Oklahoma Sooners name captains for Week 9 contest with Kansas Jayhawks

The Sooners named their captains for Week 9 vs. the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Oklahoma Sooners hit the road this week to take on the [autotag]Kansas Jayhawks[/autotag] in Lawrence. The Sooners are fresh off a hard-fought win over the [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag].

On Monday, the Sooners announced who their captains would be for the conference showdown between two teams that have played 113 times.

This week’s captains are [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], [autotag]Jonah Laulu[/autotag], [autotag]Dasan McCullough[/autotag], [autotag]Andrew Raym[/autotag] and [autotag]Walter Rouse[/autotag].

Kanak, a Kansas native, is second on the team with 40 tackles. He’s also added 4.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. He’s in his first year as a starter, and each week looks to be getting better as he gets more comfortable playing the linebacker position. Something he didn’t do in high school.

Laulu has also had a really solid season since moving inside to defensive tackle. He ranks fifth on the team with 3.0 tackles for loss.

McCullough was the big offseason addition via the transfer portal. After a slow start due to an injury has come along these last few weeks. He has 20 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Rouse and Raym both help anchor an offensive line that ranks No. 15 in the nation in sacks allowed, with only eight this season. That time in the pocket has helped [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] and the passing offense be one of the most prolific in the sport.

The Sooners take on the Jayhawks at 11:00 a.m. as part of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff game.

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.

Report Card: Sooners sleepwalk on offense in UCF scare

Oklahoma took on UCF for the first time Saturday. UCF hung tough but the Sooners pulled it out late. Here is this week’s report card.

Saturday’s performance was an aberration for Team 129. The team we saw on Saturday was eerily reminiscent of the team that took the field 13 times last season to not-so-fun results. Yet, they knuckled up and found a way when it mattered most.

If we’re being honest, last year’s team would not have won that game. But despite the miserable team performance, it never felt like they wouldn’t make the necessary plays to win. That is a true testament to the wholesale changes in mentality, effort, talent, and coaching from last year to 2023.

Let’s get to the bottom line here with the dust settled. Oklahoma won, but it might have been the worst they looked on offense all year. It’s time to pass out grades in this week’s report card.

Relive the Oklahoma Sooners thrilling win over UCF with these incredible photos

The Oklahoma Sooners moved to 7-0 with their win over UCF. Relive the Sooner Magic with these incredible images.

The Oklahoma Sooners moved to 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in Big 12 play with their 31-29 win over the UCF Knights.

It wasn’t a dominating performance, but the Sooners did enough to come away with the victory.

There were encouraging performances on both sides of the ball. Dillon Gabriel had a solid game, completing 66% of his passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. It was another strong day for the Sooners’ Heisman contender.

The ground game found a bit of life in the fourth quarter as [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] and [autotag]Marcus Major[/autotag] helped kickstart the Sooners’ go-ahead scoring drive.

Nic Anderson caught two more touchdown passes to give him eight on the season. He also went over 100 yards receiving for the second time this season to lead the Sooners.

Defensively, [autotag]Trace Ford[/autotag] had a big day off the edge. So did [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag]. [autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] led the team in tackles again. Despite the unsportsmanlike penalty from [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag], the sophomore linebacker was really good.

On a day when a lot of the top-10 teams struggled, the Sooners were able to add another one to the win column.

Here’s a look at some of the best photos from the Sooners win over UCF.

 

Five Takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners 31-29 win over the UCF Knights

Oklahoma pulled out a nailbiter as they hung on to beat UCF 31-29 in Norman on Saturday. Here are our five takeaways from the game.

Oklahoma escaped by the skin of its teeth on Saturday as they downed Big 12 newcomer UCF 31-29. It was a game that came down to the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.

Considering how well Oklahoma has looked all season, it was a jarring performance. Especially after the Sooners had a bye week to put the Texas win behind them. Yet, on Saturday, after a relatively solid start, a pair of missed field goals kept the door open for UCF to run through. Before long, Oklahoma was fighting for its life and the right to stay undefeated.

When the dust cleared, the Sooners came out on top. A late surge in the fourth quarter was enough for Brent Venables’ team to get it done.

Here are five takeaways from the Sooners’ win.

Oklahoma Sooners survive, beat the UCF Knights 31-29 to stay unbeaten

It wasn’t pretty but the Oklahoma Sooners remained unbeaten with a 31-29 win over the UCF Knights.

The Oklahoma Sooners hung on to beat the UCF Knights 31-29 in a game that came down to the wire.

The Sooners’ defense started it off with a three-and-out but after a dropped direct snap and dropped pass by [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], the Sooners’ offense also went three and out.

The Sooners’ defense forced another three and out after a 3rd down sack by [autotag]Ethan Downs[/autotag]. UCF shanked the punt, and the Sooners started their next drive at UCF’s 40-yard line.

The Sooners offense couldn’t get anything going after a first down and [autotag]Zach Schmit[/autotag] missed a 38-yard field goal. While Sooners’ offense has looked out of sync, the defense has looked solid again as they forced another three and out. After another bad punt, the Sooners’ offense started the drive at the UCF 45-yard line.

Oklahoma cashed this time as [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] found [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] for a 29-yard score. The defense forced another three and out and had great field position again. But the offense couldn’t capitalize once again and Schmit once again missed the 43-yard field goal.

The Knights responded with a big run that put the ball first and goal on the Sooners’ one-yard line. Oklahoma’s defense came up big again and forced the Knights into a 4th and goal at the 2, but [autotag]Jaren Kanak[/autotag] was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty giving the Knights a first down.  [autotag]John Rhys Plumlee[/autotag] tied it up at seven with his touchdown run.

After an Oklahoma punt, the Knights had a 1st and goal from the six but the Sooners’ defense held and forced a field goal. The Knights took a 10-7 lead late in the second quarter.

The Sooners finally got something going on offense as Gabriel hit Anderson again this time for a 42-yard touchdown pass.

[autotag]Woodi Washington[/autotag] got caught playing the run instead of the run-pass option, and UCF threw an 86-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead.

Gabriel led a great drive before the half, where Schmit finally cashed in with a field to tie it up at 17 going into halftime.

The Knights outgained the Sooners 232 to 226 in the first half.

The Sooners started with the ball, and Gabriel threw it to [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag], who got hit as he was trying to catch it, which resulted in an interception. The defense forced a three-and-out, but the Knights were already in OU territory and kicked a field goal to take the 20-17 lead.

For a lot of the second half, the Sooners couldn’t get much going on offense.  Their first four drives of the second half ended with an interception and then three straight punts.

UCF added another field goal to make it 23-17 going into the fourth.

With 11:24 to play in the game, the Sooners finally got something going in the run game. Gavin Sawchuk picked up 23 yards on three carries and Marcus Major had two carries for 26 yards to help the Sooners get down the field before Drake Stoops took the screen pass from Gabriel for a touchdown.

With the score 24-23, the defense would get a stop after a huge sack by [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] to force a UCF punt.

The Sooners’ offense would take over and bleed the clock before Sawchuk busted it for a 30-yard touchdown run to put the Sooners up 31-23 late in the 4th Quarter.

UCF marched down the field and scored on a 4th down pass but the Sooners held on the two-point conversion to stay up 31-29.

The Sooners survived to remain unbeaten. The offense gained 442 yards of offense and held UCF to 397 total yards.

Dillon Gabriel had another solid day in the win, throwing for 253 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 66% of his passes and ran for 22 yards. Nic Anderson led the Sooners in receiving with five catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Drake Stoops caught seven passes for 60 yards and the go-ahead score.

On the ground, Marcus Major, who was apparently dealing with a shoulder injury coming into the game, carried the ball 18 times for 80 yards. Gavin Sawchuk, who got the start, rushed 10 times for 60 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Danny Stutsman led the way with 12 total tackles and a forced fumble. Key Lawrence had nine total tackles, including seven solo tackles in the win. Ethan Downs continued his strong 2023 season with six total tackles and a sack. In total, Oklahoma had three sacks and 13 tackles for loss.

Against one of the best run games in the country, the Sooners held the Knights to just 3.6 yards per carry and 149 yards rushing on the day.

It wasn’t a clean win, but the Oklahoma Sooners stayed undefeated. Now they get ready for a pair of road games in Lawrence to face the Kansas Jayhawks and then in Stillwater to face the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

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.

Final thoughts on the Oklahoma Sooners matchup with the UCF Knights

As the Oklahoma Sooners get set to take on the UCF Knights, here are a few final thoughts ahead of week 8.

The Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to extend their undefeated start to the 2023 season when they take on the UCF Knights on Saturday. Oklahoma is a heavy favorite heading into the first-ever matchup between the two teams.

But the Knights have some talent that could pose problems for the Sooners when they take the field at 11 a.m. CT in Norman.

At Sooners Wire, we’re feeling good about the Sooners heading into this one. But based on the numbers, UCF can certainly make life difficult for Oklahoma.

Here are the players that will make the biggest impact for both Oklahoma and UCF, as well as keys to the game.

Ahead of the Big 12 contest, here are a few final thoughts on the Sooners vs. Knights.

Caleb Shaffer, Dillon Gabriel among key Sooners to watch versus UCF

Oklahoma will look to build on their 6-0 start as they take on UCF. Here are six Sooners that will be key to an Oklahoma win vs. the UCF Knights.

Oklahoma will roll out the crimson carpet and welcome one of the four Big 12 newcomers to Norman on Saturday. Gus Malzahn’s [autotag]UCF Knights[/autotag] travel from Orlando, Florida, to take on Brent Venables and the No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners.

Both teams come into the game off of their bye weeks. However, how each team played in the games before the bye will be a significant motivating factor in how things could shake out.

Oklahoma beat their bitter rivals, Texas, 34-30 in one of college football’s best games of the season while the Knights were steamrolled by the Kansas Jayhawks 51-22.

While the Sooners’ win over Texas is a significant win, the boys from Norman won’t be satisfied. They’ve got bigger ambitions now, starting with taking care of UCF. The next major milestone in getting to Arlington to compete for a Big 12 title.

UCF is a motivated and angry team that boasts the nation’s third-best rushing attack and a very athletic quarterback in John Rhys Plumlee. He can play. Oklahoma has a talent advantage, but execution will be the deciding factor.

Without further ado, let’s look at some of the Sooners that will be to a victory on Saturday.

Midseason positional review: How have the Oklahoma Sooners looked at the midway point?

How have each position group done so far for the Oklahoma Sooners at the midway point?

The Oklahoma Sooners have hit the midway point of the 2023 college football season. The Sooners are undefeated at 6-0 in year two under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. Venables is now 13-7

Offensively they’ve been pretty good. They rank No. 6 in total offense, No. 9 in 3rd down offense, No. 2 in 1st down offense, and No. 4 in scoring offense.

The defense has also been pretty good and shown vast improvement. They rank No. 50 in total defense, No. 12 in 3rd down defense, No. 31 in rush defense, and No. 2 in turnovers forced.

There is still much improvement that needs to be made for both units, but so far, they’ve made significant strides.

Prior to the season, I broke down each position group, so let’s go through and see how they are doing at this point and give them a midseason grade.

Report Card: Sooners pass biggest test of the season in win over Texas

The Sooners won an instant classic against their rivals from Texas 34-30. We went and graded every position group’s performance.

Oklahoma’s win over Texas was a significant notch in the belt of head coach Brent Venables. It also signified the revitalization of Oklahoma football, just a year removed from getting blasted 49-0 in the same stadium by the Longhorns.

Venables’ team spent the entire offseason leveling up and striving to return to the standard people have become accustomed to.

This season, the Sooners handled everything that came their way. Every setback or adversity they faced in their first five games prepared them for Saturday in Dallas. The entire team and coaching staff handled it masterfully as the Sooners beat Texas, 34-30.

It was the most complete performance of the season, and some of the most significant areas the Sooners needed to work on after last season’s 6-7 record were on full display. After passing a test like that, it’s time to pass out some grades. It’s report card time.

3 stars of the Game: Dillon Gabriel has a legacy performance in Red River Rivalry win

Taking a look at our three stars from Oklahoma’s excellent win over Texas.

Oklahoma faced its first actual test of the season on Saturday afternoon. The Sooners rose to the occasion as they defeated their rivals, the Texas Longhorns, in an instant classic 34-30 at the [autotag]Cotton Bowl[/autotag] in Dallas, Texas.

The game was wild from start to finish, but Oklahoma remained steady despite the roller coaster of emotions and the adversity it had to face during the game. Oklahoma eventually came out on top thanks to an all-time drive with less than 1:30 left on the clock and no timeouts by the Sooners offense.

The win guarantees Oklahoma the tiebreaker over Texas for the remainder of the regular season. It also gives the Sooners a signature win to validate them to the rest of the college football world.

The Sooners had to have nearly legendary performances from several guys to pull off the win. Without further ado, here are our three stars from Oklahoma’s win over Texas.

Up Next: 3 Stars from the Red River Win