Oklahoma Sooners Football – Page 2

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners land in USA TODAY Sports’ 1-134 rankings?

Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in the most recent 1-134 rankings from USA TODAY Sports?

Following their second and final bye week of the 2024 season, the Oklahoma Sooners are preparing for a battle against the Alabama Crimson Tide. It’ll be the final home game of the year for OU, and it could be the penultimate game of the season if the Sooners can’t find a way to split their last two contests.

A 5-5 record overall and a 1-5 mark in Southeastern Conference play in head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ third season is a far cry from what is expected from this program. Year 1 in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] has been a disaster, and there are a multitude of questions surrounding the program going forward.

One area where the fall of Oklahoma can be seen is in USA TODAY Sports’ weekly 1-134 rankings of each team at the NCAA Division I FBS level of college football. A team regularly in the top five or ten in the past quarter-century has fallen completely out of the top 25.

Staff writer Paul Myerberg ranks the Sooners as the No. 44 team in the country, up one spot from a week ago, with OU on an open date in Week 12. That’s good for twelfth in the SEC, behind Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, South Carolina, LSU, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Florida. There are 13 of the 16 SEC teams in the top 50, with Arkansas at No. 46.

Oklahoma is, interestingly enough, listed between two programs who had coaches on the hot seat, before confirming that they will indeed return next year. No. 43 Florida will be retaining head coach Billy Napier and No. 45 Baylor will stick with head coach Dave Aranda.

It’s a generous ranking from Myerberg to say the least, as Oklahoma has looked like one of the worst teams in the Power Four at multiple points this season. It’s not a pretty sight to see yourself suddenly looking up at the Gators, who have struggled mightily for the last four years. The Bears, meanwhile, have cratered over the last three years before a bit of an uptick midway through this season.

That’s not where you want to be if you’re the Oklahoma Sooners. It’s just one more signal that things have to get moving in the right direction again, or else OU will fall dangerously behind the curve in the SEC.

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What did Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer have to say about the Oklahoma Sooners?

Kalen DeBoer and Brent Venables will meet for the first time when Alabama visits Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners look to gain bowl eligibility on Saturday when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday. OU is 5-5 and has the Tide coming to Norman for the final home game of the 2024 season.

This game has lost some of its luster due to the Sooners being as bad as they are, but it’s a measuring stick to see how far [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ team has to go if it wants to hang with the best of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

The Crimson Tide have a new coach this season for the first time since 2007. Kalen DeBoer replaced Nick Saban after the legendary coach retired after last season. So far, it’s been an 8-2 season for ‘Bama with losses on the road against Vanderbilt and Tennessee.

Alabama is still right in the mix to play in the SEC Championship game and they can’t afford a loss against Oklahoma. DeBoer has had the tough task of stepping in for an icon, but he’s done well in his first season in Tuscaloosa. He gave his initial thoughts on OU during his Monday press availability.

“It’s going to take a great week of preparation,” DeBoer said. “A physical football team all around. Their defense is, I think, an extremely tough defense, always just what they do with their scheme and then their personnel and the way they fly around. We’ll have to get ready for their offense with a couple of quarterbacks, potentially, just some skilled players.”

DeBoer went on to highlight the number of close games the Sooners have been in this season, specifically their last loss against the Missouri Tigers.

“You look at the games they’ve played, a lot of close games going into the second half and even the fourth quarter,” DeBoer said. “The Missouri game obviously was a crazy ending and some plays made both ways just in the final two minutes. Each and every game takes on its own life and for us, we’re focused on the next play and for us, the next game and everything that goes into being our best and that’s what our recipe for success has been here over the last month.”

DeBoer and Bama will have a great deal of confidence as they swagger onto Owen Field this week. It’ll be up to Venables and OU to halt their momentum to get win No. 6 on the season.

Kickoff between Oklahoma and Alabama is set for 6:30 p.m. Central. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

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Kickoff time, broadcast information revealed for Oklahoma Sooners at LSU Tigers

Kickoff time and Broadcast information revealed for the Oklahoma Sooners regular season finale against the LSU Tigers.

The Oklahoma Sooners will close the 2024 season in Baton Rouge when they take on the LSU Tigers. When the Sooners make their first trip to the bayou, they’ll face the Tigers in prime time.

The SEC announced the Sooners will take on LSU starting at 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ESPN.

It’ll be the sixth time this season the Oklahoma Sooners will play in prime time. The Sooners welcome the Crimson Tide to Norman this Saturday night for an evening clash of blue-blood programs. Oklahoma is 2-2 in those games with losses to Tennessee and Missouri under the lights.

LSU’s Tiger Stadium is widely considered one of the toughest places to play at night. Since 2022, under Brian Kelly, the Tigers are 13-1 in prime-time games at home. The lone loss came just a couple of weeks ago to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

However, the Tigers are riding a three-game losing streak as they get ready to take on a scrappy Vanderbilt team this Saturday. Could LSU be riding a four-game losing streak when it takes on the Oklahoma Sooners?

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Oklahoma Sooners 2025 commit earns 5-star status with On3

Oklahoma Sooners offensive tackle commit earns five-star status from On3.

The highest-profile recruitment of the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] for the Oklahoma Sooners was offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Fasusi[/autotag]. Out of Lewisville, Texas, the highly regarded prospect had offers from all over the country, but his recruitment came down to Oklahoma and the Texas Longhorns.

The Oklahoma Sooners earned Fasusi’s commitment and have held onto it despite their 5-5 season. As the early signing period approaches, it looks like Oklahoma will add another five-star prospect to the roster.

Fasusi was already considered a five-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN, but he moved into five-star territory in On3’s latest update, climbing to No. 22 in the nation. He’s considered the No. 6 offensive tackle prospect in the class by On3.

Fasusi was a huge win for offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh and the Sooners. He has the ability to play early and be a key to the Sooners’ success.

Michael Fasusi Prospect Ratings

	Stars	Overall	Position	State
ESPN	5	9	2	3
Rivals	5	12	2	4
247Sports	5	17	3	6
247Sports Composite	5	12	2	5
On3	5	22	6	7
On3 Industry Ranking	5	10	2	4

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What happened the last time Oklahoma Sooners played the Alabama Crimson Tide?

Oklahoma Sooners welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide to Norman for just the second time in the history of the two illustrious programs.

There isn’t a much better helmet matchup in college football than the Oklahoma Sooners and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Two of the top five programs in the history of college football are now in the same conference, and they’ll meet for just the seventh time ever on Saturday.

Two teams used to winning, and winning a lot are on opposite trajectories right now. OU started 4-1, but they are now just 5-5 with two games left. Bama lost to Vanderbilt and Tennessee on the road earlier this season, but they’ve righted the ship with some key wins over the last few weeks against Missouri and LSU.

The all-time series between the two teams sits at 3-2-1 in favor of the Sooners. They first met in the Orange Bowl at the conclusion of the 1962 season. Alabama shut out Oklahoma that day, en route to a 17-0 victory. At the end of the 1970 season, they faced off in the Bluebonnet Bowl, with the game ending in a 24-24 tie.

There have been three matchups in the 21st century, beginning with a home game for the Sooners in 2002. Oklahoma won 37-27, highlighted by a couple of remarkable runs by Renaldo Works and a fumble return for a touchdown to seal the deal by Eric Bassey.

The next year, the teams met in Tuscaloosa, with OU winning, this time by a score of 20-13. Of course, the 2003 Sooners would end up in the BCS National Championship Game that year.

Eventual Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Jason White[/autotag] (who was lost to a season-ending injury in the previous year’s game) hit Brandon Jones for a 47-yard touchdown in the third quarter on the game’s most series of plays. That throw immediately followed a gutsy successful fake punt call by Bob Stoops deep in his own territory.

But perhaps the matchup Sooner fans remember the most fondly happened in the Sugar Bowl after the 2013 season. The two-time defending national champion Crimson Tide were heavy favorites that night in New Orleans, but Oklahoma pulled off a huge 45-31 upset win.

Quarterback [autotag]Trevor Knight[/autotag] had the finest game of his career, throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the vaunted Tide defense. OU’s defense harassed Bama QB A.J. McCarron all night, with Eric Striker and Geneo Grissom teaming up for a scoop and score touchdown to end a potential game-tying drive. It was one of the best wins of the late-Stoops era in Norman, as the Sooners took down the No. 3 team in the country on a truly magical and unforgettable night.

However, Alabama currently has bragging rights in this series, as the two programs met in the 2018 [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] Orange Bowl semifinal six years ago. Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Kyler Murray[/autotag] and runner-up Tua Tagovailoa were primed for an offensive shootout in Miami, as Lincoln Riley and Nick Saban met for the first time.

Unfortunately for Oklahoma, this game was essentially over thirteen and a half minutes in, as Alabama rolled to a 21-0 lead, stifling Murray in the process. It was 28-0 Bama before the Sooners finally scored in the second quarter, and the Crimson Tide kept OU at arms length for the rest of the night. Alabama won 45-34, showing off a complete, star-studded team.

Murray and the Oklahoma offense got the Sooners as close as 11 points on multiple occasions, but OU didn’t have a good enough defense to handle Tagovailoa and an excellent Tide offense. Riley was outcoached by Saban, who knew that Oklahoma couldn’t stop his team.

It wasn’t Murray’s finest hour in his final collegiate game before being selected No. 1 overall in the next April’s NFL Draft. Riley would coach the Sooners for three more seasons before bolting to USC. Tagovailoa, Saban and the Crimson Tide were defeated by Clemson in the national championship game, as [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ defense put on a clinic against one of the best offenses in college football.

As the Sooners and the Crimson Tide prepare to meet again, Oklahoma is looking to get their fourth win in the series and improve to 4-1 this century. A performance like Knight’s at the quarterback position, coupled with a vintage 2018 Clemson performance from Alley and the defense would go a long way towards getting Oklahoma to bowl eligibility.

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

How to buy Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide college football tickets

Want to watch the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide in person on Saturday, Nov. 23? Tickets still remain for as little as $16.

The Oklahoma Sooners welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide to Norman this coming Saturday for the first-ever meeting between the two schools as members of the Southeastern Conference. If you want to see college football’s Week 13 action live and in person, we have the information you need to buy your tickets right here.

The Sooners have struggled to an even 5-5 overall record while winning just one game in six tries in their first years as members of the SEC. Losers of four of their last five, the long recent win came at home against the Maine Bears last weekend.

The Tide come into the matchup ranked seventh in the US LBM Coaches Poll with an 8-2 total tally that includes a 4-2 mark in conference play. The two losses this fall came against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Week 6 and Tennessee Volunteers in Week 8.

The Oklahoma Sooners will host the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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How to buy Oklahoma vs. Alabama football tickets

The Sooners have been rudely introduced to SEC football this season while the conference has also been plagued by upsets. This could be your chance to see some history play out.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide are $66.

How to buy Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide college football tickets

Want to watch the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide in person on Saturday, Nov. 23? Tickets still remain for as little as $16.

The Oklahoma Sooners will host the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

How to buy Oklahoma vs. Alabama football tickets

The Sooners have been rudely introduced to SEC football this season while the conference has also been plagued by upsets. This could be your chance to see some history play out.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide are $66.

How to buy Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide college football tickets

Want to watch the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide in person on Saturday, Nov. 23? Tickets still remain for as little as $16.

The Oklahoma Sooners will host the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

How to buy Oklahoma vs. Alabama football tickets

The Sooners have been rudely introduced to SEC football this season while the conference has also been plagued by upsets. This could be your chance to see some history play out.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide are $66.

Where do the Oklahoma Sooners land in updated ESPN’s SP+ rankings?

Oklahoma Sooners aren’t too far behind the Top 25 in SP+ rankings, despite a 5-5 record.

The Oklahoma Sooners watched the rest of the college football world in action in Week 12, as they were on their second and final bye week of the 2024 regular season.

OU’s record sits at 5-5 and just 1-5 in [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play, a disappointing mark for a program that is used to winning and winning big. In the third season under head coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag], it’s been a rough go of things in Norman in Year 1 in a new league.

But in at least one metric, Oklahoma may not be as bad as their record indicates. ESPN college football writer Bill Connelly released his weekly SP+ rankings (ESPN+)for all 134 teams at the FBS level.

Connelly defines SP+ as a tempo-and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency, intended to be predictive and forward-facing. It is not a résumé ranking, and is simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football.

While the Sooners are far from sniffing the actual Top 25 and are a long shot to making a bowl game for the first time in 25 years, SP+ has them ranked all the way up at No. 27, sandwiched in between Colorado and Virginia Tech.

One saving grace of OU’s poor season, and the most likely reason for the top-30 ranking, is that they’ve played a very difficult schedule. Tulane is one of the best teams in the Group of Five, and Oklahoma beat them by 15 points. South Carolina is far better than anyone expected, and teams like Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss, and Missouri have all had their moments in 2024.

Unfortunately, the schedule doesn’t get any easier, as Alabama comes to town on Saturday, and Oklahoma will face LSU on the road a week after that. The Sooners will have to win at least one of those matchups if they want to avoid missing a bowl game for the first time since 1998.

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

Former Oklahoma Sooners star reveals his pick for offensive coordinator

Dusty Dvoracek has his thoughts on who should replace Seth Littrell at offensive coordinator.

It’s no secret the offense has performed well below expectations for the Oklahoma Sooners this year.

With Jeff Lebby leaving to become the coach at Mississippi State at the end of the 2023 regular season, Sooner fans hoped coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]’ decision to promote from within the program would pay off. Instead, it’s done the opposite.

Seth Littrell and [autotag]Joe Jon Finley[/autotag] were promoted to co-offensive coordinators. Littrell served as the quarterbacks coach and the primary play caller. Finley continued to coach the tight ends.

However, it only took seven games for Littrell to be relieved of his duties. The offense was (and still is) broken, and changes had to be made. Finley was installed as the interim play caller and offensive analyst [autotag]Kevin Johns[/autotag] was promoted to interim co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

After promising signs from the duo against Ole Miss and Maine, the offense sank against Missouri in a crushing loss. Finley and Johns will not be the answer next season, and the external search continues for Venables.

With questions over the choice at quarterback, [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] or [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag], looming and offensive line problems that have to be fixed, there are a multitude of issues for the new OC on the job to address this offseason.

In addition, the questions about what will happen to the other offensive position coaches on the staff will be interesting to watch. Emmett Jones (wide receivers/passing game coordinator), Bill Bedenbaugh (offensive line) and DeMarco Murray (running backs) will have a new boss, if they’re in Norman next season.

There are plenty of opinions on who Venables should hire, but one person who raises eyebrows is beginning to gain some steam. One former standout at OU has put his support behind a once-unlikely candidate.

Former star defensive lineman Dusty Dvoracek thinks former Mississippi State and Florida coach Dan Mullen should take the reins of the Oklahoma offense. He joined fellow OU standouts Gabe Ikard and Teddy Lehman on “The Oklahoma Breakdown with Ikard and Lehman” last week to voice why he would call Mullen if he was Venables.

“On my list, my No. 1 person I’m calling is Dan Mullen,” the ESPN college football color commentator said. “I have no idea, outside of a major head coaching opportunity, if he’d even entertain this conversation. If you’re asking me what I’d do, I’d pick up the phone and make him tell me no. … The dude can coach offense with anybody in the sport, and he can develop quarterbacks as well as anybody in the sport.”

Dvoracek and Mullen are colleagues at ESPN. The latter has been a studio analyst and color commentator since the 2022 season. It’s been his gig since he was fired by Florida late in the 2021 regular season.

Mullen was Florida’s offensive coordinator under Urban Meyer when the Gators won two national championships in the 2000s. He developed Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow during that time.

He became Mississippi State’s coach in 2009 and served their until 2017. The Bulldogs had some of their best years under Mullen, including the 2014 season where they reached No. 1 in the rankings and beat Alabama. He mentored Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during his time in Starkville.

He returned to Florida as the coach in 2018, leading to three good seasons before he was fired during a rough 2021 campaign. His supporters note his success as a play caller in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag], while his detractors call out his lack of a strong recruiting presence in his latter years with the Gators.

It’s absolutely imperative for Venables to nail this offensive coordinator search. His future and the program’s future ride so heavily on him getting this move right, heading into a make-or-break 2025 season.

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