On Saturday, Jackson Arnold led No. 15 Oklahoma to a 34-19 victory over Tulane, showcasing his dual-threat capability by running for two touchdowns and tossing another. Arnold's performance included a total of 169 passing yards and a notable 97 on the ground, according to FOX Sports. Contributing to the Sooners' effort, Taylor Tatum secured a touchdown pass and added a rushing score, while Deion Burks reeled in seven passes for 80 yards.
This game marked the Sooners' last non-conference match before stepping into their inaugural Southeastern Conference game against Tennessee next Saturday. Tulane, coming off a previous loss to then-No. 17 Kansas State, was expected to give the Sooners a run for their money. The last encounter between the two teams was a narrow 40-35 Oklahoma win in 2021 that surely was lingering in the memories of the Oklahoma squad, said KOCO.
The Sooners came to the game anticipating a challenge, and Tulane did manage to keep the matchup competitive. As reported by News9, Tulane's Darian Mensah completed only 14 of his 32 passes, accumulating 166 yards, and Makhi Hughes contributed 71 rushing yards and caught a touchdown pass. Despite falling behind 21-0 in the second quarter, Tulane did make a momentum shift before halftime when Ty Thompson found Reggie Brown for a 7-yard touchdown pass.
Oklahoma's defensive line was a crucial element in their defense, particularly with R. Mason Thomas making standout plays down the home stretch. Thomas' impressive performance included three sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup all within a pivotal four-minute window. His most decisive play was a sack on Mensah that resulted in a lost fumble, effectively quashing Tulane's final chance to score with only 1:40 left on the clock, as highlighted by News9.
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables expressed satisfaction with the team's response following a close call against Houston in their previous matchup. "You go into a week where there’s a lot of questions and concern, if you will, and they did a great job of managing the week and focusing on what they need to do to improve and get better and take another step forward," Venables told News9. Meanwhile, Tulane's coach Jon Sumrall acknowledged his team's struggles and opening deficit that thwarted their chances of a comeback, saying, "Against a team like that, it’s almost impossible to dig yourselves a 21-0 hole and think you’ve got any chance to come back and win,” Sumrall reflected in a statement obtained by News9.
