First impressions would probably lead you to conclude that OU vs. Tulsa on Saturday is a giant mismatch. If that is the way Bob Stoops and the Sooners approach this game, though, the joke could be on them.
That is the way some fans may be viewing the Sooners’ final nonconference game before beginning on the Big 12 portion of the 2015 schedule, but I can assure you that neither the Sooners’ coaching staff nor the team will take the Golden Hurricane out of Tulsa lightly.
The head-to-head numbers weigh pretty heavily in Oklahoma’s favor. The Sooners are 13-1 against Tulsa since 1943 and have yet to lose under Stoops in eight previous games with the Golden Hurricane. The average margin of victory for OU over Tulsa in the last eight games has been 48-10. The Sooners won last year at Tulsa, 52-7.
Sep 5, 2015; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops watches his team in action against the Akron Zips during the third quarter at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Oklahoma is a four-touchdown favorite, according to the Las Vegas sports books, but I frankly think that might be a bit generous and perhaps an overreaction of sorts to the Sooners win at Tennessee last weekend. It would not be a surprise to see OU come out a little flat in this game, realizing that they are at home and going up against a lessor opponent than the giant challenge before them the week before.
Having said that, though, Tulsa will be coming to town with the idea that it can compete with a team of OU’s caliber, especially if the Sooners let their guard down a bit this week, as some expect will be the case.
A couple of observations about this year’s Oklahoma team and how the dots line up now – two games into the new season – around the concerns voiced by pundits in the preseason about 1) the quarterback issue, 2) what the new offensive brought in by offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley would look like and, perhaps most concerning, 3) the Sooners very uncharacteristic-under-the-Stoops-brothers defensive deficiencies:
- Quarterback Baker Mayfield knows this offense, feels very comfortable in it and, given good protection, solid run-game support and multiple receiver options, is more than capable of keeping the chains moving. His passing numbers were down some from the 388 yards passing in OU’s win over Akron, but given the increased level of the competition in Week 2 and an 11-for-14 performance for 103 yards and two touchdowns when it counted most, in the fourth quarter, against Tennessee, exemplifies the renewed will and fight in this year’s team to play every game out to the very end. Mayfield is front and center in leading that attitude change.
- The new offense may not look quite Texas-Tech-like yet, with receivers darting all over the field catching passes left and right, but that’s not all that unexpected with practically an all-new offensive line and this being the first year operating in the new offense. When fans will see this offense really beginning to take hold is when the Sooners are finally able to get their running game, best in the Big 12 a year ago, going. We are going to see Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon used more as pass-receiving weapons as the season progresses.
- Improvements in the defense? How about holding a very good Tennessee offense to just 51 total yards and no points in the third and fourth quarters last weekend (only eight yards in the fourth period), allowing the OU offense to come back from a 17-3 second-half deficit. That should be enough evidence to end the discussion for now.
O.K., the Sooners appear to be better this season – at least better than some of the lower expectations all of us were reading and hearing about in the offseason. But they better be mindful that this is a different Tulsa team this year as well.
Sep 6, 2014; Tulsa, OK, USA; Tulsa Golden Hurricane quarterback Dane Evans (9) throws during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
First of all, the Golden Hurricane have a new coach, Philip Montgomery, who is very familiar with the Sooners having been offensive coordinator at Baylor before arriving at Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane are 2-0 this season, just like the Sooners.
Tulsa is coming off of a 40-21 win on the road at New Mexico last weekend, the second game this season it has scored 40 or more points. The Golden Hurricane are averaging 609 yards of total offense, which ranks fifth in the nation. Almost two-thirds of that offensive output has been through the air. Tulsa is averaging 372 passing yards, 10th best in the nation.
Quarterback Dane Evans leads the Tulsa offense. He threw for over 400 yards in the Golden Hurricane’s season-opening victory over Florida Atlantic and is ninth all-time in career passing yards at Tulsa with 4,745 yards. Evan’s favorite target is junior wide receiver Keevan Lucas, who was fifth in the country last season in receiving yards per game.
Senior Zack Langer is the main back for the Golden Hurricane when they run the ball. Langer rushed for 89 yards in Tulsa’s season opener against Florida Atlantic and rumbled for 139 more last weekend against New Mexico. He had four rushing touchdowns in the two games.
Tulsa’s two opponents have averaged 476 yards of total offense, and the Golden Hurricane defense is sure to get its biggest challenge of the season from the Sooners.
Three Key Things to Watch for in the Game
Tulsa pass offense vs. OU pass defense – The potent Tulsa passing offense against an Oklahoma defense that gave up almost 300 passing yards per game last season, 117th in the nation among FBS schools, but has shown marked improvement in this area so far this season. In its two wins this season, the Sooners have allowed an average of 106 passing yards per game and just 240 yards of total offense per game. And in case you are wondering, OU’s 106 yards per game in pass defense this season is sixth best nationally, 101 spots better than where the Sooners ended up in the rankings last season.
This could be a big rushing afternoon for Oklahoma backs – Tulsa has yielded an average of 262 rushing yards to its first two opponents. The Sooners would like to get their two prime running backs going in the ground, and this could be the game that Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon begin to feel their oats. Plus, a strong running game will open up the entire field for Mayfield to attack through the air, and even some with his legs.
There will be a brother rivalry going on when both teams are on defense – Junior linebacker Dominique Alexander is averaging 9.5 tackles in Oklahoma’s first two games this season. His older brother, Derrick, is a senior defensive end for Tulsa. Derrick was a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection a year ago.
My pick: Oklahoma 52, Tulsa 17 – The Sooners hope to get off to a faster start than they have in their two preceding games. When they do, they will break the will of their in-state rivals and will be in control from start to finish in this one.