How to Watch Oklahoma vs. Arkansas State

Oklahoma will open the 2023 season on Saturday morning against the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

Author:
Ryan Chapman
Publish date:
Aug 28, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

In this story:

NORMAN — Finally, it’s football time in Oklahoma.

Brent Venables’ second year at the helm gets underway on Saturday in what is shaping up to be a pivotal season for the Sooners. OU is embarking on its last season in the Big 12 before departing for the SEC, but the No. 20-ranked Sooners need a rapid turnaround to erase the bad taste left by a 6-7 finish in 2022.

As expected, Venables and his coaching staff got to work reshaping the roster this past season, and Oklahoma is riding a wave of recruiting momentum into the season fresh off landing 5-star defensive lineman David Stone this past weekend.

Still, plenty of questions persist ahead of the season opener.

How will the Sooners replace three starters along the offensive line? Can Austin Stogner’s return offset the production lost from tight end Brayden Willis? Will the new defensive additions, both transfers and true freshmen alike, make an impact?

The first hurdle for OU shouldn’t take much to clear, as Butch Jones’ Arkansas State Red Wolves await this weekend.

Jones’ squad finished 3-9 last year, including a 1-7 mark in the Sun Belt, but the Red Wolves retooled the roster with a number of offensive transfers, including quarterback J.T. Shrout.