Oklahoma could be LSU’s newest rival. There’s a good chance these two teams play each other in the final game of the regular season for the foreseeable future. They really don’t have anyone else they could play, since most of the other SEC teams have natural rivals.
This is just the fourth time the two schools have met. The other three meetings occurred in the postseason. The Tigers stomped Oklahoma in a national semifinal game on their way to the 2019 national championship game.
LSU beat Oklahoma in the 2003 BCS National Championship game and these two teams also met in the 1950 Sugar Bowl, won by the Sooners 35-0.
It’s been a rough for first season for the Sooners in the SEC as they are 6-5, 2-5 in the SEC. But Oklahoma is coming in with some extra confidence after beating Alabama 24-3.
It’s been a struggle on offense for OU. During the middle of the season, head coach Brent Venables fired offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and replaced him with Joe Joe Finley.
Venables was the defensive coordinator for those great Clemson teams that won titles in 2016 and 2018 and the Sooners are playing great defense this year.
They intercepted Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe three times last week, one was a pick six and another interception set up another score and they’ve forced 20 turnovers on the season.
The leader of Oklahoma’s defense is linebacker Danny Stutsman. He has 100 tackles on the season and it’s the third straight season he’s eclipsed 100 tackles in a season. Stutsman is a Butkus Award finalist, which goes to the nation’s best linebacker.
Dillon Gabriel started at quarterback for Oklahoma last season and threw for 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns. But Gabriel is now leading top ranked Oregon’s offense.
Sophomore Jackson Arnold has been Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, but he’s only thrown for 1,311 yards. Arnold only threw for 68 yards last week against Alabama.
But he rushed 25 times for 131 yards. Oklahoma ended up rushing for 257 yards against the Crimson Tide.
The Sooners top receivers are all hurt, which has also contributed to a meager passing attack.
When Lincoln Reily was at Oklahoma, the Sooners were known for their high scoring offenses and Heisman trophy quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. But now OU is trying to win games with defense and running the football.