Tag: ou sooners

Best Photos from the Oklahoma Sooners’ 16-12 win over Houston

A look at some of the best photos from Oklahoma’s 16-12 win over Houston in the Wilkinson era throwback uniforms.

The Oklahoma Sooners wore their Bud Wilkinson-era throwbacks on Saturday night when they welcomed the Houston Cougars to town. Running out of the tunnel with the “Play Like a Champion Today.” the Sooners certainly didn’t play like champions, at least on offense.

But they sure looked good on a beautiful late summer evening in Norman.

But the offense did not look good on the night.

Already facing question marks along the offensive line and at wide receiver, Jackson Arnold played arguably the worst game of his young career. He was inaccurate, and Arnold did not look to be on the same page with his wide receivers at various points.

It certainly didn’t help that the Sooners couldn’t create much on the ground. OU averaged less than three yards per carry on the ground.

Oklahoma was slightly better on third down, going 4 of 14. However, it faced long down and distances far too often.

The game provides an opportunity for Arnold and the coaching staff to find what’s working and scrap what isn’t. But until they can get the run game going, the Sooners may struggle moving forward.

If ever there was a time for Oklahoma’s offense to struggle, now’s the time. With games against Tennessee, Auburn, and Texas to open conference play, the Sooners won’t have much margin for error during SEC play.

Here are the best photos from Oklahoma’s win over Houston

Oklahoma Sooners hang on to beat Houston Cougars

Oklahoma Sooners hang on to beat Houston 16-12 behind a strong performance from the Sooners defense.

The Oklahoma Sooners dealt with a much different Houston Cougars team than the one that lost to UNLV last week.

Houston had a much better gameplan than last week to help support quarterback Donovan Smith. The Sooners were marred by miscommunication and inefficiency in the passing game, lack of a consistent run game. and an uncharacteristic lack of discipline. But they got enough breaks, and the defense made enough stops to come away with a 16-12 win over Houston.

The Oklahoma Sooners took advantage of a ball tipped by the Houston Cougars return man to get great field position after a rough first possession. On the very next play, Jackson Arnold found Brenen Thompson to put Oklahoma up 7-0.

Houston then went on a 12-play drive that spanned 8:25 but had to settle for a field goal on their second drive of the game.

On Oklahoma’s first drive of the second quarter, Jackson Arnold led the offense on an eight-play, 81-yard drive, culminating in a touchdown pass to tight end Jake Roberts.

And that’s where the highlights ended for an offense that struggled to move the ball with much consistency in the second half. The Sooners only had 110 total yards and averaged just 2.1 yards per carry after halftime.

The defense had a communication breakdown on the first drive of the second half, which led to Houston’s lone touchdown and cut the lead to 14-12. But the Sooners defense came up with the stop on the two-point conversion.

Oklahoma had an opportunity to ice the game with a long drive, but after getting to midfield, Houston’s defense stymied Oklahoma on first and second down run plays, and then [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] was sacked on third down.

Luke Elzinga buried Houston at the five-yard line with a great punt and on Houston’s first play from scrimmage, defensive tackle Gracen Halton came up with the play of the game, burying Stacy Sneed at the goalline and earning the safety for the Sooners.

Oklahoma had visions of running out the clock, but an unsportsmanlike penalty on Joshua Bates gave Houston a little more time for one final desperation drive. Houston made a few plays, but the Sooners defense got one more stop in the game to close out the win and move to 2-0.

The Sooners offense struggled throughout, recording just 249 yards of total offense, including zero points in the second half.

Jackson Arnold finished the night 19 of 32 for 174 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also carried the ball 11 times for 28 yards.

[autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag] had nine receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown.

But this was a game that was about the defense. Though Houston was able to move the ball at times, Oklahoma’s defense held the Cougars to just 12 points and just five yards per play. OU held Houston to just 4 of 15 on third down and 1.7 yards per carry.

[autotag]Danny Stutsman[/autotag] was an absolute monster for the defense, recording 15 total tackles, including 12 solo, and one for a loss. Robert Spears-Jennings came up big with five total tackles, a tackle for loss, and an interception in the second half that set up Oklahoma with great field position. Samuel Omosigho earned some extended playing time and came up with five total tackles and two tackles for loss.

Halton’s safety was the second tackle for loss he recorded in the game. [autotag]Damonic Williams[/autotag] recorded two tackles and a sack.

The Oklahoma Sooners now hope to regroup and get ready for a Tulane team that took Kansas State to the brink of an upset on Saturday.

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Sooners star wide receiver expected to be out vs. Houston per report

According to a report from Matt Zenitz of 247Sports/CBS Sports, the Sooners will be without Nic Anderson in week 2 against Houston.

The Oklahoma Sooners are expected to be without star wide receiver [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] for the second game of the 2024 season. According to a report from Matt Zenitz of 247Sports and CBS Sports, Anderson will be out against the Houston Cougars.

In 2023, Anderson caught 38 passes for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns and was expected to have a big season for the Sooners in 2024. Brent Venables spoke on Anderson’s injury situation earlier in the week and said he’d be back “sooner rather than later,” but he has not made his 2024 debut.

[autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] will make his second start in a row on the outside in Anderson’s spot. He had four catches for 15 yards last week as Oklahoma only used him in the short passing game. The speedster out of Texas has the ability to get behind the defense in a hurry. It sounds like the Sooners will open the passing game more this week, but with a retooled offensive line, who knows how much they’ll look to put [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] in harm’s way.

J.J. Hester takes over for [autotag]Jalil Farooq[/autotag], who was lost for six to eight weeks with a broken foot.

https://twitter.com/mzenitz/status/1832425041503441057

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One stat will tell the story of Oklahoma’s 2024 season

If Oklahoma can control this stat, they’ll have a ton of success in 2024.

The Oklahoma Sooners look to improve to 2-0 on the 2024 season on Saturday night, when they host the Houston Cougars in Norman. OU earned their first win last Friday, defeating the Temple Owls by a score of 51-3.

The prevailing stat from week one’s game was a simple one: Oklahoma forced six turnovers in the 48-point victory and didn’t turn the ball over once. OU turned those six turnovers into 34 points and leads the country in turnover margin heading into week two. This is doubly impressive when you realize that some FBS teams played in week zero and have already played twice, to the Sooners’ one game. Or that some of those teams played FCS programs.

Turnover margin is a stat that Venables got more in-depth on during his coach’s show earlier this week, stating, “When we were undefeated last year, we led the nation in turnover margin. Then in our three losses we turned the ball over 12 times and lost the margin. The saying goes, ‘There’s not a more important stat in the game than forcing turnovers,’ and we got 34 points off of those six turnovers and had a real short field for our offense – played really complimentary football.”

In 2023, Oklahoma turned the ball over three times in their loss against Kansas, but also created three takeaways. However, the Sooners had three turnovers against Oklahoma State and forced just one turnover in the loss. They turned it over six times in the Alamo Bowl loss against Arizona and the defense forced just one turnover. Only in wins against UCF and TCU did OU lose the turnover battle, but still come out on top. In the biggest win of the year against the Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma won the turnover battle three to zero, a stat that swung the entire contest.

As the Sooners enter the unforgiving gauntlet that is the Southeastern Conference, the turnover margin will be something to keep an eye on, especially with a new starting quarterback in [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. In the loss against Arizona, Arnold tossed three interceptions and lost a fumble, but was turnover-free in his first outing as OU’s full-time starter last Friday.

Oklahoma is off to a great start in this stat in 2024 and would love to see the margin grow again in week two against Houston. The Sooners have been given three weeks of tuneup games before [autotag]SEC[/autotag] play begins, giving them time to work out the kinks on all three units.

Turnovers are the great equalizer in football, and Oklahoma hopes to turn that in their favor, and they have a great defense to rely on to make a statement in their new league.

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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Up Next: More Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

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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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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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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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Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in Locked On SEC’s updated Power Rankings?

Where did the Oklahoma Sooners land in Locked On SEC’s conference power rankings for week 2?

The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off of a 48-point week one win over an overmatched Temple Owls team. Led by a dominant defensive effort, the Sooners earned a bump in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

But that isn’t the only place the Sooners saw a bump. Locked On SEC’s Chris Gordy has been covering the SEC for a long time and has a good feel for the conference as a whole. He has the Sooners ranked No. 7 in the conference.

The Sooners moved up one spot after LSU’s loss to the USC Trojans on Sunday night.

They’re right behind the Tennessee Volunteers, who the Sooners will see in the SEC debut on September 21. The following week, Oklahoma will go on the road to take on the Auburn Tigers for their much anticipated first-ever SEC road trip. Aside from Auburn, the only team the Sooners play this year that is ranked behind them is South Carolina.

The Gamecocks struggled with Old Dominion in week one. Even though they got the win, it was so unimpressive that they came in at No. 16 in Gordy’s power rankings.

No surprise who sits at the top of the SEC power rankings, with Georgia coming in at No. 1 in both of the major national polls. Texas is No. 2 in the conference. SEC and national analysts are very high on the Longhorns heading into the season. But given the turnover on offense, they still have a ton to prove, in my opinion.

https://twitter.com/LockedOnSEC/status/1831036984087007634

We’re higher on the Sooners in the SEC early in the season. Oklahoma is my No. 4 team in the conference behind Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss. Though there are a lot of OU doubters out there, this is a team with a defense to make a ton of noise in the SEC despite it being their first year in the league.

But the Sooners will get their opportunity to prove it in the coming weeks.

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Sooners into the top 15 of the AP Top 25 after week one win

The Oklahoma Sooners moved into the Top 15 of the AP Top 25 after their win over Temple.

The Oklahoma Sooners are among the top 15 teams in the nation after the latest AP Top 25 was released on Tuesday. They moved up one spot from the preseason poll to No. 15 in the nation. Oklahoma was ranked No. 13 in the US LBM Coaches Poll released earlier today.

The Sooners are one of eight teams from the SEC ranked by the Associated Press. Of those eight teams, the Sooners will play six of them, including five teams inside the top 14 of the week two AP Poll.

This comes after LSU, Clemson, and Texas A&M dropped significantly following their week one losses. OU didn’t climb higher due to big jumps by Miami, who beat Florida, and USC, who beat LSU.

Georgia is the No. 1 team in the nation after receiving 57 out of 62 first-place votes this week. They’re followed by Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, and Notre Dame in the top five.

The Sooners still have a lot to prove to the voters, and their next opportunity comes this week against the [autotag]Houston Cougars[/autotag]. However, many might still vote conservatively on the Sooners until they face Tennessee in their SEC debut on September 21.

The Vols come in one spot ahead of Oklahoma at No. 14, not getting much love from the voters for their week one win.

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