Oklahoma’s latest bowl picture looks a little brighter after the Sooners knocked off top-ranked Texas in the Red River rivalry, a win that could go a long way toward keeping OU in the postseason conversation.
The Sooners improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the SEC by edging the Longhorns with a last-second field goal from Tate Sandell. After a season that had already included some shaky moments for the kicker, Sandell came through at the biggest possible time and gave Norman its hero for the day.
That upset leaves OU further settled into the bowl mix as Week 6 approaches, and the next test comes quickly. The Sooners return home to face No.
15 Kentucky, which comes in at 5-1 and 3-0 in the SEC. The Wildcats have won their last two games in the same wild manner, each by a 35-34 score in overtime after a successful two-point conversion.
As for the projections, the Sooners are showing up all over the board in early bowl forecasts. Athlon Sports has Oklahoma facing West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl on Jan.
- CBS Sports slots the Sooners against Nebraska in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has Oklahoma matched with USC in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31, while ESPN’s Mark Schlabach projects an in-state matchup between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 31.
Sports Illustrated also places Oklahoma in the Texas Bowl, but against Baylor, and College Football News sees the Sooners meeting Washington in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31.
In Other News...
Oklahoma May Have Finally Found Its Answer At Running Back
For much of the first half against Texas, Oklahomas rushing attack was stuck in neutral, managing only one yard on 13 carries and leaving the Sooners searching for any kind of rhythm on the ground. The adjustment came after halftime, when Lloyd Avant started to look like the kind of back the offense had been waiting for, giving the running game a much-needed lift with a series of productive runs that changed the feel of the matchup.
Avant finished with 10 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown, and his second-half surge was enough to put him at the front of the discussion at running back. Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle both pointed to persistence and execution as the difference, and after that performance, Avant appears to have taken a meaningful step toward becoming the answer Oklahoma has been looking for in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]
Isaiah Sategna's Red River Heroics Changed Everything For Oklahoma
Late in the Red River showdown, Isaiah Sategna III turned a tense finish into the kind of moment Oklahoma can build around. He made two critical catches in the final seconds against Texas, helping set up the game-winning field goal and giving the Sooners a lift when the game was hanging in the balance. Sategna finished with five receptions for 64 yards, tying for the game-high.
Brent Venables and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle both praised Sategna during that decisive drive, a sign of how quickly he has become part of Oklahomas most important moments. For a team that needed somebody to make a play when it mattered most, Sategna delivered exactly that, and his late-game work added a new layer to what the Sooners can count on down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Be Getting A Huge O-Line Boost This Week
A potential boost is building along Oklahomas offensive line as Michael Fasusi works his way back from the shoulder injury he suffered in the season opener. Brent Venables said the lineman is nearing a return, and the signs have been encouraging lately, with Fasusi taking part in walkthroughs and dressing for the last four games even while he has remained out of action.
His availability for the Kentucky game still hangs on the SECs next report, which should offer a clearer picture before kickoff. For an Oklahoma front that has been managing without him for several weeks, Fasusis progress is a welcome development, and one that could give the Sooners another experienced option at a position where depth and stability matter every snap. [Read more 🡒]