So what happens now?
Under Lincoln Riley, the running game is always a big piece of the puzzle. There’s a saying “It all starts up front”, well the Sooners haven’t been getting it done upfront. It’s frustrating to see all the negative yards the Sooners get in the running game, which is simply the result of the offensive line getting pushed back. We’ve seen the offensive line show signs of growth, but it hasn’t been an every-week thing. The Sooners have been losing the “battle of the trenches,” which is not a way to win a football game.
For Oklahoma, it’s about putting the pieces together in this last stretch. Just ignore the College Football Playoff committee and take care of your business.
The Sooners still have a chance to punch another ticket to a Big 12 Championship, which is the number one task ahead. Let the other top teams beat up on each other, and maybe that allows the Sooners to climb. Oklahoma has to figure out its inconsistency problem on both sides of the ball, and it has just a couple of weeks to get it all figured out.
The preparation for and outcome of the next two weekends will define Oklahoma’s 2021 football season.