No. 24 Oklahoma left Saturday night with a win, but not with much to feel good about.
The Sooners ground out a 14-6 victory over New Mexico, yet the game mostly reinforced the worries that have followed them after a sluggish showing at The Big House. The offense never found a rhythm, John Mateer was loose with the football, and the defense had to keep dragging the team across the finish line until David Stone stuffed a fourth-and-2 run with 3:02 remaining to seal it.
Oklahoma’s opening sequence set the tone. After a week of criticism, the Sooners needed something clean and convincing early.
Instead, Mateer locked onto Isaiah Sategna on the third offensive snap and threw an interception. The next drive produced only one first down before the offense bogged down again and drew boos.
The mistakes kept piling up in the first half. Mateer threw another interception in the second quarter, and that one led directly to a New Mexico field goal.
Then the final drive before halftime unraveled too, bringing the loudest reaction of the night from the crowd. By the break, OU had managed just 42 rushing yards and was averaging 2.2 yards per carry, leaving even more on Mateer’s right arm.
That strain showed up again and again, but Oklahoma finally found a big play in the third quarter. Mateer hesitated when Sategna broke free, yet still connected with him for a 53-yard touchdown that pushed the lead to 14-6 with 8:05 left in the third. After that, the Sooners barely moved the chains one more time until the final possession.
That last drive was messy too. Oklahoma started at its own 26 with one timeout, while New Mexico still had all of its stoppages.
The Sooners pieced together a few quick throws, and a 12-yard completion to Rocky Beers moved them to the New Mexico 32. Then offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle called two straight run plays, one for nine yards and one that was stuffed at the line.
With no timeouts left, OU had to spike the ball and settle for a field goal try.
Tate Sandell missed from 41 yards, and the boos came right back as the Sooners headed to the locker room.
The defense, at least, kept Oklahoma afloat. Brent Venables’ group cleaned up some of the tackling problems that showed up in the first two games, even if it wasn’t spotless.
Reggie Powers missed a tackle on a fourth-and-1 in the third quarter, but he answered with a 13-yard sack two plays later. Peyton Bowen also had two chances at what could have been pick-sixes in the first half, but both plays ended incomplete.
Those missed chances didn’t cost Oklahoma on Saturday. They might matter a lot more next week in Athens, where the Sooners will need more than a few defensive stands if they want any shot at upsetting No.
2 Georgia. For now, though, Oklahoma heads into conference play with a win, a long list of offensive issues, and a defense that may again be asked to carry far too much.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Faces A Big Depth Test Against New Mexico
The Sooners are heading into their meeting with New Mexico with some early-season depth already being put to the test. Starting left tackle Michael Fasusi and wide receiver Trell Harris are both unavailable, which pushes Ryan Fodje and freshman Noah Best into bigger roles up front and leaves Elijah Thomas with a chance to absorb more of the passing-game load.
On defense, linebacker Kip Lewis is also sidelined, so James Nesta is in line to start in his place. The good news for Oklahoma is that the backfield remains intact, with Jonathan Hatton Jr. and Tory Blaylock both healthy and available, giving the offense at least one experienced area to lean on while the Sooners sort through a few key absences. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Just Turned Oklahoma's Offense Into A Bigger Problem
A win over New Mexico did little to quiet the noise around Oklahomas offense, and Brent Venables didnt try to soften it afterward. The Sooners coach was blunt in his criticism of offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle after a sluggish showing, saying the unit has to improve significantly as the season moves forward. For a program that expected more balance and a cleaner product on that side of the ball, the message landed as a public warning as much as a postgame assessment.
The frustration wasnt confined to Venables comments. During the game, fans were already chanting for Arbuckle to be fired, a sharp sign of how quickly patience is wearing thin. Venables declined to express confidence in Arbuckles current performance, leaving an already uneasy situation even more exposed as Oklahoma tries to steady an offense that has become its own problem. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Has One Problem Brent Venables Cant Ignore
Oklahoma has spent enough time under Brent Venables proving it can lean on defense, but the broader picture still leaves little room for comfort. The Sooners have been sturdy on that side of the ball while the offense has lagged behind, and after the loss to Michigan, the imbalance is hard to ignore as the team heads into games against New Mexico and Georgia.
Venables has made it clear he wants complementary football, the kind where the offense can stay on the field, sustain drives and give the defense a little breathing room. That remains the next step for Oklahoma, because without a more reliable attack, the Sooners can keep hanging around, but they will keep asking too much of a defense that has already done its part. [Read more 🡒]