The Oklahoma Sooners finally have their bowl game and it’s against the Navy Midshipmen in the 2024 Armed Forces Bowl. Navy has had a historic run this season, while the Sooners have had their second-worst season in twenty years. Head Coach Brent Venables is looking for that last win, but the transfer portal certainly has other ideas about that.
Oklahoma Sooners Set To Face Navy In Armed Forces Bowl
The Good, The Bad, and The Transfer Portal
The Sooners haven’t had the best of seasons. In fact, nobody in Oklahoma has. The head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Mike Gundy, barely kept his job this weekend. Coach Venables did the same thing, weeks ago, after overcoming Alabama. That fact has been weighing heavily on the minds of Sooners players. With the opening of the transfer portal, they’ve decided it’s time to jump ship.
The most notable name to enter the transfer portal is Jackson Arnold. Despite the hiring of Ben Arbuckle, or perhaps because of it, Arnold has chosen to enter the portal. Arnold, like Dillon Gabriel before him, will likely opt out of the bowl game. This means that Venables will be relying on the man who lost the position battle to Arnold this year, Michael Hawkins Jr., to step up.
Another big name to exit is Bauer Sharp. The tight end has been the Sooners’ most productive receiver this year. Alongside Jaquaize Pettaway and the perpetually injured Nic Anderson, the Sooners are bleeding talent. Each of these losses is going to be felt against Navy.
Navy Rolls On
The military academies have been enjoying an unprecedented year. A dominant victory over Tulane this past weekend gave Army it’s first American conference championship. Navy hasn’t been far behind. Although their opponents aren’t nearly as difficult as those that Oklahoma has been facing, the Midshipmen have been outscoring the Sooners every week.
Blake Horvath, a finalist for the Comeback Award, is tentatively set to start against Oklahoma. Like Anderson, Horvath has been facing down numerous injuries. When Horvath was out against Tulane, the Midshipmen went scoreless. If Horvath is unable to compete against Oklahoma, it could be the edge that Venables and the Sooners need.
Like the Sooners, Navy has a more unorthodox strategy. Both running backs, Eli Heidenreich and Brandon Chatman, are the top receivers. Horvath is also Navy’s top rusher, totaling 895 yards on the year. Navy’s biggest win of the year was over the South Florida Bulls in November at 28-7.
Oklahoma’s Last Stand
As the Big 12’s unlikeliest teams get ready to duke it out for the championship, Oklahoma’s bowl game is weeks away. Unlike so many other games this year, there’s actually a good chance the Sooners can come out with the win in this one.
Navy is heavily reliant on their running backs. This is a huge asset for a Sooners defense adept at breaking the line of scrimmage. It takes a longer amount of time for running backs to break free of the backfield, and their wide receivers can be trapped in. With heavy hitters and quick blitzers such as Danny Stutsman and Billy Bowman, the Midshipmen will have a difficult time getting the ball out. Additionally, Kip Lewis could be left in a prime position to capture any passes that make it past the line.
The offense is in a difficult situation. Hawkins is a solid, but young, quarterback. He can’t run the ball like Arnold, but he can make deeper passes. Without a strong offensive line, though, he won’t have time to make those reads.
Another key point that many are overlooking is a critical one. Many of the Sooners’ best defensive stars run out of eligibility this year. The Armed Forces Bowl is their final chance to make a good showing for the NFL draft. This adds an extra level of meaning to this game for them. When it comes time to say they left it all on the field, the Armed Forces Bowl is these seniors’ last moment to do so. It’s part of what led to Oregon playing their hearts out against Penn State this past weekend- and it could very easily be the same for the Sooners a few weeks from now.
Last Thoughts on the Armed Forces Bowl
Oklahoma’s bowl game should be an easy win. The Sooners’ defense has all the tools to keep Navy boxed in. On the other hand, Navy’s defense can step up to stop a weaker Sooners offense. Ultimately, the Oklahoma Sooners should win against Navy. If they can is another question entirely.
Nothing has come easily for the Sooners this year. Losses to LSU and Ole Miss are only balanced out by wins over Alabama and Auburn. Venables, who just barely escaped the hot seat despite a contract extension, knows that every win gives him extra breathing room. With a difficult 2025 on the horizon, nothing is certain. All we know for sure is that Last Word On Sports will be there to provide the most comprehensive breakdown of the 2024 Armed Forces Bowl.
