The No. 16 Oklahoma Sooners open up the season at home vs the Temple Owls on Friday, Aug. 30 at 6:00 p.m. (CT).
The expectations for Oklahoma this season might differ depending on who you ask. Some expect them to go into the Southeastern Conference and struggle in their first season, but others will say that they won’t miss a beat. Nonetheless, a new era begins in Norman on Friday as it will be the first time the Sooners will sport the SEC logo on their uniforms and throughout the stadium.
What to watch for:
How much did Jackson Arnold improve over the offseason?
All eyes will be on highly-touted sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold as he makes just his second start in an Oklahoma uniform. He made his first start in last season’s Valero Alamo Bowl loss against the Arizona Wildcats where he did throw for 361 yards, but he also committed four turnovers.
Head coach Brent Venables and staff are confident in Arnold, and expect him to make a huge leap this season. “I bet on the people,” Venables said. “I think Jackson’s incredibly talented. I love where I think Jackson can take this football team.”
This could be a great game for Arnold to get settled in and comfortable before taking on the Houston Cougars next week.
What will the rebuilt offensive line look like?
Perhaps the biggest question going into the opener, the offensive line. Offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh was tasked this offseason with replacing his entire group after all of the starters from last season either went to the NFL or transferred.
After the release of the depth chart on Sunday, it appears Michael Tarquin will start at left tackle, Jacob Sexton at left guard, Branson Hickman at center, Febechi Nwaiwu at right guard, and Jake Taylor at right tackle. This group has a combined 74 career starts.
Special Teams:
Oklahoma’s special teams is looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2023 season. The depth chart showed that Zach Schmit will not be kicking field goals this year, but he will be handling kickoffs. Tyler Keltner, a transfer from Florida State, will take over field goal duties.
When it comes to the returners, Billy Bowman is listed as the kick returner, and Peyton Bowen will take over punt return duties. There is concern from some about having two very important players on your defense returning kicks, but Venables isn’t worried about that. “My responsibility is to put the best guys in a position to make plays. Those are guys that have a real knack for fielding the ball and getting vertical quick.”
Prediction:
52-10 Oklahoma
