Three Quick Takeaways From Oklahoma's Loss to LSU

OU's 2024 regular season ended with a dud at Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.

Oklahoma defensive back Eli Bowen / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

BATON ROUGE, LA — Oklahoma’s strong showing against Alabama proved to be a one-week wonder. 

The Sooners fell in the program’s first-ever trip to Tiger Stadium as LSU handled the SEC newcomers 37-17 on Saturday night. 

Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6 SEC) fought for a half, but ultimately surrendered too many big plays to down the Tigers (8-4, 5-3).

Though there is a bowl game still to be played, the attention will quickly turn to off-field matters as the Sooners look to appoint a new offensive coordinator, lock down their recruiting class and manage the opening of the transfer portal. 

Here are Sooners on SI’s three quick takeaways from a brisk November night in Death Valley:

Missing the Magic

Oklahoma’s offense played its most physical game of the year last week, pummeling Alabama and controlling the line of scrimmage. 

That performance proved to be a one-off against LSU. 

The Sooners had success in the first half, but it looked nothing like the methodical machine that sapped the life out of Alabama. 

LSU’s defense, which has been mostly mediocre in SEC play, was ready for offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley’s shifts and shovel passes. 

OU ended the first quarter with 19 yards on eight plays, though R Mason Thomas’ scoop-and-score did take a possession away from the offense. 

Things opened up in the second quarter, but the Sooners were only able to move 59 yards on 14 plays in the third quarter when they needed to get back into the game. 

Jackson Arnold did some nice things on the ground. He was a consistent threat as a scrambler, ending the night with 75 yards on 17 carries, but his lack of healthy receivers meant the offense couldn’t erase the second half deficit.



He finished 14-for-21 through the air for 110 yards, though Oklahoma did throw an interception when tight end Bauer Sharp inexplicably tossed the ball straight into the air instead of eating a sack on a failed double pass near the end of the third quarter. 

It took until the fourth quarter for the offensive line to surrender a sack, when the Sooners were down 17, but there wasn’t enough movement up front for running back Xavier Robinson to thrive. 

Momentum Killers

If you told any OU fan before the game that the Sooners would come up with a scoop-and-score, a 50-yard completion to J.J. Hester and knock LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier out of the game for a couple of drives, and all in the first half, they’ve would have taken it and pondered how big the first half lead was.

Instead, Oklahoma went into the locker room down 24-17.

The defense and special teams couldn’t live with the success, and instead threw away momentum at every turn. 

Thomas, who scored the touchdown when Gracen Halton stripped Nussmeier, returned to hit the quarterback. While the Tigers punted in the second quarter, OU’s offense stalled.

Then on AJ Swann’s first full possession, running back Caden Durham sliced through Oklahoma’s defensive line for 50 yards. Though the defense forced the Tigers to kick a field goal, it was easy work for the backup. 

Immediately, the Sooner offense responded with a 50-yard play of its own, and Xavier Robinson scored to put OU back in front. 

As Nussmeier prepared to return to the game, Aaron Anderson returned the kickoff 100 yards to put the Tigers back on top. 

To Oklahoma’s credit, it again came back fighting with Tiger Stadium rocking. 

Arnold and Co. moved 49 yards down the field in 11 plays to tie the game, and then LSU, without any timeouts due to poor clock management, sprinted down the field and threw a 40-yard touchdown over Eli Bowen to take a touchdown lead into the intermission. 

What should have been a really nice first half from the Sooners saw the visitors playing from behind to start the second half — something the offense has shown it isn’t consistent enough to overcome this year. 

LSU won the exchange of opening possessions in the second half, punctuated by Chris Hilton Jr.’s 45-yard touchdown catch against Eli Bowen, and OU was unable to climb out of the two-score hole to threaten the Tigers the rest of the night. 

Tough Night for the Freshman

Last week, Bowen admirably handed the tough assignment of following Alabama star receiver Ryan Williams around in a fantastic performance for the young defensive back.

Unfortunately for Oklahoma, he ended the year with a night to forget. 

Hilton, a junior, entered the night with just three catches for 45 yards on the year. 

He burned Bowen for two huge touchdowns, a 40- and 45-yarder, on Saturday night alone. 

Nussmeier and the LSU passing attack tested the true freshman defensive back early and often. 

Kyren Lacy caught a ball matched up with Bowen on the first drive, though it was a humble 7-yarder, and the Tigers kept after it all night. 

The showing was just one long night in Bowen’s promising career, and it is by no means an indictment on the work he’s done as a true freshman, but it was his first truly long night at the office as a Sooner.  

Up Next

With the regular season now in the rearview, Oklahoma now will put its attention toward wrapping up the offensive coordinator search. National Signing Day is also on Wednesday, and the Sooners will learn their bowl destination on Dec. 8 after the College Football Playoff field gets set following conference championship weekend.