Bauer Sharp

Redshirt junior tight end Bauer Sharp during the game against Temple on Aug. 30.

 Aden Choate/OU Daily

No. 16 Oklahoma (1-0) defeated Temple (0-1) 51-3 in its season opener on Friday in Norman.

In the first ever Friday night game at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, sophomore starting quarterback Jackson Arnold led the Sooners going 17 of 25 for 141 yards and four touchdowns.

Here are three takeaways from the Sooners’ win:

Arnold and Burks connect

Heading into the game against Temple, Arnold was perfect in season openers after going 11 of 11 against Arkansas State last season. He continued the streak on Friday, starting the game 5 of 5 and scoring two touchdowns.

The first touchdown was off a 14-yard pass to redshirt junior tight end Bauer Sharp, who is just the 18th Sooner to ever score on his first reception with OU. The second was to redshirt junior wide receiver Deion Burks off another 14-yard dish.

Burks, who transferred to OU from Purdue in the offseason, had 629 receiving yards and seven touchdowns for the Boilermakers and was looking to build on that with OU.

The Arnold-Burks connection was evident in the first half with the duo combining for three of the Sooners four first half touchdowns. The wide receiver caught four passes before halftime for 30 yards.

His three touchdown receptions in the first half, is tied for the most in Oklahoma history. Burks finished the game with six receptions, 36 yards and three touchdowns, and Arnold completed 68% of his passes.

Oklahoma had 161 passing yards, and Temple had 128. 

Freshman running back Taylor Tatum led the Sooners in rushing with 66 yards on four attempts. Oklahoma finished the night with 217 rushing yards. Temple had 69.

Oklahoma redshirt senior center Branson Hickman left the game with an ankle injury and was wearing a boot in the second half. Senior wide receiver Jalil Farooq also exited the game after suffering a left leg injury.

OU finished the first game of the 2024-25 season with 378 total yards. 

Early turnovers create momentum

OU’s defense was shutting down Temple’s offense all game, and it showed in the first half after the Sooners forced four Owl turnovers – three fumbles and one interception.

In total, Temple had six turnovers on Friday. 

On Temple’s second drive, senior defensive end Ethan Downs stripped Temple quarterback Forrest Brock and senior defensive tackle Da’Jon Terry recovered the ball in Temple territory.

After the fumble, OU would force turnovers in two of the next three Temple drives. In the nine drives Temple had in the first half, the Owls punted four times in addition to the four turnovers.

The Sooners had fumbles recovered by Terry, senior safety Billy Bowman Jr. and junior safety Robert Spears-Jennings. Redshirt junior cornerback Kani Walker also added an interception off Brock in the first quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Sooners would force the fifth Temple turnover of the game after a fumble by the Owls on a Luke Elzinga punt, which led to an eventual touchdown scored by Jaren Kanak.

OU's six forced turnovers is the most since its game against Texas in 2023. 

Keltner can kick

Last season OU ranked 78th nationally in field goal percentage, converting 71.43% of its attempts.

Redshirt senior kicker Zach Schmit was 15 of 21 on field goal attempts and 67 of 67 on extra point attempts last season, extending his 124 made extra point streak — the fourth longest in program history.

Schmit continued to do kickoffs for the Sooners against Temple. However, redshirt senior kicker Tyler Keltner was OU’s place kicker on Friday. Keltner was 3 of 3 on field goal attempts, scoring from 24, 42 and 50. He was also 6 of 6 on extra point attempts.

Next, Oklahoma will play Houston at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables' postgame press conference after the Sooners' 51-3 win over Temple.

Filmed and edited by Aryanna Smith

Chapters:

00:00 - Brent Venables recaps the game

03:49 - Brent Venables on Jalil Farooq and Branson Hickman's injuries

04:31 - What was the biggest thing that stood out to you on the defensive front and the way they played the field?

06:01 - Brent Venables on the running game and Demarco Murray

06:49 - Brent Venables on Taylor Tatum

07:04 - Brent Venables on Deion Burks' future

07:41 - Is it safe to say you have to be patient with the new offense to get going?

08:43 - Brent on Tyler Keltner and Zach Schmit

09:33 - What do you think about Jackson's decision-making?

10:41 - How did the communication work with the offense and defense?

10:46 - Brent Venables on Andrel Anthony Jr. return

11:21 - Brent Venables on Michael Hawkins' debut

11:55 - Brent Venables on the fill-ins for Jalil Farooq

12:23 - What potential does Bauer Sharp add to your offense

13:00 - Brent Venables talks complete players for rush and pass

13:56 - Brent Venables on Walker's interception and Dolby

14:36 - Is Woodi 100% the same for Gentry?

15:29 - Is Jake Taylor in the same boat too?

15:44 - Brent Venables on new young receivers

16:27 - What do you think about the special team unit not giving up a long run?

17:03 - How important was it today to get Zach Alley further settled into this division?

18:13 - Brent Venables on defense

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