Oklahoma Football Rewind: Takeaways in Savoring Sooners Red River Victory
By Chip Rouse
Sooners’ Takeaway Ratio Headed in Wrong Direction
Oklahoma has not done a good job this season protecting the football. In the win over Texas, the Sooners committed four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumbles). Fortunately, those four turnovers cost Oklahoma only three points on Saturday.
On its very last possession, Oklahoma was very fortunate that a ball knocked loose from quarterback Baker Mayfield was covered by a heads-up Sooner lineman. Otherwise, that one near miscue could easily have become a game-changer, handing the ball to the Texas offense near midfield in a five-point game, although with very little time left on the clock.
In his postgame press conference on Saturday, head coach Bob Stoops, acknowledged the Oklahoma turnover issue, stating:
"“We’re fortunate to be able to lose the turnover battle like we did and still win.”"
If this were a problem in just one game, that would be one thing, but the fact is Oklahoma is at minus six in turnover margin, reflecting 11 turnovers lost in five games (seven fumbles and four interceptions) and just five takeaways, two of which were forced against Texas and helped produce 14 Oklahoma points.
A year ago, the Sooners were plus nine in turnover margin, third best in the Big 12. So far in 2016, OU owns the second worst turnover margin in the conference. Only Kansas has a worse turnover/takeaway margin at this stage of the season.
OU has lost the turnover battle in its wins over TCU and Texas, but still managed to get away with a win in each contest, by a combined 11-point margin. The odds are eventually going to catch up with the Sooners if ball security continues to be an issue.
This is a situation that needs to be reversed and fast if the Sooners are to stay on track and remain in contention for a second consecutive Big 12 football championship.