The Oklahoma Sooners weren’t overly impressive in their win against the Houston Cougars, but they got the win nonetheless. The Sooners moved to 2-0 despite an offensive performance that didn’t quite look like any Oklahoma team we’ve watched over the last 25 years.
Jackson Arnold didn’t look like the same quarterback who played free and confident in the Alamo Bowl. The running game was pretty much nonexistent. There were miscommunications and misfires and the offense just seemed to lack a rhythm in the game.
Despite the win, the Sooners dropped one spot to No. 16 in ESPN’s updated power rankings after week two. The Sooners were jumped by Oklahoma State and Kansas State in the process.
The Sooners escaped with a 16-12 win against Houston in a game that Brent Venables said they deserved to lose thanks to an inconsistent offense that could never find a rhythm. A week after Houston lost 24-7 to UNLV at home, the Sooners couldn’t put the Cougars away, with OU finishing with its fewest points and total yards (249) against an unranked nonconference team since a 17-10 loss to TCU in 2005. – Dave Wilson, ESPN
The offensive line improved in pass protection against the Houston Cougars, but were wildly inconsistent on the ground. There’s room for improvement everywhere.
Oklahoma must find answers quickly with the Tulane Green Wave coming to town Saturday. In week two, Tulane nearly upset Kansas State and is a well-coached team, just like Houston.
If there’s one thing going well for the Sooners, it’s the defense. Yes, Houston had success in the quick passing game, but Oklahoma absolutely shut down the running game. The Sooners held the Cougars to just 1.7 yards per carry.
The challenges get tougher starting in week three with Tulane before turning their attention to Tennessee. Can the Sooners improve offensively and maintain their defensive effort? We’ll find out starting Saturday afternoon against the Green Wave.
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