OU-Georgia: Five things that must happen for an OU Round 1 win

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 25: Head Coach Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma Sooners during warm ups before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated West Virginia 59-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 25: Head Coach Lincoln Riley of Oklahoma Sooners during warm ups before the game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated West Virginia 59-31. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 02: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners during Big 12 Championship game against the TCU Horned Frogs at AT
ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 02: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners during Big 12 Championship game against the TCU Horned Frogs at AT

Get off the field on defense on third down

The Sooners cannot afford for Georgia to pound the ball on the ground, sustain long drives and eat precious time off the game clock. Limiting OU’s offensive possessions will be a key part of Georgia’s game plan. As much as possible the Oklahoma defense wants to force the Georgia offense off schedule and put them in third-and-long situations. The Sooners are going to sell out to stop the bruising Georgia running game and force Bulldog freshman quarterback Jake Fromm to beat them throwing the football most likely against man coverage.

Oklahoma wants to give Baker Mayfield and the high-powered Sooner offense as many possessions as possible. For this to happen, they have to get third-down stops and win the third-down conversion battle.