The Oklahoma Sooners and LSU Tigers are throwing down in one last dance on Saturday. After a weekend of chaos, including the thrilling quadruple overtime win by Auburn, the college football world is reeling. Make no mistake, the SEC has been turned on its head and Oklahoma is one of the teams leading the charge.
Can The Oklahoma Sooners Finish Strong Against LSU?
Miracle on the Prairie
Gaylord Stadium is sometimes known as the ‘Palace on the Prairie’. This point of pride has stood for generations, but the walls were definitely beginning to crumble this year. However, just as a crimson tide rolled in, the Palace on the Prairie held fast and stood tall.
In what can only be called a miracle, the Sooners sent the Crimson Tide packing. The biggest takeaways from the Alabama game are that Jackson Arnold had his best game of the season, Head Coach Brent Venables justified his multi-million dollar contract extension, and the Sooners will be playing in one of three possible bowl games in December.
The Oklahoma-LSU Bounce Back
LSU is hot off a three-game losing streak. The 2024 season has been, at best, shaky for the Tigers. Losses to Florida, Texas A&M, and USC have been generating a good deal of questions about LSU’s future. The give-and-take game against Vanderbilt, however, shows that LSU isn’t giving up yet.
The first year in the SEC has been a trip to the school of hard knocks for the Sooners. After losing to every SEC opponent, except Auburn, many were questioning if Venables could continue leading the team. The shutout against Alabama, though, shows that Venables and Oklahoma can still compete with the top teams.
Both Oklahoma and LSU are rebounding from near-disaster. The upcoming matchup isn’t exactly the clash of the underdogs, but it is, perhaps, the most important game of the weekend.
What LSU Brings To The Table
The LSU Tigers aren’t coming empty-handed for this holiday brawl. Against Vanderbilt, the Tiger defense was very capable of shutting down a mobile quarterback. They also held Vanderbilt on several third downs, something the Sooners have been struggling with all year.
Offensively, running back Josh Williams spent the game juking around or knocking over defenders. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier also played a good game in the backfield. As a talent who is certainly already on several NFL teams’ future wish lists, Nussmeier spent his day out against Vanderbilt with completion after completion. Nussmeier also has an offensive line that has proven it can be very adept at defending him.
At the same time, LSU has the prestige to survive one more loss, but Oklahoma needs continuous momentum for the offseason.
Oklahoma’s Recruiting Depends On This
It’s impossible to state just how much is riding on this game. If the Sooners can win out against LSU, it won’t just make OU more enticing for future coordinators, it will also provide a badly needed boost for recruiting.
There are still several prospects that Venables and the Sooners are pursuing. Aivery Haynesworth is still in contention between Kentucky and Oklahoma. Michael Terry III, the 24th-best quarterback nationally, is leaning further and further away. Just this past month, Kevin Sperry de-committed from Oklahoma amidst the losing streak. To put it bluntly, Venables and the Sooners need this win.
Which is why it’s good that they aren’t coming to the Thanksgiving festivities without a game plan.
The Sooners Are Ready To Cook
Nussmeier’s offensive line held steady against Vanderbilt. This gave him more time to analyze the field and make great passes. Unfortunately for Nussmeier, the Sooners’ defense is not as forgiving.
Team captain and Butkus-Finalist Danny Stutsman has been leading a hard-hitting, explosive defense. He’s certainly been persistent in that regard, with 100 tackles in just the past eleven games. Stutsman, of course, isn’t alone in this effort. R Mason Thomas, Billy Bowman, Kip Lewis, Robert Spears-Jennings, and Eli Bowen have all made an impact.
Offensively, things are a bit different. LSU was able to contain the Vanderbilt ground and air game exceedingly well. If the Tigers were just using that matchup as practice for Oklahoma, it’ll likely pay off. From what we saw of Xavier Robinson last week, though, there’s still hope. If Robinson can have the same intensity against LSU as he did against Alabama, the Sooners have a genuine chance of keeping drives moving.
Final Thoughts on the Oklahoma-LSU Game
The season comes to an end in Baton Rouge. While others are fighting for playoff spots, or searching for new coaches, these two are fighting for the future of their programs.
Ultimately, Oklahoma might not get that storybook win. LSU’s injury report is nowhere near as extensive, and the home-field advantage can often prove overwhelming. Plus, there’s a reason Tigers Stadium is commonly known as ‘Death Valley’. Whatever happens, be sure to check back in with Last Word On Sports for the full breakdown of OU’s final conference game of the year.
