How Big Plays, an Improved Run Game and More Efficiency Can Power Oklahoma Down the Stretch

In addition to the usual tried and true tropes of winning the turnover battle and field position and line of scrimmage, Oklahoma might be able to thrive over the next three games if the Sooners are able to deliver one key thing.

Big plays.

OU goes into the final quarter of the regular season with a 7-2 record (3-2 in conference play) after winning two road games at South Carolina and Tennessee and dropping a home game to Ole Miss in their last three. The Sooners are No. 12 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings and have a fairly clear path to returning to its first CFP since 2019: win, and they're in.

But just ahead are No. 4 Alabama (7-1) next weekend in Tuscaloosa, followed by two home games against No. 22 Missouri (6-2) and unranked LSU (5-3).

Statistically, that’s three of the SEC’s upper-tier defenses.

Oklahoma, on the other hand, brings an offense that has limped along at times but may be rounding into form. The Sooners rank No. 76 nationally out of 134 teams in total offense, No. 64 in points per game.

Big plays by the OU offense, however, can change that dynamic — and those statistical rankings — quickly.

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Robinson’s first ended up as a fumble, and his long run could have been a TD and set up Mateer’s 1-yard dive to clinch it. Mateer’s runs set up a Tate Sandell field goal, Robinson’s fumble and Robinson’s 4-yard TD.

So Arbuckle's stat proved right for both teams in Knoxville, although Tennessee's big plays came in bunches, while OU's were more spread out.

“We were able to get some of those in the second half, really get in a good rhythm,” Arbuckle said. “Credit to those kids for making the plays when they came their way.”

Starting with Alabama, the Oklahoma offense must continue to find a way to produce explosive plays.

It won’t be easy. Nothing in the SEC ever is. The quality of the defenses of the coming three opponents is clear.

But, the Sooners may have a sliver of opportunity.

OU’s offense currently ranks 51st nationally in yards per play (5.50). Not great, but the Tennessee outcome shows progress is being made.

Meanwhile, Alabama’s defense ranks 49th nationally in yards per play allowed (5.27). LSU is 32nd (5.03). Missouri has been much stingier with a ranking of 10th in the nation (4.44).

OU started out this season as a passing team, led by Mateer’s 304 yards per game through the air in the first four games. Since his thumb injury and a bruised knee, Mateer is averaging just 184 passing yards per game.

The Sooners couldn’t run the football early, averaging just 139 yards per game (perhaps skewed by 228 at Temple) through the first six games. But starting with the South Carolina game, the OU offense is averaging 166 yards per game and has produced a 100-yard rusher three weeks in a row.

If Mateer’s knee continues to feel better and he’s able to provide the occasional 20-yard escape like he did in Knoxville, big plays by Sategna and Jaren Kanak in the passing game might become the norm again.

“Still figuring out, as you’re developing your team into an identity of what we can do and what we can’t do,” head coach Brent Venables said. “I think the last three games, I think we’re the third-best rushing offense in the conference. And that’s per rush. ... So the efficiency of when we are running the ball has just been getting better and better and better.”

That Arbuckle’s unit had only one three-and-out at Neyland Stadium, as opposed to the 2.4 per game they’d averaged before that (3.0 in conference games) was helpful, too. That’s one of the byproducts of an improved running game — which should only get better as Mateer’s knee gets closer to full strength.

“We’ve obviously played a lot of good defenses, and I don't know if they key (defending the QB run game) or not,” Mateer said, “but they've done a good job stopping it. It's still there and I've got to make some better reads sometimes. It's still there.

“Just knowing that early-down success is super important, being efficient and getting yourself in good third downs ... third-and-long is dangerous at any level. That's what we got ourselves into, and it's not a good place to be. So, just being more efficient.”

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