Tennessee

 This Saturday marks a new era in Sooner football. For the first time since the formation of the Big 12 our Sooners open up a conference play in The SEC. It’s a big deal and really solidified the SEC as the premier football conference in America (if it wasn’t already). Sadly, our Sooners open this new conference era with a murderers row of opponents. Our next 5 games are against teams all within the top 7 rankings currently. I guess this is what we can expect now. Unfortunately we’ve looked, um, pretty shitty as an offense so far. And while Tennessee is definitely a team more know for their ability to score, SEC football is defense first and then figure everything else out. This doesn’t bode well. 

Accordingly, Vegas has us a 7 point dogs at home. This is probably pretty fair and, honestly probably generous for us. The crimson and cream did manage to right the ship somewhat against Tulane but definitely didn’t put them away until the last few minutes and it was very much anyone’s game in the fourth quarter. Yikes, I’m not optimistic. 

I’d be remiss to not mention this as the homecoming of Josh Heupel. He was a great QB for OU and a very mediocre OC. I know he’s turned Tennessee around but all of this lamenting of his firing forgets the fact that that the Sooners offense was the epitome of mediocre and predictable while he has the reigns. He’s clearly grown as a coach (and a human—physically) since he left. I wish him all the best and I hope he gets a warm reception from the home crowd, but I also hope he loses. 

Offense

Jackson Arnold has been pretty bad. He was better last week, but damn sure not good enough to win against a better opponent. Tennessee plays as close to big 12 football as it gets in this conference. I suspect OU will try to control the ball and win time of possession. As such I am going with Taylor Tatum. He’s been very good, and I know he’s not the number 1 guy yet but I think this week he breaks out. 

Defense 

Who else? Stutsman, that’s who. 

Score

Whew, I’m really pounding the Sooners brew and looking through all the right lenses here. I’ll squint just right and turn my head to precisely the right angle to see OU em stunning Tennessee 27-24. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner