Oklahoma’s defense had every reason to fold Saturday night. The Sooners were dealing with three first-half turnovers, limited support from the offense and a shorthanded lineup, yet they still squeezed out a 14-6 win over New Mexico with the defense carrying the load.
Safety Peyton Bowen was one of the biggest reasons that unit held together. He finished the night targeted twice without allowing a catch, breaking up both throws. His 77.8 coverage grade led Oklahoma defenders and was the best among SEC safeties in Week 3.
Bowen also came close to adding a highlight that would have changed the feel of the game even more, jumping a pass with open field ahead of him before failing to complete the interception.
Brent Venables said the play was exactly what he wanted to see.
"Peyton, I thought Peyton's play was the right one," Venables said. "He's driving on that ball.
That's the right play. We got him in the right call to try to make that play."
The Sooners had already lost Kip Lewis and were forced to lean on younger pieces across the defense. James Nesta made his first career start at linebacker, while Niko Jandreau, Markel Ford and Omarion Robinson were among the younger defensive backs asked to step in.
Bowen thought they handled the challenge well.
"I think for how depleted we were depth-wise, I think we did really good," Bowen said. "We had a lot of young guys playing, which sometimes can be a little scary, but they stepped up and answered the call really well, which I greatly appreciated."
He also singled out Robinson, noting that the environment was not anything new for him.
"Nah, shoot, he played against Tennessee at Tennessee," Bowen said. "I was like, this ain't no different.
Now we're just at our place. It's a little bit louder, because on the road, we can communicate a little bit more.
He did good. He did really good."
The larger issue for Oklahoma was the strain placed on the defense by the offense’s mistakes. The Sooners coughed it up three times in the first half and managed only 14 points, and Venables said afterward that the defense "saved our butt."
Bowen said there’s no room for blame inside the locker room.
"We don't point fingers," Bowen said. "Just like if we do something bad.
Even last year, where they had to pick us up, or special teams had to pick somebody up and make a play. That's kind of what it is.
We don't point fingers. 'Oh, this and that.'
No, we're brothers."
He pointed to last season’s LSU game as proof of that mindset. Oklahoma threw an early interception, then Bowen intercepted a pass on the very next play.
His approach now is the same as it was then.
"I came to the sideline not like rah-rahing, saying anything," Bowen said. "I'm saying, 'I've got your back.
Now go help us out.' That's how it is.
That's how it's got to be."
That attitude will be tested again when Oklahoma heads to Athens to face Georgia. Bowen said the Sooners have plenty to clean up, but he doesn’t believe the challenge changes because of the opponent.
"I think if you're preparing any differently for these next two games, then you're in the wrong," Bowen said. "You should have been doing that from Day One."
And even with the offense still the biggest concern as SEC play approaches, Bowen remains convinced that side will sort itself out.
"At the end of the day, we just need the captains to step up, really take over that offense," Bowen said. "Do whatever they need to do, whether it's a meeting or not. But I have full faith in those captains, 100%, that they're going to turn this thing around."
In Other News...
Kirby Smart Just Put Oklahomas Brent Venables Defense In The Spotlight
Ahead of a matchup that already carries plenty of weight, Georgia coach Kirby Smart made sure to put Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables in the conversation for all the right reasons. Smart pointed to Venables reputation as a top-tier defensive mind and the history between the two coaches from Venables Clemson days, a reminder that this meeting is as much about elite game-planning as it is about the records each team brings in.
For Oklahoma, that kind of public praise only adds to the spotlight on Venables unit, which will be tested by one of the sports most familiar and demanding opponents. The Sooners have a chance to show that their defense can travel against a Georgia program that expects to dictate terms, and the buildup only sharpens the significance of whats coming next. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Heard The Boos With Georgia Up Next
John Mateer didnt need anyone to explain the frustration inside the stadium Saturday. Oklahomas quarterback said he heard the boos after two early interceptions against New Mexico, and while the Sooners still came away with a 14-6 win, the first-year signal-caller clearly knows the margin for error shrinks fast when the competition gets better. He settled in enough to finish with a 76% completion rate, 238 yards and two touchdowns, but the early mistakes were impossible to ignore.
Now the attention turns quickly to a much bigger test with No. 2 Georgia coming to town. For Oklahoma, the win over New Mexico was enough to survive, not enough to feel comfortable, and Mateers ability to clean up the giveaways will loom large against a defense that wont be nearly as forgiving. The Sooners got the result they needed, but the next one is where the conversation gets serious. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas Defense Is Carrying A Problem Sooners Fans Cant Ignore
Brent Venables has done exactly what Oklahoma hired him to do on the defensive side, turning that group into a far more reliable unit and pushing the Sooners up the national rankings in points allowed. It has given Oklahoma a sturdier identity and a chance to stay in games even when things get messy, which is a major shift from the recent past.
The problem is the other side of the ball has not kept pace. Since offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and quarterback Dillon Gabriel moved on, the Sooners have had trouble finding the same rhythm, and the imbalance is becoming harder to overlook. For a program built to contend, the question now is whether a defense this good can keep carrying the load while the offense searches for answers. [Read more 🡒]