What a distinction a yr makes for the Oklahoma Sooners. Not solely by way of how they fared towards the Michigan Wolverines, but in addition in what might lie forward now on a frightening schedule.
Final season’s 24-13 win for Oklahoma in Norman over the Wolverines set the stage for what can be a stellar season for the Sooners. It was not solely an introduction for switch quarterback John Mateer (who accounted for 3 whole touchdowns in that Michigan win) but in addition a press release that the Sooners had been able to compete towards big-name competitors of their second season within the Southeastern Convention.
Saturday’s 17-10 loss in Ann Arbor, nevertheless, might function the announcement that the Sooners are on the brink of take a step again from final yr’s 10-2 mark and first-round loss within the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
Michigan sport was key for remainder of Oklahoma Sooners’ schedule
What comes subsequent for Oklahoma is something however simple and will properly take the Sooners out of any type of CFP dialog. After a house sport with New Mexico subsequent week, the Sooners’ subsequent two video games are towards groups ranked within the prime 4 of the Related Press High 25 rankings. Oklahoma travels to second-ranked Georgia after which, after an off week, has the Purple River Rivalry sport in Dallas towards fourth-ranked Texas.
Coming into these video games 3-0 versus 2-1 actually has a special really feel to it, as may 3-2 versus 2-3 total until the Sooners can forge an upset away from Norman towards a pair of SEC powerhouses.
Dwelling video games towards Mississippi State and Texas A&M (each presently ranked within the AP prime 10) on back-to-back weeks in November might not as matter as a lot for the Sooners after mid-October, particularly with the Michigan loss now on the books.
Definitely that is a doom-and-gloom state of affairs, but it surely’s additionally a practical one.
Maybe the Sooners would have flamed out with the upcoming SEC schedule anyway, however Oklahoma has already discovered itself on the incorrect finish of an in depth sport in 2026 versus final season when the Sooners discovered methods to win tight contests at Tennessee and Alabama on their method to an 8-2 begin.
Oklahoma gained these shut video games because of the regular play of Mateer, who appeared something however regular on Saturday. Definitely Michigan’s protection performed a task in that, sacking him 3 times and pulling off a key interception that arrange the Wolverines’ profitable rating.
Mateer completed 17-of-33 for 189 yards and added 45 yards on the bottom. Nonetheless, needing a landing to tie, Oklahoma’s two last drives netted a complete of 13 yards with Mateer going 1-of-5 for simply 3 yards. And that 3-yard completion was a killer for Oklahoma. It came visiting the center because the Sooners had no timeouts remaining, conserving the clock operating.
After that 3-yard move, Oklahoma had a penalty with a 10-second runoff, an incomplete move and a 10-yard sack that ended the sport.
It was poor time administration, and that may’t are available in a must-convert scenario. It was additionally the kind of situations the place Oklahoma had some type of reply final season.
This yr, there was nothing.
There may be actually nonetheless hope that “Sooner Magic” can be uncorked within the coming weeks. Nonetheless, if what Oklahoma followers noticed on Saturday continues towards an SEC schedule, it may very well be a brutal few weeks forward.
