Navy Rallies Support to Shock Oklahoma in Armed Forces Bowl!
As former NFL head coach Bill Parcells famously says, “You are what your record says you are,” and applying that logic to the Armed Forces Bowl suggests a potentially one-sided matchup between Oklahoma and Navy.
Oklahoma’s 6-6 record in its first season in the SEC highlights their offensive struggles and a season marred by injuries. Since their 37-17 loss to LSU on November 30, the Sooners have undergone major changes, including hiring a new offensive coordinator and starting quarterback, John Mateer, while losing 25 players to the transfer portal, including starting quarterback Jackson Arnold.
In contrast, Navy has a more stable 9-3 record. However, their three losses — to Notre Dame (51-14), Rice (24-10), and Tulane (35-0) — raise concerns. Against Tulane, Navy was limited to just 113 total yards, far behind Oklahoma’s 349-yard performance against the same team earlier in the season.
The Oklahoma team facing Navy will look quite different from the one that played Tulane in September. With Arnold out, Michael Hawkins Jr. steps in at quarterback, and running back Jovantae Barnes will miss the bowl due to injury. Additionally, Oklahoma will be without their top four receivers and key defensive players, including linebacker Danny Stutsman and defensive back Billy Bowman, both opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft.
Navy impressed experts with their dominant victory over Army, and if they bring that same performance against a depleted Oklahoma team, the Sooners could be in trouble, especially given their inconsistency this season.
While Oklahoma started as a 9.5-point favorite, the spread has now dropped to as low as -3.5 or -4.5, with some outlets, like College Football News, predicting a Navy upset. Fans should be wary, as anything can happen in this unpredictable bowl game.
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