Oklahoma Starts Slow, Struggles Late in Tight Victory Over Tulane

An interception on the first play and two early touchdowns from the Green Wave give the Sooners plenty to work on in the coming weeks, but a win is a win.

Spencer Rattler / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

NORMAN — The hurricane has moved on. COVID-19 precautions have relaxed. The Angry Wave stood proudly on the 25-yard lines. The stadium wasn’t full. Both teams regaled in their home colors.

Through it all — an ongoing pandemic, a sudden evacuation from New Orleans and an an 11th-hour relocation, near-100-degree temperatures — college football returned to Oklahoma on Saturday with a shockingly close 40-35 victory for No. 2-ranked Sooners over Tulane.

The game was supposed to be played in The Big Easy, but Hurricane Ida had other ideas. The schools settled on playing in Norman, although the Green Wave was accorded certain “home” accommodations, like getting to wear their home baby blues and enjoying their popular logo painted onto Owen Field.

At first, it was Tulane that played like the home team (and 32-point favorite), driving to early 7-0 and 14-7 leads and swiping Heisman contender Spencer Rattler’s first throw of the season for an interception.

Ultimately, Oklahoma’s defense — widely regarded as the key element of any hope OU has of competing for a national championship this season — got off the mat and settled in. After giving up touchdown drives of 55 and 75 yards, the Sooners had three takeaways off fumbles by Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt and gave up just 36 total yards the rest of the first half.

Rattler also quickly settled in.

Lincoln Riley / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

After Tulane’s Jadon Candy plucked Rattler’s opening throw downfield, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley settled him in with a series of short, quick throws. By the end of the first half, Rattler had connected on 20-of-25 passes for 213 yards and a short TD to freshman Mario Williams.

Oklahoma’s run game was shackled early, too, as Tennessee transfer Eric Gray was limited to 19 yards on his first five carries. But Kennedy Brooks, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in 2018 and 2019 who opted out of 2020, came in and gave the Sooner offense a push with 62 yards on just six first-half carries. Brooks finished with 87 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Sophomore receiver Marvin Mims led the Sooners with 117 yards receiving on five catches.

Oklahoma’s second half was spent largely hoping to avoid injury — starting wideout Theo Wease was hurt in practice last week; wideout Drake Stoops, center Andrew Raym and noseguard Jordan Kelley all missed Saturday’s for undisclosed reasons — and building more and more depth. At least a dozen true freshmen from the 2021 class got playing time, including 5-star quarterback Caleb Williams, who scored the Sooners’ second touchdown.

Tulane, though, showed the kind of grit and tenacity that should make its ailing city proud.

The Green Wave outscored the Sooners 21-3 in the second half, recovered an onside kick and came up literally inches short of converting a fourth down that would have left the Sooners reeling.

Rattler finished 30-of-39 for 304 yards with one touchdown throw and one TD run, but ended up with two interceptions and, thank to a pass interference penalty, narrowly escaped throwing a third.

Oklahoma compiled 430 yards total offense, but Tulane finished with 396. Trailing 38-14 at halftime, coach Willie Fritz eschewed the punt and converted 4-of-6 of its fourth downs.

Caleb Williams :: Josh Callaway / SI Sooners

Green Wave quarterback Michael Pratt delivered a memorable and gutsy performance, completing 27-of-44 throws for 296 yards and three touchdowns, and rushing 15 times for 34 yards and a score despite taking a hit on seemingly every play.

Another sign things didn’t go according to plan: the Sooners’ player of the game was placekicker Gabe Brkic, who tied an NCAA record with three field goals of at lest 50 yards, including 51-, 55- and 56-yarders. He also hit a 26-yarder in the second quarter, giving him a school-record tying four for the game. But even Brkic was not flawless: he missed a 31-yard insurance kick in the fourth quarter.

OU is back at home next week — its actual home opener, since this game was supposed to be played at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans — against FCS Western Carolina before hosting Nebraska on Sept. 18.