Sooners Cruise to First Victory as SEC Member

© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma Sooners (1-0) started their first season as members of the Southeastern Conference on Aug. 30 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and cruised to a 51-3 victory over the Temple Owls. (0-1.) The defense shined for the Sooners as they hurried and harassed Temple quarterback Forrest Brock all night. The Sooners forced 6 turnovers on the night, and the Owls could never get going.

Game Summary

Plenty of excitement preceded the launch of the season for Oklahoma. With the move to the SEC this year, fans and observers wanted to see if the Sooners were SEC-ready.

The defense looks the part, especially up front, where the rotation of defensive linemen created havoc in the Temple backfield all night. The Sooners never let the Owls offense get on track, giving up only 3 points on the night. The defense held the Owls to 197 yards of total offense on the night.

The offense looked good at the skill positions. Quarterback Jackson Arnold threw for 141 yards and 4 touchdowns, 3 of which went to Deion Burks. Tight end Bauer Sharp had 5 catches and a touchdown in his Sooners debut. The running game took a while to get rolling, mainly due to below-average offensive line play. Temple defenders frequently stood Sooners offensive linemen straight up and pushed them back, which is a concern for Sooners fans.

Turning Point for Sooners

The turning point in the game occurred after the first Sooners score when the Owls turned the ball over for the first of six times. Oklahoma then took only five plays to go 43 yards in 1:43, culminating with Arnold hitting Burks for the duo's first scoring strike. From then on, Temple was never in the game, and the Sooners kept their foot on the gas, cruising to an easy victory.

What it Means

For Oklahoma: The Sooners came out and covered the spread and looked the part defensively. It's their first win of the season and their first win as a member of the SEC. The play-calling was basic and did not have a lot of flair. For the Sooners to succeed as the season progresses, the offensive line will need to perform better. The Sooners will now prepare for their next game on Sept. 7 at Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium against the Houston Cougars.

For Temple: The Owls knew they were coming in at a talent disadvantage and needed to play clean even to have a chance to be competitive. The Owls did not play a clean game. They were plagued by untimely mistakes on offense, like penalties and multiple turnovers. Coach Stan Drayton may be in jeopardy if the team continues down this path for the season. Next up for the Owls is a different challenge as they take on the Navy Midshipmen and their triple option that gives good teams fits.