Oklahoma football fans had hoped their concerns over Big 12 teams like Houston were a thing of the past after moving to the SEC this season. However, Saturday’s game against Houston proved otherwise.
The 15th-ranked Sooners barely held on for a 16-12 victory over the Cougars at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Nearly 84,000 fans watched as Oklahoma narrowly avoided an early-season upset, which would have been hard to accept given the tough schedule ahead.
One area the Sooners can be proud of is their defense. Through two games, Oklahoma has allowed only 15 points. Against Houston, the defense completely stifled the Cougars’ running game, limiting them to just 58 yards and 1.7 yards per carry. The defense also forced three turnovers, recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass.
This defensive dominance wasn’t always a hallmark of the team when head coach Brent Venables, now in his third year, first arrived from Clemson. But it has become the foundation of this year’s squad, in contrast to the offense, which struggled in their Week 2 matchup against Houston.
Oklahoma’s offense still a work in progress with Jackson Arnold
The Sooners were outgained by the Cougars in total yardage on Saturday, with Houston amassing 318 yards compared to Oklahoma’s 252. Houston averaged 9.3 yards per play, while the Sooners managed just 5.4. Oklahoma’s offense appeared disjointed and struggled to maintain a consistent threat throughout the game.
This isn’t entirely surprising for those familiar with Oklahoma football. The team lost last year’s experienced quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, who has since transferred to the Oregon Ducks. His replacement, sophomore Jackson Arnold, a highly-touted former five-star recruit from Denton, Texas, has shown mixed results so far.
Arnold’s performances have been inconsistent. In last year’s Alamo Bowl against Arizona, he threw more interceptions (three) than touchdowns (two) but tallied 361 passing yards. In his Week 1 start against Temple, Arnold threw for just 141 yards but had four touchdowns and no turnovers. However, he was unable to replicate that clean performance against Houston.
Although Arnold avoided a three-interception game like in the Alamo Bowl, he did throw a pick on Oklahoma’s first drive of the second half. Houston capitalized by scoring in just four plays, reducing the lead to two points. Arnold then threw another interception at the Sooners’ 41-yard line after a nine-play drive. Fortunately for Oklahoma, the defense forced a punt, preventing further damage.
Despite the defense’s efforts, Oklahoma’s offense struggled, punting eight times. When they did manage to score, it was often due to their defense setting them up with favorable field position. A late safety by the defense provided a crucial buffer. Arnold finished the game with 19 completions on 32 attempts for 174 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Oklahoma’s offensive line still needs work
It’s uncommon for a team to lose all five starting offensive linemen, but that’s exactly the challenge Venables and the Sooners faced entering the 2024 season. Venables was tasked with replacing more than 4,000 snaps of experience during a critical year as Oklahoma prepares for its SEC debut.
Although SEC play has yet to begin, the Sooners are already struggling on the offensive front. While Jackson Arnold has had his own issues, he’s also been sacked six times in the first two games. The offensive line isn’t without talent, as their pass-blocking ranks 45th with a solid grade of 75.6, according to Pro Football Focus, indicating that some of Arnold’s struggles may be a contributing factor.
However, the line has significantly underperformed in run blocking, receiving a poor grade of 55.2, which ranks 111th nationally. While the Sooners ran for 220 yards on 36 carries against Temple, they managed only 78 yards on 28 carries in the game against Houston.
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