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Five Things Oklahoma Football Must Do To Beat Auburn in Sugar Bowl

By Chip Rouse

Oct 1, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates with running back Samaje Perine (32) during the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates with running back Samaje Perine (32) during the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 3, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Justice Hill (27) attempts to elude Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Jordan Evans (26) during the fourth quarter at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Justice Hill (27) attempts to elude Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Jordan Evans (26) during the fourth quarter at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Defense Must Step Up

Auburn’s offense may not be as good as Oklahoma’s, but the Sooner defense has made a season of allowing opposing offenses to look like world beaters. Baker Mayfield and Co. are more than capable of winning a shootout with anybody, but that is not a risk you want to take in a highly competitive bowl game or a winning strategy against a team out of the defensive-strong SEC.

As in baseball, where strong pitching is notorious for shutting down equally strong hitting, strong defensive play is what wins championship-caliber football games.

Oklahoma is not going to move the ball at will and score every possession against an Auburn team that is more known for its defensive strength than what it brings on offense. It’s just not going to happen.

The Sooner defense is going to have to get stops and help the offense out by enabling good field position. Auburn prefers to pound the ball with its big, strong running backs, an area in which the Sooner “D” has appeared somewhat Jekyl and Hyde this season. OU has looked outstanding against the run in some games, while in others it allowed huge rushing numbers and didn’t appear capable of stopping anybody.

Look for Mike Stoops’ defense to concentrate on stopping the Auburn run game and force Tiger sophomore quarterback Sean White to beat them with the forward pass, something Auburn is not as comfortable with. The OU secondary has been widely maligned this season, but did a much better job defending against the pass in the latter stages of the season and against some of the Big 12’s better passing offenses.

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