Temperatures will soon drop, the sun will set sooner (pun intended) and the leaves will continue to change colors and fall off their trees. All these things will happen. Just as you can be assured they will take place, you can be confident that something else will happen: Oklahoma’s games will get more challenging.
It’s an undeniable fact.
We will not know how much just yet, but the conference schedule brings a level of intensity that can’t be replicated by playing Western Carolina.
After disposing of the Catamounts, the Sooners focus on their longtime rivals, the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They are largely expected to win this game fairly easily. However, much like the next month will tell us, how the Sooners handle the next month will indicate their national title prospects.
Nebraska represents a marquee game in an early time slot for the Sooners. Regardless of the result, they know they will be playing their Big 12 opener against West Virginia at night on Sept. 25.
Kick times and TV networks for #Big12FB that week:👇
Texas Tech at Texas, 11 a.m. CT on ABC
SMU at TCU, 11 a.m. CT on FS1
Iowa State at Baylor, 2:30 p.m. CT on FOX
Kansas at Duke, 3 p.m. CT on ACC Network
K-State at OSU, 6 p.m. CT on Big 12 Now on ESPN+
WVU at Oklahoma, 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 13, 2021
How will they respond after playing a rivalry game and making the switch to competing for a Big 12 title and potentially much more?
An unfortunate staple of the program has been navigating the September and October schedule while dropping an early conference game or two.
Recent struggles with Kansas State come to mind. OU’s perception as a legitimate title contender will take a critical hit if it drops a game before it plays Texas in Dallas for the Red River Rivalry. Narratives will be recycled, and the same cloud will hover over the team. Oklahoma will be viewed as a sacrificial lamb for an SEC team.
This year, Oklahoma has a complete and proven roster to stop the narrative before it starts. Take these early conference games as seriously as it does the conference games in November and December.
Maturation in decision making from their starting quarterback, consistent effort from the offensive line to open holes for Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray, receivers not named Marvin Mims showing up, stout defense from start to finish are just a few things to look for.
West Virginia will not lay down two weeks from now. This weekend, Nebraska will come into Norman on an emotional high, trying to do the unthinkable in a renewed rivalry.
The target on Oklahoma’s back is getting bigger by the week. The Sooners know how things have gone in the past, and it’s time for them to flip the script. Finishing strong is excellent, but just like this year’s roster, there’s room and talent to complete the task at hand from start to finish fully.
Just like the leaves falling, temperatures dropping, and the sun setting just a bit earlier, you can count on the Oklahoma Sooners being tested as the fall rolls on.
It’s up to them to decide how they handle these tests.
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