Oklahoma Outlasts Tulane: Everything You Need to Know

The Sooners were mostly better on offense this week but missed a scoring opportunity on special teams and gave up some plays on defense.

Oklahoma Sooners running back Taylor Tatum (8) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tulane Green Wave at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN – Oklahoma went back to work last week.

The No. 15-ranked Sooners got right on Saturday with an impressive 34-19 victory over Tulane on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

The Sooners’ offense was significantly better than last week’s performance in a 16-12 win over Houston. OU – a 13 ½-point favorite – OU scored three touchdowns in the first half, used more tempo, involved quarterback Jackson Arnold in the run game, got more touches (and two first-half touchdowns) for dynamic freshman Taylor Tatum and even converted 6-of-8 third-down plays after ranking 131st in the nation in that metric last week.

It was a great day to get right, if for no other reason than No. 7 Tennessee is coming to Norman next week. Southeastern Conference play has arrived, and the Sooners looked a little more ready Saturday than they had the first two weeks.

Here are three things, a quick postgame injury report and one crazy stat you need to know about the Sooners’ victory over Tulane.

Today’s Star

QB Jackson Arnold

Arnold had an epic mistake in the fourth quarter that allowed Tulane to cut what was a three-touchdown difference to 24-19. His interception (detailed below) was reminscent of the Alamo Bowl, and he needs to know now that he can't throw that pass, ever.

But Arnold completed 18-of-29 passes for 169 yards and threw a touchdown to Taylor Tatum, and he also led the Sooners with 97 rushing yards and a pair of touchdown runs. Arnold's insertion into the game plan as a runner changed the dynamic for Seth Littrell's offense, which had struggled to run the ball. Arnold kept on a read-option in the second quarter and sprinted up the left sideline for a 47-yard gain, matching his throw to Jalil Farooq on the second play of the season as the offense's longest plays of the year.

Arnold also scrambled for a 24-yard touchdown run with 6:05 left in the fourth quarter to give his team some breathing room.

Play of the Game

Finally, Billy Bowman is on the board.

Oklahoma's senior safety had six interceptions last year, and finally got his first of the season on Saturday – and it was a big one.

In the fourth quarter, with the Sooners clinging to a 24-19 lead, Bowman caught a deflected pass and set up an OU possession with just 8:18 to play.

On third-and-1, Tulane QB Darian Mensah escaped pressure and floated a pass over the middle to Dontae Fleming. Fleming jumped to catch it, but was defended by Kani Walker as the ball deflected in the air.

From there, Arnold threw a 20-yard pass to Deion Burks, then scooted away from trouble on a third-and-1 and finished it off with a 24-yard touchdown run that put the Sooners up 31-19 with 6:05 to play.

Stock Report

Jackson Arnold – Up, then down. Arnold’s stat line was mostly impressive, and his day was clean before a fourth-quarter catastrophe gifted Tulane a pick-six touchdown. He also had a handful of passes batted down at the line of scrimmage, and he overthrew Jaquaize Pettaway for what should have been an easy touchdown early in the third quarter. His sudden involvement in the run game adds an entirely new element to this offense. It won’t work every week, but it’s a nice weapon. Arnold’s big gaffe this time, however, looked like something out of the Alamo Bowl: from his own 29-yard line, he got pressure, stepped up and flipped a quick pass to a short receiver over the middle, but the ball was plucked out of the air by Tyler Grubbs and easily returned for a touchdown that cut it to 24-19. Arnold can’t have that magnitude of error. Ironically, after Grubbs’ pick six, OU’s video production team went to the scoreboard update and led off with a highlight from former Sooner QB Dillon Gabriel, who’s now at Oregon. Bad timing for that one. Arnold did put a third-down pass on the money to Deion Burks early in the third quarter that might have helped, but Burks just dropped it.

Joshua Bates – Up. We’ll see his overall grade from PFF tomorrow, but he was much cleaner today – and left his helmet on.

Heath Ozaeta – Up. After Logan Howland struggled in pass protection early, Bill Bedenbaugh slid Jacob Sexton from left guard to left tackle and brought in Ozaeta to play guard, and the OU offensive line got better.

Doug Deakin– Down. The Sooners’ special teams analyst (coordinator) and the OU units had an otherwise good day, but they botched a 50-yard field goal by Tyler Keltner that was actually good. The field goal team got onto the field on fourth down with plenty of time to execute the kick, but the snap never came. Whether it was Keltner not giving a go signal to holder Josh Plaster, or Plaster not calling for the snap from Ben Anderson, the play clock just wound down while nobody moved. Execution was better on a third-quarter 29-yard field goal that pushed OU’s lead to 24-6. Zach Schmit also kicked off out of bounds after Arnold's decisive touchdown, giving Tulane starting position at their own 40.

Taylor Tatum – Up. The freshman running back got four snaps in the first half and scored two touchdowns, including a 9-yard pass reception from Arnold. After that one, the two-sport star soft-tossed himself the football and took an imaginary home run swing at it. Clever.

Zion Be Thy Name– A couple of freshman wideouts got the call and made some nice plays on Saturday. Zion Ragins started and caught one pass for 13 yards, and Zion Kearney contributed a 12-yard catch on which he made three defenders miss.

Gavin Sawchuk – While Tatum was getting playing time and Jovantae Barnes was running with authority, Sawchuk struggled to get going again, rushing four times for 11 yards and catching two passes for 10 yards. He also didn’t throw a strong block on a pass play that helped lead to a sack of Arnold on third down late in the third quarter.

Offensive Line – Down. For the third time in three games, Arnold was sacked three times. That ranked 109th nationally last week, and surely won’t improve this week. His pick six in the fourth quarter was because of pressure, and he was sacked on the very next play. Bill Bedenbaugh absolutely must clean that up as Tennessee brings one of college football’s most dangerous defensive lines to town next week. A false start by Febechi Nwaiwu put the offense in a third-and-12 hole that led to a punt with just a five-point lead.

Injury Report

Nickel/cheetah Kendel Dolby didn’t suit up as he sat out with a concussion. CB Gentry Williams (shoulder) did not suit up. Linebacker Dasan McCullough did not suit up as he hasn’t participated since early in training camp with what Venables initially called “a little toe issue.”

DT Da’Jon Terry went down late in the third quarter with an undisclosed leg injury and limped off the field.

WR Nic Anderson suited up and did some light pregame warmups, but didn’t play. WR Andrel Anthony did not suit up.

Center Branson Hickman and right tackle Jake Taylor suited up but didn’t play.

Offensive lineman Geirean Hatchett had biceps surgery last week and is out for the season.

Crazy Stat

After converting just 5-of-26 third downs in their first two games, a percentage that ranked them almost last among 133 FBS teams, the Sooners converted 6-of-8 on Saturday – in the first half alone.