Oklahoma awaits bowl game assignment
A failed trick play that saw a desperate tight end Bauer Sharp throw a sick duck pass turned LSU interception in the third quarter seemed emblematic of Oklahoma’s find-a-way-to-fail offense for 2024, ending the regular season in a 37-17 defeat that brought the Sooners’ first year foray into the SEC to a merciful end.
Just one week from the euphoria of trouncing then No. 7 Alabama, the Sooners never seemed in rhythm on offense and appeared unusually out of place on defense (at least in the secondary).
Now Oklahoma waits to learn what sub-tier bowl game to which they will be assigned. The benefit of this team bowling is the extra practice time that these Sooners need more than any of the previous 25 consecutive teams that have taken a bowl game field.
One big takeaway from this game was that the trouble of the offensive line is not over. The O-line allowed four sacks and 10 tackles for a loss. Rarely in the second half of the game did QB Jackson Arnold have time to get back to the line of scrimmage, much less throw any pass that was meaningful.
Arnold was 14 of 21 for 110 yards. He had 75 yards rushing.
And outside of some find runs by Arnold, the Sooners run game saw little success. The running backs got only 92 yards in the game.
The other big takeaway was the Oklahoma defensive secondary had it worst game of the season, with LSU’s QB Garrett Nussmeier picking on true freshman cornerback Eli Bowen for two of his three touchdown passes. Nussmeier was 22 or 31 for 277 yards passing.
The Sooners actually took at 14-10 lead midway through the second quarter. But then the kicking game gave up a 100-yard kick return for touchdown and LSU went on to outscore OU 20-3 from then on.
Meanwhile, after the game Coach Brent Venables didn’t waste any time turning to the next task at hand.
“Obviously, in the next few days or so we’re going to hire a new coach on offense… And in a few days, the transfer portal is going to open… We’ve been working for this moment.”
Photo credit: Aden Choate/OU Daily
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