, but Oklahoma didn’t need Arnold to do a whole lot in the win over Temple. When a team has a defense like the Sooners do, you don’t need your quarterback to play superhero ball. Arnold made the throws he needed to make and gave the Oklahoma Sooners an opportunity to put points on the board.

As a team, Oklahoma needs to be better on third downs. Some of the issues were due to down and distance and Arnold looking to get the ball out quickly. The other issues were related to wide receivers catching passes short of the first down marker or dropping it altogether.

It wasn’t a perfect start for Arnold, even he’d tell you that, but it was a good one. It provided a strong foundation for the Oklahoma Sooners to build their offensive philosophy.

This week against Houston will give the Sooners an opportunity to roll out more of what Seth Littrell’s offense should look like. And with better offensive line health, leading to better play, Arnold and the Sooners should continue to light up the scoreboard.

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Sooners get a bump in ESPN’s updated power rankings

The Oklahoma Sooners had an impressive Week 1 win over Temple, but where do they land in ESPN’s updated power rankings?

It may not have been the cleanest performance for the Oklahoma Sooners, but when you win by 48, there’s a great deal to feel good about.

On both sides of the ball, there were standout performances that should provide the building blocks for what will be a memorable season for the Oklahoma Sooners. After one week, the Sooners found themselves in the top 15 of ESPN’s updated power rankings.

[autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] threw for four touchdowns in his first regular-season start, and the Sooners forced six turnovers in a season-opening rout of [autotag]Temple[/autotag]. Oklahoma coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] said Arnold played “really efficiently.” But the offensive story belonged to wide receiver [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag]. The Purdue transfer notched three scores before halftime in his Oklahoma debut, becoming the fifth Sooner in program history to register three touchdowns in a half. – Eli Lederman, ESPN

The offense didn’t have to work too hard in the win because the defense provided a number of short fields. Still, Oklahoma scored on six of its eight possessions in the first half and seven of 10 stretching into the second half. That’s a number that will work.

If there’s an area of concern, it’s up front, where OU did little to allay any concerns along the offensive line. But it will get starting right tackle [autotag]Jake Taylor[/autotag] back this week and will likely have [autotag]Branson Hickman[/autotag], who missed much of Week 1 with an ankle injury suffered in the first quarter.

But for the first time in forever, the defense was the story. Zac Alley’s unit forced six turnovers and sacked Temple quarterback Forrest Brock six times. Defenders were flying around, showing a different level of confidence and physicality under Oklahoma’s new defensive coordinator.

Week 1 will not tell the whole story for the Sooners, who will have greater challenges ahead, but there was a lot to be encouraged about from their week one performance.