On Saturday, Oklahoma defeated Auburn 24-17, but the score doesn’t tell the whole story. For 60 minutes, the Sooners dominated the line of scrimmage, ending the game with a new program record for sacks in a game. Other headlines were the return of Jackson Arnold and a controversial passing touchdown that made the SEC speak out. Here’s everything from Auburn vs. Oklahoma.
Auburn vs. Oklahoma Analysis
Reeking Havoc in the Backfield
It was known that Oklahoma’s pass rush was good, but this performance caught many off guard. From the get-go, Arnold was dropped twice in the first quarter, including on the first drive by sophomore defensive lineman Taylor Wein. At the end of the first half, the Sooners had six sacks in the first half. In the second half, they picked up right where they left off, finishing with three more sacks. In the end, the Sooners had a program tying nine sacks. Jayden Jackson led the team in sacks with two-and-a-half, and R Mason Taylor followed with two sacks.
When it came to defending the run, the defensive line held Jeremiah Cobb to a season-low 61 yards and Auburn to 67 rushing yards. In the end of the game, Arnold ended with -11 yards on the ground. Oklahoma finished the game with 74 total tackles and 14 tackles for loss.
The Return of QB1 was Heated
Arnold’s return to Norman was always going to be chippy, and the fans let him have it. From the start, fans booed Arnold in warmups as he embraced the noise. During the game, Arnold played well through the air as he threw for 220 yards and a touchdown. He got both Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton Jr. involved early, with each of them finishing the game with 60 yards or more. Still, his movement in the pocket didn’t help his struggling offensive line. After being sacked nine times, Arnold left the field showered with boos and explicits. As he walked out of his old home, he said to the Sooner fans, “You wish you were me.”
Controversy All Around
The first half wasn’t just sacks and turnovers, but also a few controversial calls. The first instance was a fumble by Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III on an underneath route, which would be returned for a touchdown by Kayin Lee. This play would be deemed an incomplete pass after review, which infuriated the Auburn sideline as they believed Sategna secured the ball and became a runner. This drive would end in a field goal for Oklahoma.
Later that half, Sategna was once again at the center of controversy as his second-quarter touchdown would come by an illegal tactic. Sategna would head towards the sideline, pretending to substitute out, but instead he lined up on the Oklahoma sideline and broke free for a 24-yard touchdown. This play sparked immediate attention as it should’ve resulted in an unsportsmanlike penalty, voiding the touchdown. After the game, the SEC published a statement questioning the officiating crew and how they missed the hideout tactic.
Key Steps Going Forward
Can Oklahoma Establish a Run Game?
Oklahoma ended the game with 32 rushing yards, 29 of those yards by quarterback John Mateer. They tried to establish it with freshman running back Tory Blaylock, giving him the ball 11 times, only resulting in 13 yards. Currently, the Sooners have 501 rushing yards this season as Mateer and Blaylock lead the way with 190 yards and 179 yards. Blaylock has only reached the 100 mark once this season, which was against Temple. If Oklahoma wants to beat Texas in two weeks, it’ll have to establish a consistent run game.
Help Courtland Guillory
Arnold attacked the freshman cornerback, Guillory, all game, including back-to-back passes to Cam Coleman in the red zone, one of which resulted in a pass interference call and the other in a touchdown. Guillory would end the game with two pass interference calls. There’s no problem with testing your freshman, but they should take the pressure off him.
The Sooners stay put this week as they take on Kent State, looking to prepare for the Red River Rivalry in two weeks. They are now ranked 7th in the nation. As for Auburn, it’s a visit to College Station to take on A&M. Auburn has officially fallen out of the top 25. Stay tuned for future updates and game breakdowns on the Sooners.
Main Image: BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
