It’s the Oklahoma Sooners versus Tulane this weekend. Last week, the Sooners barely escaped the Houston Cougars in an ugly affair. In a season of upsets and close games across the nation, is this weekend going to continue that trend in college football?
Upset Alert: Oklahoma Sooners and Tulane Preview
Fantasy Football
Last weekend was the type of weekend reserved for college football video games. Oklahoma State just barely pulled away from Arkansas in double overtime. Kansas State escaped from Tulane in the fourth quarter. Northern Illinois upset independent powerhouse Notre Dame. It seems that this is the type of season determined to keep surprising us.
Around the nation, the best teams struggled to overcome their opponents. The Oklahoma Sooners were no exception to this. Although we predicted that Houston would make the game competitive, nobody could have imagined just how close it would be. This week they, and the rest of the giants of college football, will have to bounce back.
Tulane’s Dynasty
Head coach Willie Fritz took a football team that most had written off and turned them into serious contenders in the American Conference. Tulane is hoping to carry that momentum and transform it into another winning season. Head coach Jon Sumrall, who led Troy to back-to-back Sun Belt Championships, has taken the reigns in Fritz’s absence.
Last year, Tulane ended the season with two major losses: One in the AAC Championship to SMU, and one to Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl. They were undefeated in conference play and 11-3 overall. Quarterback Michael Pratt, who has led them since his freshmen year, is now in the NFL. So, if Tulane is without Pratt and Fritz- what does that mean for this season?
Coincidentally, it might just mean repeating everything they’ve already done.
What Tulane Brings to Kickoff
In 2020, Pratt was a true freshman and the starting quarterback for Tulane. They defeated South Alabama in week one, lost to Navy in week two, and bounced back with a win in week three. In 2024, Darian Mensah will be the freshman quarterback starting for Tulane. In week one, they defeated Southeastern Louisiana, lost to Kansas State in week two, and in week three they’re facing down Oklahoma.
For a Sooners team who barely survived Houston, this is a concerning similarity.
Tulane just barely lost to No.17 Kansas State last week. If it weren’t for a fourth-quarter collapse they likely would have won, too. Mensah and the Green Wave put up nearly five hundred yards and shut down Kansas State’s rushing and passing game. They’re bringing in an experienced wide-receiving core with Dontae Fleming, Mario Williams, and Yulkeith Brown.
The Tulane defense is a more motley crew. Proven talents such as Tyler Grubbs, Bailey Despanie, and Patrick Jenkins are shouldering up with unproven transfers in Jalen Geiger, Terrell Allen, and Sam Howard. Still, this was a defense that held Kansas State back for two whole quarters- don’t count them out.
Oklahoma’s Survival Hinges on Defense
Before the season, we discussed Oklahoma’s roster and came to one conclusion: If everyone could stay healthy, this was a lineup that could make it to the end of the season. Unfortunately, the Sooners haven’t quite managed that.
Jayden Gibson and Jalil Farooq, two major offensive yard-earners, are out. Nic Anderson, injured last year, still hasn’t been cleared to play either. Branson Hickman, the star center, has been out since the Temple game. Geirean Hatchett stepped up to replace him- and now he’s out for the season too. A semi-injured Joshua Bates replaced him for the Houston game but can’t maintain as a starter. All of these injuries mean it is up to younger, inexperienced players to step up. In a lesser conference, this may be cause for concern but survivable. In the SEC, it’s liable to put Oklahoma at the very bottom.
Jackson Arnold is still healthy, but his gunslinging style was shut down by Houston. When the pocket continued to collapse, so did his confidence. A week of practice will hopefully build that backup. Without an offensive line or receiving core, however, things may get worse on Saturday.
While the offensive woes grow, at least Oklahoma has an all-elite defense to lean on. In a game that they deserved to lose, the Sooners’ defense stepped up when it mattered most. Houston was eager to put more points on the board, but the defense, and its linebackers in particular, kept them struggling all game. Danny Stutsman, Roberts Spears Jennings, Billy Bowman, and Jayden Jackson are some of the best defensive players in the nation. There’s no doubt that whoever goes up against this defense has their work cut out for them.
Oklahoma Sooners vs Tulane Green Wave Predictions
If the Sooners can’t figure out how to make their offense competitive, everything falls apart this season. A great defense that every team hates to play against is good. Iowa is a stellar example of this wherein their defense keeps opponents from the endzone all game long. Ohio State is another example, except they dominate on both sides of the ball.
But Oklahoma isn’t Iowa. They sure aren’t Ohio State either.
They need to find their rhythm to compensate for the weaknesses on display. This weekend could be the perfect balancing act for that. Tulane’s defense is not as dynamic as Houston’s which could, in turn, lead to an offensive shootout that allows Arnold a much-needed confidence booster. On the other hand, it might be too late. Either way, it’s time to put the Oklahoma Sooners on upset alert and see if Tulane can pull off what they failed to do against Kansas State.
