Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma Football: Previewing the 2017 second-half schedule

By Sixto Ortiz

NORMAN, OK - AUGUST 30: The Oklahoma Sooners take the field before the game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs August 30, 2014 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Bulldogs 48-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - AUGUST 30: The Oklahoma Sooners take the field before the game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs August 30, 2014 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Bulldogs 48-16. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Kliff Kingsbury of the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Patrick Mahomes II
ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Kliff Kingsbury of the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Patrick Mahomes II /

October 28 — The Red Raiders storm Norman

Enough has been written about the epic, high-scoring 2016 shootout between Oklahoma and Texas Tech. Sooner fans will recall that game, in which both defensive units failed to suit up. The end result was an an offensive smorgasbord, with the Sooner defense giving up an eye-popping 854 yards of total offense to the Red Raiders (including 734 yards passing yards by Patrick Mahomes).

The Red Raiders were as inept defensively as they were unstoppable on offense: Tech gave up 854 yards to the Sooner offense (309 rushing yards and 545 passing yards for an unheard-of 11.2 yards per play). In spite of the defensive debacle, the Sooners ended up on the winning side of this one, 66-59.

In 2017, you can expect the Sooners to come into this one with a substantial chip on their defense’s shoulders. Simply put, Mike Stoops can’t afford for his defense to turn in another non-performance like the 2016 debacle. The fact that Patrick Mahomes has departed to the NFL will make that task easier. Quarterback Nic Shimonek will man the offensive controls for the Red Raider offense this time around.

Another memorable high-scoring matchup between these two teams with a not-so-positive outcome occurred in 2010, when the Red Raiders upset the then third-ranked and undefeated Sooners 41-38 in Norman, snapping Oklahoma’s 39-game home winning streak.

Texas Tech runs an offensive system that can make most quarterbacks look good, so the Sooner defense can’t come into this one counting on an easy day just because Mahomes is gone.

On the offensive side, the Sooner offense should not have any problems against Tech’s usually porous defense, despite the significant skill-position departures. Baker Mayfield still runs the Sooner offense, so unless something truly strange occurs, he should have a productive day against the Tech defense.

The Sooner defense will redeem itself, and the offense should have no issues piling up the points against Texas Tech. Sooners roll in this one.

Predicted Score: Sooners 56, Red Raiders 14

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