Jackson Arnold

Freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold during the game against Arizona on Dec. 28.

 Olivia Lauter/OU Daily

SAN ANTONIO — With under a minute left in the third quarter, Jackson Arnold and Oklahoma were driving inside the Arizona 25-yard line.

The Sooners led 24-13 as Arnold faked the give to Drake Stoops and fired a laser to Jalil Farooq. The pass was on the money and caught — before it was jarred out of Farooq’s hands as he was hit by Treydan Stukes — but ended up being six points going the other way after a fumble. After the play, OU’s win probability went from 96.2% to under 50%, according to ESPN analytics.

The play was as chaotic as Arnold’s performance and one example of how the offense never fully clicked on all cylinders. Filled with bursting talent but true freshman mistakes, Arnold’s first collegiate start finished with him completing 26 of his 45 passes for 361 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions as No. 12 Oklahoma (10-3) fell 38-24 to No. 14 Arizona (10-3) Thursday in the Alamo Bowl.

“He had some phenomenal moments tonight and gave us a chance going into the fourth quarter having a chance to win,” Sooners head coach Brent Venables said postgame. “ … I think it shows you, you don't have to play perfect. As a matter of fact, you can play far from perfect and still have a chance to beat a top-15 team. At the same time, the game will punish you for turning the ball over.”

While he threw a perfect ball on one of the most important momentum-shifters of the game and got an unlucky bounce, he missed on others. He also lost a fumble late in the game on a play where he stood in the pocket and took a hard hit from Wildcats defensive lineman Isaiah Ward.

To start the second half, it seemed like new offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and Arnold found a groove after some early jitters, but OU’s six turnovers – its most since vs. Oklahoma State in 1997 – proved to be the difference.

“Those mistakes were on me,” Arnold said. “I'm going to take the full blame for that. I've just got to be better. I thought (Littrell and new co-offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley) put me in great positions to win tonight, and the lack of execution was the problem that we had tonight.”

Amid the disarray, Arnold showed flashes of excellence, including showing off his cannon of an arm on a 63-yard touchdown to Brenen Thompson 31 seconds into the second half.

Early in the second quarter, while scrambling to his left, he found a diving Nic Anderson near the sideline in the back of the end zone.

Young quarterbacks are bound to make mistakes. Especially with a new coordinator who hasn’t implemented his system yet and an offensive line lacking depth.

“I'd say just to battle through adversity,” Arnold said of what he learned from his first start. “Our team chaplain this morning, that was the main focus was battling through adversity because it's going to strike at some point, and it did tonight. Obviously there's things that went bad tonight, but just learn to keep my head up and keep playing through it no matter what is something I take away from the night.”

Jackson Arnold

Freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold during the game against Arizona on Dec. 28.

As efficient as Oklahoma’s offense was in 2023, the same self-inflicted wounds offensively that lost it its last Bedlam matchup and the Kansas game showed up in the Alamodome. Turnovers and penalties won’t win you close games in the SEC, and it’s something Littrell and Finley will be tasked with fixing.

The major flaw evident in the offense heading into next season continues to be the offensive line. For OU’s shiny new starting quarterback to flourish, Venables and his staff must fill more gaps in the trenches through the transfer portal to allow Arnold time to work.

Venables brought Arnold aside after Arizona took the lead in the fourth quarter. He told his true freshman quarterback he had his back before also telling him not to throw the ball across the middle of the field.

Wild as it might’ve been, Arnold’s performance is nothing to panic over. The former five-star recruit is the player Venables wants to lead his team to success in the conference that means more next season.

Venables’ team has a lot to improve on this offseason, but one thing is certain to him: Arnold is made to be the starting quarterback at Oklahoma.

“I know we've got the right guy,” Venables said of Arnold. “And we've got the right group there. Broad shoulders, level headed, incredibly humble, tough on himself, demanding of himself. I don't ever worry about him having success and going to his head, and I certainly don't worry about if he's fragile or a head case. This is a strong dude that's very process driven. He's very committed.

“He's relentless with his work ethic, and he'll bring out the best in everybody. He's a great leader and incredibly skilled.”

The Oklahoma Sooners played in their post-season bowl game against the Arizona Wildcats Thursday night in the Valero Alamo Bowl, falling 38-24.

Here is our best footage from the Alamodome:

Filmed by Kaly Phan

Edited by Kaly Phan

Thumbnail by Kaly Phan

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/infraction/typography

License code: MDOZHEKXFIQNBPAS

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