Oklahoma-Houston Observations: LIVE In-Game Blog

John Hoover, Ryan Chapman and Randall Sweet offer their real-time observations as the No. 15-ranked Sooners host the Houston Cougars.

Oklahoma Sooners Houston Cougars /

NORMAN — Sooners on SI offers real-time observations throughout Saturday's Week 2 matchup between Oklahoma and the Houston Cougars. Newest posts are at the top. Just keep your browser open and refresh often.

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10:10

The Sooners survive a scare in a defensive showcase, beating Houston 16-12 and improving to 2-0. 

OU hosts Tulane next at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. 

-DG

9:55

On Houston’s first play of the drive, Gracen Halton crashes through the line and tackles Stacy Reed for a 5-yard loss and a safety. The safety stands after a review

The Sooners not only hold Houston but add two more points and will get the ball back with a chance to chew the clock. OU leads 16-12 with 1:42 left.

-DG

9:50 

Houston forces OU to punt again and after a great punt will get the ball back on its own 5-yard line, down 14-12 with 1:48 left. The Cougars still have all three timeouts remaining.

-DG

9:30 

Three plays into the fourth quarter, Robert Spears-Jennings jumps a pass and gets an interception on Houston’s 32-yard line. 

OU gets nothing from the turnover, though, after three plays and a missed 45-yard field goal attempt. It’s Tyler Keltner’s first miss as a Sooner. 

-DG

9:20 p.m.

Here are the stats from Norman at the end of the third quarter:

OU-Houston stats through the third quarter / OU Stats

9:15 p.m.

The offense needed a big drive, but it couldn’t produce. 

Taylor Tatum’s 6-yard first down rush immediately made way for a loss and put OU back in third-and-9. 

The average third down distance for the Sooners tonight has been 9.3 yards to go. Not great. 

Great punt coverage from Lewis Carter will ask the Cougars back up on their own 16-yard line. 

— RC 

9:11 p.m.

What a bizarre turn of events. 

Houston had the ball for 7:25 on that last drive and ran 12 plays… to gain 20 yards. 

Oklahoma forced the punt and the offense will take over again. The Sooners need to find the end zone on this drive.

— RC 

9:08 p.m.

We only got one quick replay here in the press box, but it looked like Kendel Dolby was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct after he picked up teammate Billy Bowman and stumbled over a Houston receiver. Cougar fans might suggest he stood over the opponent and taunted after a crucial third-down stop, but that’s a loose interpretation of what unsportsmanlike conduct looks like. 

Anyway, the Sooners get a stop after three more downs and UH is punting.

— JH

8:57 p.m.

Jackson Arnold was really safe with the football through the first six quarters of the year. 

That was just an awful decision. 

He tried to force the ball to Deion Burks, but it was picked off by Jeremiah Wilson. The offense can’t handle any semblance of success. 

— RC 

8:49 p.m.

An injury update after that timeout.

Kip Lewis emerged from the injury tent and the trainers handed his helmet back to him, so he looks set to return. 

— RC 

8:46 p.m.

Houston touchdown as Donovan Smith finds Joseph Manjack behind the defense for a 44-yard touchdown. The Cough’ 2-point conversion pass falls incomplete, making the score 14-12.

It was Kani Walker on the coverage, and he turned Manjack loose and clearly had his eyes in the wrong place, following Smith’s action to the left as Manjack slipped behind him to the right. Major bust.

— JH

8:41 p.m.

Kip Lewis injured on the first play of the second half. Being helped off the field.

Some potential good news: WR Deion Burks is up and warming up on the sideline and doesn’t have any braces or wraps on his forearm. He is warming up without his helmet, however. Something to keep an eye on.

— JH

8:26 p.m.

Oklahoma only ran the ball for 3.3 yards per carry in the first half. 

The Sooners also went 2-for-7 on third down and had a couple of drops out of a banged up wide receiver unit. 

Ugly, ugly stuff that has to be figured out over the next two weeks. Definitely few signs of improvement from last week. 

— RC 

8:20 p.m.

Halftime stats from Norman:

OU-Houston Halftime Stats / OU Stats

8:13 p.m.

After Brenen Thompson’s drop, Deion Burks ran to the sideline to get his left hand checked out by the trainers. That’s a guy Oklahoma simply can’t afford to lose. 

Back on the field, Jackson Arnold and Zion Ragins can’t connect on third-and-10 and Luke Elzinga is back out to punt. 

Bluntly, that was an awful half of football from OU’s offense. 

— RC 

8:04 p.m.

Mekhi Mews’ decision to drop back to the 5-yard line to field that punt results in really poor field position for Houston after Jaydan Hardy and Robert Spears-Jennings stack him up at the 4. 

Sooner fans are getting really loud now.

— JH

8:00 p.m.

Really nice work by Jayden Jackson at the heart of that third-and-4 play. 

He didn’t wrap up the running back, but he pushed him almost five yards back to reset the nice of engagement. Jackson then got in there to help on the tackle. 

Now… OU has muffed two punts itself tonight. Thankfully for the Sooners, they’ve recovered both but that needs to stop. 

— RC 

7:54 p.m.

The offensive line continues to underwhelm, but Oklahoma should have converted on that third-and-14. Arnold delivered a great ball, Sharp just couldn’t haul it in while rolling through the air. 

— RC 

7:45 p.m.

Poor Gentry Williams. He got one play at corner, fell down and appears to have reinjured his right shoulder. That’s tough. The pass was incomplete, but his receiver was wide open deep as Donovan Smith heaved it out of bounds.

— JH

7:42 p.m.

The Norman kid gets his first OU touchdown,. 

Jackson Arnold hit tight end Jake Roberts for an 11-yard score on third-and-2.

Oklahoma’s only two third down conversions this year have resulted in touchdowns. Odd stat.

Sooners up 14-3 with 12:28 left until halftime.

— RC 

7:35 p.m.

First quarter stats from Norman:

Oklahoma-Houston first quarter stats / OU Stats

7:30 p.m.

Holding penalty wipes out a 40-yard pass play, but the Cougars get 16 with a screen pass on third-and-18 — and will put on fourth and 2.

So far, Houston has 74 total yards and is 2-of-4 on third down, while OU has 29 yards and is 0-for-2 on third down — now 1-for-14 on the season.

— JH

7:26 p.m.

Been pretty focused on right tackle Jake Taylor through the first two drives. 

He obviously won the starting job out of camp, but haven’t gotten to see him play much football. 

Looked pretty comfortable in pass protection, though it didn’t help as Jackson Arnold missed Brenen Thompson deep down the field and the Sooners are forced to punt for the second time today. 

— RC 

7:20 p.m.

Great time for Damonic Williams’ first career sack at OU, bringing down Donovan Smith for a loss on third down and forcing a 43-yard Houston field goal that cuts it to 7-3, 4:29 to play in the first quarter.

— JH

7:19 p.m.

Oklahoma’s defense got that drive sorted out. A third down sack by Damonic Williams forced the Cougars to settle for a long field goal. 

OU’s offense will go back to work up 7-3 with 4:29 left in the first quarter. 

— RC 

7:08 p.m.

Oklahoma’s starters on defense:

Mason Thomas - Williams - Jackson - Downs 

Lewis - Stutsman - Dolby 

Walker - Bowen - Bowman - Washington 

Nice little return to the starting lineup for Woodi Washington after getting held out of last week’s game as a precaution. 

— RC 

7:07 p.m.

Woodi Washington gets his starting job back tonight at corner for Dez Malone. The other 10 defensive guys are the same as last week.

— JH

7:01 p.m.

One play later, Jackson Arnold makes Houston pay with a 10-yard touchdown pass on a quick slant to Brenen Thompson. 

Thompson redeems himself as the Sooners lead it 7-0.

— JH

6:59 p.m.

Well that’s not something you see every day. Luke Elzinga’s punt appears to be muffed and continues bouncing downfield. Jacobe Johnson apparently didn’t think it hit the return man, but Lewis Carter did and pounced on its at the Houston 10-yard line.

Replay review, and the play stands. OU ball.

— JH

6:58 p.m.

Guessing Jeff Lebby is having a good laugh at Seth Littrell’s decision to open the game with a jet sweep to Deion Burks — that loses six yards. 

Sooners open with a three-and-out.

— JH

6:57 p.m.

Oklahoma’s starters on offense:

Tarquin - Sexton - Bates - Nwaiwu - Taylor 

Thompson - Burks - Roberts - Sharp 

Arnold - Sawchuk

Got it going with an unsuccessful jet sweep to Burks. 

— RC 

6:54 p.m.

As we approach kickoff, Geirean Hatchett has reverted back to street clothes and apparently will not play tonight. Backup right guard is now freshman Eugene Brooks.

6:53 p.m.

Houston won the toss. 

Oklahoma’s offense coming up first. 

Let’s football. 

— RC 

6:44 p.m.

Woof.

— JH

Pregame vibes not all good in Norman. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/51oQyeybAn

— John E. Hoover 🌮 (@johnehoover) September 7, 2024

6:17 p.m.

So it seems the starting o-line tonight is, L-R, Tarquin, Sexton, Bates, Nwaiwu and Taylor.

— JH

6:15 p.m.

Doubt Branson Hickman is gonna give it a go tonight, so it should be over to Joshua Bates at center for the Sooners. 

He was snapping to Jackson Arnold pregame. If that’s the case, it’ll be the actual starting offensive line listed on the Week 1 depth chart, just swapping Bates for Hickman. 

Need to get that group right this week. Tulane showed this morning it can at least frustrate an opposing offensive line. The Green Wave wore down, but caused problems for Kansas State in the first half in New Orleans. 

— RC 

6:12 p.m.

It appears Oklahoma won’t have linebacker Phil Piccotti for a while. He’s dressed in street clothes ahead of tonight’s game and has a huge knee brace on his right leg and is walking on crutches. Nothing confirmed from Brent Venables, but that doesn’t look good for a player who suffered a knee injury that kept him out all of his freshman season last year.

— JH

6:02 p.m.

It’s early, but as the QBs line up behind the centers for pregame snaps, it’s Joshua Bates who’s snapping to Jackson Arnold, Josh Aisosa snapping to Michael Hawkins.

Also, Geirean Hatchett is not wearing an arm brace tonight like he was last week.

— JH

5:59 p.m.

I know you guys know this already, but I’m gonna say it anyway.

These Wilkinson throwback uni’s are straight fire. So great.

— JH

5:55 p.m.

Center Branson Hickman is dressed in full uniform and it appears that he will play tonight.

— JH

5:26 p.m.

After looking through his trusty binoculars, Ryan just informed me that linebacker Dasan McCullough just entered the arena wearing street clothes and it appears as though he will not play tonight.

— JH

5:05 p.m.

It’s  an idyllic evening in Norman, 81 degrees, calm and clear. 

Good night for a throwback uniform reveal, huh?

We’re a little under two hours from kickoff, and players from both teams are starting to trickle onto Owen Field.

— JH

5:00 p.m.

Got an early injury update from On3's Matt Zenitz. Oklahoma wide reciever Nic Anderson will miss today's contest against Houston. Not a totally unexpected development as the Sooners have been very careful to let Anderson get as healthy as possible early in 2024.

— RC