Sep 124 min read

Sooners Look to Correct Surprising Struggles Against Tulane

Sooners | Quarterback Jackson Arnold — © BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN/USA TODAY NETWORK

The Tulane Green Wave (1-1) visits the 15th-ranked Oklahoma Sooner s (2-0) at 3:30 p.m. EST on Sept. 14 in Norman, Okla. The game will be televised on ESPN. This will be the third meeting all-time between the two schools, with the Sooners winning both matchups in 2017 and 2021. The Sooners are 2-0 in 2024, and the defense has held its last two opponents to a combined 15 points. Offensively, they have scored a combined 67 points in their wins against Temple and Houston this season.

What's at Stake?

What's at stake for Oklahoma? Confidence is the No. 1 thing at stake for the Sooners. Oklahoma has a massive game the following week to kick off the Southeastern Conference schedule with high-flying Tennessee (2-0) in prime time. After obliterating Temple 51-3 on Aug. 30, the Sooners had a much closer 16-12 win over winless Houston (0-2) on Sept. 7. The Sooners are struggling for consistency on offense this season, primarily due to injuries along the offensive line and in the receiving corps. The ground game has to get going to open up the play-action game. In last week's victory over Houston, the Sooners managed only 249 total yards. OU sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold was just 19-of-32 for 174 yards with 2 touchdowns but had an interception in the game.

What is at stake for Tulane? Well, Tulane can't lose if it wants to have an outside chance to make the new 12-team playoff. The Green Wave fought to the last second last week in their 34-27 loss to Kansas State (2-0). The goal of winning a conference title will still be attainable. But with a loss, even with a conference title, they won't be ranked high enough to grab that spot for the highest Group of Five champions.

Sooners Key Players

The Sooners' young quarterback, Jackson Arnold, must be successful. The offensive line must also perform better. The line is the key offensive player for the Sooners in this game against a Tulane defense that will bring more pressure than Houston did. Injuries have been a big reason. The Sooners' offensive line has been ineffective. The line strolling on the field is far from the line that new offensive coordinator Seth Littrell had in mind to start the season. It's been a patchwork, next-man-up play style for the Sooners. The line has to improve because the competition only improves as the Sooners descend into their first season in the SEC.

Defensively, the key player for the Sooners is its leader, Danny Stutsman. Stutsman, who has 21 tackles this season, must keep the Sooners level-headed if frustrations continue with the offense. There were a few plays at the end of the Houston game in which some of the Sooners lost their cool. Stutsman will have to use his leadership to keep the Sooners focused on the game and the task of becoming not just a good defense but an elite one.

Oklahoma Sooner Football — © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Tulane Key Players

The key player for the Green Wave offense is a former Sooner wide receiver, Mario Williams. Williams began his playing career in Norman with the Sooners before leaving to follow Lincoln Riley to USC. In three years at the two schools, he had 104 receptions for 1,316 yards and 11 touchdowns. Since joining the Tulane squad, Williams has instilled himself as a leader for the offense and the team and has had 10 receptions for 252 yards. Tulane head coach Willie Fritz will pick Williams' brain to get some insight on the guys they will be going up against; on the field, Williams will have to step up for quarterback Darian Mensah. Williams hasn't found the end zone yet this season and nothing would be sweeter than to score against his old team and walk away with a win.

Defensively for Tulane, Patrick Jenkins is a future NFL player. Last season, he had 39 tackles and 3 sacks. He currently has 4 tackles in 2024. With the offensive line's struggles for the Sooners, Jenkins needs to wreak havoc and not make bad decisions for Arnold. The preseason Bednarick Award Watch List member needs to use his size and athleticism to bully the Sooners' offensive line, disrupt the run and pass and keep the Sooners in long-yard situations.

Trends to Watch

The Sooners are trending down with their poor offensive performances in the first two games of the year. The switch has been turned, though, as the Sooners have an outstanding defense while the offense is struggling. The Sooners are favored by 13.5 points, according to most betting sites. Oklahoma needs a better showing from the offense to make that number a reality.

For Tulane, you get to a point where moral victories do not mean anything. The Green Wave should have won their game last week against the Wildcats and let it slip away. Tulane now believes it can play with anyone, and it looks to show it in Norman. One side note about Williams and his time at Oklahoma: He had 6 receptions and a touchdown against his present team.