Oklahoma-Tulane Observations: LIVE In-Game Blog

John Hoover, Ryan Chapman, Randall Sweet and Dekota Gregory offer their real-time observations as the No. 15-ranked Sooners host the Tulane Green Wave.

Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Deion Burks (6) catches a pass in front of of Tulane Green Wave safety Caleb Ransaw (7) 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 — Sooners on SI offers real-time observations throughout Saturday's Week 3 matchup between Oklahoma and the Tulane Green Wave. Newest posts are at the top. Just keep your browser open and refresh often.

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6:15 p.m.

The Sooners outlast Tulane 34-19 after closing things out in the fourth quarter and survive nonconference play unscathed.

Tennessee comes to Norman next week to start Oklahoma's first run into the SEC.

-DG

6:04 p.m.

R Mason Thomas secures what should be a game-sealing fumble recovery after forcing the ball out of Darian Mensah's hand. Sooners ball.
— BM

5:55 p.m.

And just like that, the Sooners have control of this game.

Tyler Keltner nails a 43-yarder to put OU ahead 34-19 with 2:55 left.

-DG

5:45 p.m.

The Sooners finally score for the first time in the second half. 

Jackson Arnold scrambles for a 24-yard TD run. It’s his second rushing score of the day. 

Arnold’s TD, which was set up by Billy Bowman's interception, extends OU’s lead to 31-19 with 6:05 left.

-DG

5:40 p.m.

The defense comes through again for the Sooners. 

Billy Bowman Jr. picks off Darian Mensah after the pass bounced off two other defenders. 

OU ball just inside Tulane territory on the 43-yard line.

-DG

5:35 p.m.

Make that three three-in-and-out drives in a row. Two of those are from the Sooners on their last two possessions since Jackson Arnold threw a pick-6. OU has gained only 9 yards on six offensive plays since the interception. The Sooners have also eaten only 2:42 of the clock in their last two possessions.

-DG

5:30 p.m.

OU stops Tulane and forces a three-and-out of its own as this game has turned into a defensive showcase. 

Can the Sooners get things going on offense again to help put this game away?

-DG

5:25 p.m.

After throwing a pick-6, OU then goes three-and-out on its next drive and gives the ball right back to Tulane, down by five points with 13:07 left.

The Green Wave with all the momentum right now.

-DG

5:19 p.m.

Well, well, well.

Tulane gets a pick six. 

Just a terrible play all-around from Arnold and the offense. 

The two-point conversion fails, but OU’s lead has been cut down to 24-19 with 14:20 remaining. 

— RC 

5:15 p.m.

Really nice coverage from Dez Malone on fourth down. 

Oklahoma’s offense getting the ball back, the group needs to string together a few first downs and run the clock a little bit (and score, too).

— RC 

5:11 p.m.

Stats at the end of the third quarter:

OU-Tulane third quarter stats / OU Stats

5:09 p.m.

Oklahoma defensive tackle Da’Jon Terry is down right now. Sooners need him to be okay. He’s limping off the field, but he’s shuffling off under his own power.

— RC 

5:02 p.m.

Things could get interesting here. Plenty of fans filed out of the stadium at halftime due to the heat, and the atmosphere is completely dead. 

Tulane is getting the ball back with a chance to cut this down to a one-score game. 

OU’s defense needs a get-right series… But not until we sit through five more years of commercials.

— RC 

4:56 p.m.

After replay confirms Tulane’s touchdown, the Green Wave cut it to 24-13 on an 8-yard TD pass from Darian Mensah to Makhi Hughes. That was a nine-play, 75-yard drive on which Tulane faced only one third down (and later converted that on the fourth-and-goal touchdown).

Tulane has the offensive talent to hang with the Sooners in this game. How the offense responds here and what the defense does next is going to be huge.

— JH

4:54 p.m.

Tulane answers — for now. 

Hughes’ touchdown is under review, though it looks like he punched it in. Looks like Hughes was laying on Kani Walker’s shoe as he turned into the end zone. 

That would cut the deficit to 24-12 for the Green Wave with either a PAT or a two-point conversion attempt pending. 

Not a great drive for Oklahoma’s defense out of halftime, though Dez Malone almost ended it early with an interception.

— RC 

4:42 p.m.

Oklahoma was putting together a really nice drive out of halftime highlighted by Jackson Arnold’s 17-yard rush on third-and-10, but he was unable to escape a collapsing pocket and OU had to settle for a field goal. 

Sooners up 24-6 with 9:20 left in the third quarter. 

— RC 

4:39 p.m.

Jackson Arnold with the 18-yard run on third-and-10 and he’s up top 92 yards rushing now.

That’s what a 5-star dual-threat QB looks like.

— JH

4:37 p.m.

Spencer Brown in at right tackle for the moment. Michael Tarquin is having his helmet worked on by the equipment crew on the sideline. Happened after the second down play to Sharp. 

— RC 

4:14 p.m.

First half stats:

First half stats / OU Stats

4:13 p.m.

Tulane’s kicker… what a day. 

But not lost there was another poor drive from Oklahoma’s defense right before halftime. 

Last week, the Sooners let Houston drive 55 yards on six plays to bang through a field goal. 

This week, the Green Wave went 75 yards on 11 plays to pull six points back. 

Not the “Middle 8” performance Venables is looking for right before the intermission. 

— RC 

4:12 p.m.

What a throw and catch from backup QB Ty Thompson to Reggie Brown. Thompson got out of trouble in the backfield, stepped up and then floated a perfect jump-pass spiral over Billy Bowman. Brown elevated, high-pointed the ball and landed on his back in the end zone.

PAT somehow misses, however, and OU leads it 21-6 going into halftime.

— JH

3:56 p.m.

Caiden Woullard and P.J. Adebawore have both been close on sacks this quarter. Adebawore actually thumped Darian Mensah on the last drive, Woullard almost got to him on that last play before the two-minute warning.

— JH

3:56 p.m.

Taylor Tatum gets his second touchdown run of the day, a 1-yard plunge, and the Sooners lead 21-0, 3:39 til halftime.

More aggressive with Arnold in the run game, more snaps early from Tatum, a couple of changes on the offensive line, a few new faces at receiver and the OU offense looks completely different.

OU is outgunning Tulane 237-98, including 107-60 through the air and 130-33 on the ground.

Arnold is 12-of-18 for 107 yards with 75 yards on the groun d, a TD run and a TD pass, and Tatum has four touches and two TDs.

— JH

3:57 p.m.

I’ve seen enough.

Jacob Sexton needs to stay at left tackle, Heath Ozaeta is your left guard. Only change to this offensive line needs to be when Branson Hickman is healthy again from his high ankle sprain. 

And Taylor Tatum needs to continue to make improvements in pass protection so he can stay on the field for four quarters. 

— RC 

3:54 p.m.

That 47-yard keeper by Jackson Arnold ties his throw to Jalil Farooq as the Sooners’ longest offensive play of the season.

Gotta love the way Seth Littrell has incorporated the QB run game against this overeager Tulane defense.

— JH

3:52 p.m.

Pretty good drive by Tulane, 11 plays, 48 yards, but nothing comes of it after a 50-yard field goal sails wide right. The Green Wave had gains of 19 and 10 yards and they converted on two third downs, but Oklahoma still leads 14-0, 5:15 til halftime.

— JH

3:50 p.m.

Got to see the first bit of action from Eli Bowen there on that drive. He rotated in at cornerback. Was curious to see if the coaching staff left him out there for fourth-and-10, which they did, but it was all negated by the false start. We’re seeing *all* the rotation so far today for OU’s defense. 

— RC 

3:44 p.m.

That third-and-4 completion to Dontae Fleming for 19 yards was a bust between new cornerback Jacobe Johnson and new nickel back Woodi Washington. They both came down to cover an underneath receiver, leaving Fleming open in the left seam. They both got up gesturing at each other because someone apparently didn’t know the call.

That’s gonna happen when you’re mixing in inexperienced personnel at new positions.

And now Tulane is driving.

— JH

3:40 p.m.

Taylor Tatum just won celebration of the day. 

Little home run swing from the future two-sport star. 

Oh, he scored, too. 

Sooners on top 14-0 with 10:02 left until halftime. 

— RC 

3:36 p.m.

More nice mix on this drive by Seth Littrell — QB run game caught Tulane off guard, play-action pass to the tight end (good try on the hurdle by Bauer Sharp) and a clever use of the two-back formation with Taylor Tatum and Jovantae Barnes — and the Sooners are threatening again.

And in addition to the personal foul late hit on Arnold's slide, Bailey DeSpanie is ejected for targeting.

— JH

3:29 p.m.

Wow. Tulane’s 78-yard punt skips past Peyton Bowen, but he’s aware enough — and athletic enough — to chase it down and return it up the sideline 24 yards to the OU 40-yard line.

Heady play by Bowen, and a huge field position saver. Remember, Brent Venables basically led his press conference with the fact that OU leads the nation in net field position. There’s a big reason why.

— JH

3:22 p.m.

Awful management by Oklahoma’s sideline. 

The kicking unit gets a delay of game before Keltner’s 50-yard attempt, forcing the Sooners to punt. Keltner's kick was right down the middle. 

They’re lucky Luke Elzinga rocks and pinned Tulane on its own 4-yard line. 

Those mistakes cannot happen.

— RC 

3:19 p.m.

First quarter stats:

First quarter stats / OU Stats

3:16 p.m.

Bill Bedenbaugh with the quick hook today. 

Logan Howland got pulled after getting destroyed on third down last drive. Jacob Sexton back over to left tackle and Heath Ozaeta in at left guard. 

— RC 

3:12 p.m.

Defensive end P.J. Adebawore lined up on the right edge on that third and long, then dropped like 30 yards into coverage. Looked like it threw off Mensah, who pulled the ball to run but couldn’t get away from Gracen Halton. Another Tulane punt.

— JH

3:10 p.m.

Woof, almost the first major mistake for Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah.



One play after airing it out for a nice first down, Kani Walker had a shot at a pick six. He jumped the ball to Yulkeith Brown, but Mensah was lucky the ball he delivered was high. It made life hard on Walker. 

Sooners rally after that to force another punt.

— RC 

3:04 p.m.

Really unfortunate on that third down there. 

Looked like Arnold had Ragins for a big gain, but Logan Howland’s protection broke down and forced Arnold out oft pocket right as Ragins was breaking free. 

Just looked like a simple bull rush that got Howland pushed all the way into the pocket. Not great. 

— RC 

3:01 p.m.

Great gamesmanship there. After Tulane’s third-and-long play was reviewed and determined it was short of the first down, Tulane called timeout and Oklahoma came out in a heavy 4-3 alignment. Tulane tried to draw the Sooners offsides, but it didn’t work. Green Wave punt. Another three-and-out for the OU defense.

— JH

2:55 p.m.

On Oklahoma’s second defensive possession, cornerback Woodi Washington has lined up at cheetah — which is basically a slot corner, so certainly not a big stretch for him. He’s practiced there and even played some there in 2022.

— JH

2:50 p.m.

That might have been an option there for Arnold to keep it anyway, but the high snap from Joshua Bates threw off the timing of the mesh, and Arnold decisively took command of the situation — something he’s largely lacked this season — and used his wheels to scoot into the end zone. Nice 14-play, 69-yard drive for the Sooners, who lead it 7-0 halfway through the first quarter.

— JH

2:50 p.m.

Fantastic opening drive from the Oklahoma offense.



Fed Deion Burks, dumped the ball off to Jovantae Barnes in the flat and got Jackson Arnold rolling on the ground, everything people have been asking for all week. 

Most important stat? The Sooners averaged distance to the sticks on third down was three yards. OU went 3-for-3 on that drive. Night and day difference from the third-and-9+ last week. 

— RC 

2:45 p.m.

Really nice mix there by Seth Littrell, blending runs and throws, using the running backs in the passing game (three catches), getting the ball to Deion Burks (three catches), using tempo and catching Tulane off guard with QB run game.

The touchdown throw to Burks will be called back, as he went out of bounds.

Arnold currently 5-of-6 for 37 yards.

— JH

2:41 p.m.

Oklahoma’s starters on offense:

Howland - Sexton - Bates - Nwaiwu - Tarquin 

Sharp - Thompson - Burks - Ragins 

Arnold - Sawchuk 

— RC 

2:39 p.m.

Oklahoma forces a three-and-out, and what do you know, we see something different from the OU defense: Linebacker Sammy Omosigho lined up on the left edge and edge rushers Trace Ford and R Mason Thomas lined up behind the line as linebackers. Also, Kobie McKinzie started at middle linebacker.

Brent Venables and Zac Alley are willing to try some things. Will Seth Littrell be next?

— JH

2:39 p.m.

Pretty unique third down alignment for Brent Venables’ defense. 

Trace Ford and R Mason Thomas were standing up as linebackers, Omosigho and Stutsman came off the edge and Adepoju Adebawore was at DT. 

It worked, three-and-out. 

— RC 

2:37 p.m.

Oklahoma’s starters on defense:

Mason Thomas - Halton - Williams - Downs 

Stutsman - McKinzie - Washington

Malone - Spears-Jennings - Bowman - Walker 

— RC 

2:35 p.m.

OU won the toss, Sooners defer. 

Tulane’s offense up first. 

Let’s football. 

— RC 

2:03 p.m.

It's Week 3 and Dasan McCullough is still dressed in street clothes and isn't warming up at all. Looks like "a little toe issue" is gonna continue to linger.

— JH 

1:54 p.m.

RT Jake Taylor is going through pregame stretching and preliminary warmups, but he's not with the 1s or 2s.

From left to right, the first unit looks like Logan Howland, Jacob Sexton, Joshua Bates, Febechi Nwaiwu and Michael Tarquin. HIckman and Taylor are not warming up with the others.

— JH 

1:45 p.m.

The full team has taken the field for pregame, and WR Nic Anderson is dressed.

CB Gentry Williams is wearing street clothes.

DB Kendel Dolby has a towel over his head and is wearing sunglasses, apparently out this week with a concussion.

— JH 

1:43 p.m.

No real shock but Joshua Bates is snapping to Jackson Arnold in pregame. He has a massive brace on his left elbow… like, huge. Branson Hickman is fully dressed again, but he wasn’t snapping to either Arnold or Michael Hawkins.

— RC 

1:37 p.m.

The first group of Sooners is on the field for warmups. Peyton Bowen is indeed dressed out and stretching after spending most of the second half last week on the bike on the sideline. 

— RC

1:07 p.m.

Wide receiver Nic Anderson is doing some very preliminary warm-ups alongside his teammates. That probably beat the alternative, but it’s still a little too soon to tell if he’ll suit up today. We’re about 90 minutes from kickoff.

— JH

12:47 p.m.

A couple other players we’ll keep an eye on in the pregame:

Cheetah/nickel Kendel Dolby might be listed as questionable if this was an SEC opponent. He’s currently listed alone at the top of the depth chart. If he’s limited, look for more snaps from Sammy Omosigho.

Peyton Bowen was working on what looked like a sore hamstring last week, and ultimately gave way to Robert Spears-Jennings, who played great against Houston. Nice change of pace from recent years for OU to have multiple defensive backs who can not only play but stand out.

Jalil Farooq is still listed as a kickoff return guy, so probably shouldn’t look too closely at the depth chart.

One change the coaches made for sure on today’s depth chart: right guard Geirean Hatchett, who has biceps surgery and is out for the season, is no longer listed. He’s been replaced as Febechi Nwaiwu’s backup by freshman Eddy Pierre-Louis, who’s also the backup to Jacob Sexton and Heath Ozaeta on the left side. Freshman Eugene Brooks is the No. 3 right guard.

— JH

12:39 p.m.

There’s no real clarity on the Sooners’ three big question marks on today’s official depth chart.

At right tackle, it’s Jake Taylor OR Spencer Brown. At center, it’s Branson Hickman OR Joshua Bates. And at wide receiver, it’s Brenen Thompson OR Nic Anderson.

We pretty much knew all that on Monday.

— JH