Oklahoma-Tulane Preview: Staff Picks

The Sooners On SI staff makes their picks for Saturday's game between the Sooners and the Green Wave.

Sooners On SI Staff /

John Hoover

It’d be easy to look at the logo on the helmet and peek ahead next week to Tennessee and suggest Oklahoma might not cover the two touchdowns this week. Instead, let’s figure out if the Sooners have actually solved anything coming out of last week. Are the offensive line and wide receiver corps healthy? If not, did the replacements get better in practice? If not, will the coaches put them in position to succeed? If not, are the Sooners talented enough to take on a talented and feisty Tulane squad and win comfortably? Probably not. The Oklahoma defense has the weight of the world on them until the offense comes around, which is good enough to win — barely.

Final: Oklahoma 23, Tulane 17

Ryan Chapman 

Oklahoma’s performance against Houston was alarming. The Sooners couldn’t run the ball and relied completely on their defense to bail them out. Tulane is better than Houston on both sides of the ball, and could legitimately upset OU on Saturday. As bas as the offense was, the line did make some improvements in pass protection from the opener against Temple. Though Bill Bedenbaugh’s offensive line is still marred by injury, he has had the same linemen who closed the contest against Houston at his disposal all week to try and improve and piece together a rushing attack that can move the ball. Jackson Arnold also struggled against Houston, but he’s shown the ability to bounce back, as he used his up-and-down showing in the Alamo Bowl to fuel him all offseason. Tulane’s freshman quarterback also showed he can make bad decisions with the football against Kansas State, something that OU’s defense will make him pay for as he takes on his first road start on Owen Field.

Final: Oklahoma 34, Tulane 17

Randall Sweet

After a lackluster offensive performance against the Houston Cougars, Seth Littrell and company will be pulling out all the stops to put more points on the board against Tulane. Even though 24 points isn't an offensive explosion, another week of work for the Sooners' offensive line unit should lead to more cohesion and potentially a better performance up front. If Nic Anderson is able to play for OU, Jackson Arnold will have one of his most talented wideouts to target for the first time all season, which could also contribute to an uptick on the scoreboard. Defensively, the Sooners will continue to roll as the defensive line should be able to rattle a young quarterback. If Darian Mensah is under pressure, the Oklahoma secondary should be able to add to their turnover count with a feisty group of defensive backs who will compete with wideouts for the ball downfield.

Final: Oklahoma 24, Tulane 7

Bryce McKinnis

The No. 15-ranked Sooners are a two-touchdown favorite against the Green Wave this Saturday. I’d not take it. It’s no secret this team worked against itself in a 16-14 win against Houston last week. Injuries and subpar offensive production have defined Oklahoma’s season through two games, but there’s optimism within its most afflicted position group. A final tune-up against a formidable Tulane team that gave No. 17 Kansas State everything it wanted in New Orleans last Saturday will be their chance to prove it. The Sooners will pull this one out, but not by a wide margin.

Final: Oklahoma 45, Tulane 35

Dekota Gregory 

As of writing, the Sooners are still favored to win this one by 13 points. Seems worth a trip to Vegas if I'm a betting man or woman. I contemplated if OU will get its stuff together after so much noise this week and a terrible offensive outing in Week 2, but at the end of day, even if Brent Venables and company. know what needs to happen to beat Tulane, that doesn't mean they actually can. This team will be somewhat stuck in neutral until it gets healthier at receiver and especially on the offensive line. And Tulane is a heck of a football team. The Green Wave was oh-so-close to notching a top-20 upset last week, but in try No. 2, Tulane pulls it off. 

Final: Tulane 23, Oklahoma 17

Ross Lovelace

Oklahoma’s offense has sputtered to start the season and the offseason concerns have been magnified. The Sooners appear to have an elite defense, but complimentary football is necessary to be a good team in the modern era of college football. At some point, you have to think Oklahoma figured it out. The skill positions, while banged up, are still talented, and Jackson Arnold’s flashes have been brilliant. The problem is that nobody on the offensive side of the ball is playing consistent football right now. Tulane put up a fight against Kansas State, causing many people to think this is an upset spot for Oklahoma. Especially with Tennessee on deck, people think the Sooners will look ahead. After last week, though, this team knows very well they can’t look ahead and get away with it. I would expect a much more focused effort from the offense, a stifling performance from the defense, and it’s anyone’s guess what happens with the special teams unit. Oklahoma wins by double digits on Saturday and inspires the fanbase to believe heading into a crucial bout with mighty Tennessee.

Final: Oklahoma 27, Tulane 13