OU Daily assistant sports editor Louis Raser answers your questions and comments after Oklahoma’s (6-5, 2-5 SEC) 24-3 upset win over Alabama (8-3, 4-3) on Saturday.
Run the ball effectively and this will be the result
Oklahoma’s defense proved it doesn’t take much scoring from the offense to win games.
Alabama headed into Saturday’s matchup as the No. 7 scoring offense nationally, yet the Crimson Tide failed to score a touchdown for the first time since 2011.
All the Sooners’ defense needs is for OU’s offense to play turnover-free football and sustain drives for long enough to give the defense rest — which they did by running the ball. Alabama started nine of its ten drives from its own 25-yard line or closer to its own goal line. Its best starting field position all night was at its own 44-yard line. The Sooners also dominated time of possession 34:11 to 25:49.
Field position, turnovers and time of possession are three things that have hurt OU in nearly every game this season. Saturday’s result was a testament to the Sooners flipping the script in those three aspects.
It was clear early on that Oklahoma wasn’t going to have to throw the ball much in order to do that. Nine completions on 11 pass attempts for 68 yards was all it needed. Rushing for 257 yards on 5.1 yards per carry will win games — even in the SEC. And it all started with an outstanding performance from the offensive line.
Oklahoma doesn’t need to throw the ball much the rest of the season. The Sooners entered 2024 thinking they’d be a pass dominant team, but they also thought they’d have Jalil Farooq, Deion Burks, Jayden Gibson, Andrel Anthony and Nic Anderson.
If OU’s offensive line can show that Saturday wasn’t a fluke, the Sooners could be a dangerous team heading into next year with a healthy receiver room, a new offensive coordinator and an established rushing attack to aid Jackson Arnold — or whoever the quarterback may be.
Completely changes the trajectory of Oklahoma football
It certainly seems like it.
I mean, can you imagine what the offseason would be like if OU would’ve lost its last two games? Lots of questions would be asked, lots of jobs would be at stake.
No one will be forgiving the program for this season, that’s for sure. But this win gave many people hope that Brent Venables is the answer and that the Sooners are a good fit for the SEC.
Does this keep recruits and players from leaving?
I don’t know, but I’d be willing to bet it helps.
This game showed what kind of team Oklahoma has the potential to be — and they did it with 12 players out due to injury. The Sooners are not as far off from competing with top SEC schools as everyone thought, and I’m sure OU is hoping recruits took that message away from the win.
Remember, Michael Fasusi, OU’s top commit of the 2025 class — though he may not be commitment in the eyes of head coach Brent Venables — and a five-star at the Sooners’ most coveted position, offensive line, opted to visit Texas this weekend for the Longhorns’ game against Kentucky instead of coming to Norman for OU-Alabama.
Not only did Fasusi miss the first field storm in Norman since 2000 for Texas’ 31-14 win over bowl-ineligible Kentucky, he missed a dominant performance from the Sooners’ offensive line.
Brent Venables still has to win next year
He absolutely does.
This can’t be the peak of the Brent Venables era. For him to keep his job, it has to be the first stepping stone to re-establishing Oklahoma as a top tier college football program.
