For just the second time during this 2024 football season, Oklahoma had an easy game. While it did come against FCS foe Maine, at least the Sooners were able to take out some of their frustrations, winning 59-14. After three straight awful losses to Texas, South Carolina, and Ole Miss, Jackson Arnold finally showed OU fans what he and the offense can do on their best days.
Oklahoma Wins in Blowout Fashion
Notable Performances Against Maine
Arnold was pulled in the third quarter with OU leading by six touchdowns and he finished 15/21 for 224 yards and three total touchdowns. His best play of the day came late in the second quarter with the Sooners backed up deep in their own territory. On second down from the ten-yard line, Arnold rolled to his right and into his end zone before launching a pass that JJ Hester caught at the 50 and took to the house. Arnold looked very comfortable in the pocket and consistently completed easy passes to his pass catchers.
But the biggest story of this game was Jovantae Barnes and the Oklahoma rushing attack. Barnes finished with 18 carries for 203 yards and three touchdowns. His longest rush went for 74 yards and just missed being a touchdown by a yard. He looked better than he has all season, and the offensive line opened up holes for him that haven’t been there since last year. Taylor Tatum and Xavier Robinson both scored rushing touchdowns and both finished with almost 5 yards per rush. Michael Hawkins Jr. took over for Arnold and led two scoring drives, once again showcasing his scrambling ability.
OU’s elite defense played extremely well once again, despite a shaky start. After the Sooner offense punted on the first drive of the game, Maine went 68 yards in nine plays. The Black Bears’ quarterback Carter Peevy also broke off a 40-yard run that set up a short passing touchdown. But after that, Brent Venables’ unit locked Maine down. Danny Stutsman led the team in tackles with six. Stutsman, Davon Sears, and David Stone had one sack apiece and Robert Spears-Jennings also forced and recovered a fumble. It was a great all-around performance from Oklahoma that moves them to 5-4 on the year and puts them within one win of securing a bowl game.
What’s Next for the Sooners?
Oklahoma is just one win from bowl eligibility, but it won’t be easy to get there. They still have to play at Missouri, home versus No. 11 Alabama, and at No. 14 LSU, all of whom will be favored against OU. It’s going to take a near-perfect effort for the Sooners to upset any one of those teams and avoid missing a bowl for the first time since 1998.
Oklahoma will travel to Mizzou next weekend. The Tigers began the season as a playoff hopeful, but lost to Texas A&M and Alabama and nearly dropped from the rankings entirely. Brady Cook and Luther Burden III are one of the best quarterback-wide receiver tandems in the country, but neither have played up to their preseason hype. Cook has only seven passing touchdowns in eight games and Burden is just second on the team in receiving yards behind former Sooner, Theo Wease. Mizzou’s leading rusher is senior Nate Noel who has 503 rushing yards and is averaging 5.9 yards per rush. Johnny Walker Jr. is leading the team in sacks with four and Jahkai Lang is second with three.
Oklahoma will have its hands full next week with the talent that Missouri has, but it will probably also be their best chance to secure bowl eligibility. So Arnold, Stutsman, and Co. will need to lock in when they face off against the Tigers next Saturday.
Main Image: BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
