The Oklahoma Sooners go into 2024 looking to build off their 2023 season.
The Oklahoma Sooners once owned the Big 12, but have found themselves in a slump in recent years. Oklahoma has failed to make the championship game at a time when the league has been in a downward spiral. More stunningly, the Sooners haven’t produced a first-team All-American since 2019. That hardly represents positive momentum for a shift into the SEC – the country’s dominant conference. However, as we preview Oklahoma football for 2024, there’s a reason for optimism.
The defense is trending upward after showing solid improvement last fall. Quarterback Jackson Arnold is a rising star, and the Sooners have one of the nation’s top receiving corps. A rebuilt offensive line is critical to how high Oklahoma can climb in the SEC standings.
Oklahoma Football Preview 2024: Offense
For all of the concerns that the Sooners’ 2022 offense wasn’t dynamic under Lincoln Riley, the 2023 offense scored their most points since 2019. It was highly efficient and finished third in the nation, averaging 507 yards and 41.7 points per game.
Oklahoma’s offense was good, and it should be even more wide-open and fun with former North Texas head coach Seth Littrell joining Joe Jon Finley to run the attack.
Jackson Arnold needs to be great
Dillon Gabriel has a decent shot at becoming the NCAA’s all-time passing leader this season. However, he’s at Oregon now, and Arnold has all the pressure – and the opportunity – to become a rising star.
Former Texas Longhorn, Nebraska Cornhusker, and Florida Atlantic Owl Casey Thompson is a capable backup, but this is Arnold’s offense to the quarterback.
At running back, there’s also some concerns. Gavin Sawchuk ran for a team-high 744 yards and nine scores, but second-leading man Tawee Walker is off to Wisconsin. The depth is talented but untested and thin.
The Sooners’ receiving room has a shot at being the SEC’s best, even with 84-catch leading receiver Drake Stoops gone.
Nic Anderson is an NFL-level deep threat, averaging 21 yards per grab with 10 touchdowns last season. Andrel Anthony is another big-play receiver, while Purdue transfer Deion Burks is coming off a seven-touchdown campaign. Baylor transfer Jake Roberts and SE Louisiana’s Bauer Sharp form an excellent pass-catching tight-end combo.
The OL overhaul
The offensive line isn’t as much of a concern as it is a relative unknown that must come together quickly. Jake Taylor and Jacob Sexton should be okay at the tackle positions. However, the overall depth is young, and the interior all arrive via the transfer portal.
Brandon Hickman (SMU) will likely start at center, while Geirean Hatchett (Washington) and Febechi Nwaiwu (North Texas) will step in as guards. Again, the line isn’t a problem. The talent is there, it might just need a little gelling.
Oklahoma Football Preview 2024: Defense
The secondary is deep
OU allowed over 250 yards per game through the air, but it only had real problems against Texas and Oklahoma State.
Safety Billy Bowman led the team with six picks while cornerback Gentry Williams came up with three. Woodi Washington, on the other side, led the team with seven broken-up passes. Meanwhile, the combination of Kendel Dolby and Dasan McCullough at the team’s Cheetah position will be all over the place. This group retains most of their playmakers from last season and should be a strength on the Oklahoma defense in 2024.
The front seven
The one-two punch of senior Danny Stutsman and junior Kip Lewis will be a problem for the rest of the SEC. Stutsman finished the 2023 season as the leading tackler for the Sooners with 104, while Lewis had 66 tackles of his own. There’s also good depth behind these two in what should be a good rotation when needed.
The linebackers are working behind a line that’s not starting over, but will look a bit different with the four main starters gone. TCU transfer Damonic Williams is a 320-pound option, who should be a solid run-stuffer on the line. There’s also sixth-year senior and fellow 320-pounder Da’Jon Terry who boosts a veteran presence.
Defensive ends Ethan Downs and Trace Ford are likely to man the starting positions for the Sooners defense. Yet while Stutsman led the team in tackles for loss with 16, Downs’ 6.5 were second on the team.
Oklahoma Sooners 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season
Body blows. Oklahoma can beat anyone and everyone on its slate, but it doesn’t catch many breaks in their first season in the SEC.
There’s no Georgia to deal with, and that’s huge. However, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt failed to go to a bowl last year, and none are on the schedule. Kentucky and Texas A&M would be challenging, but they’re not on the slate, either.
Again, Oklahoma will be good enough to win against anyone. And, they have a chance against Alabama since it will be a home game for the Sooners. However, games at Texas, Ole Miss, Missouri, LSU, and Auburn will prove difficult. There are too many 50-50 spins at the wheel that might go the other way. OU probably won’t be favored against any of those teams except Auburn.
The Sooners should defeat Houston and Tulane at home, but they face those two before dealing with Tennessee. With Maine, Temple, and realistically, South Carolina — to go along with Houston and Tulane — that should be five wins. They’ll win three tough SEC battles, but pushing for more will take something special. Set the Oklahoma win total at eight for 2024.
