2024 Missouri Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 9: Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners are new to the SEC and they will get the entire conference experience in their first season. They take on Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU and Missouri, with a few others sprinkled in, to kick off their SEC campaign. That won’t be easy by any means, but the Sooners have a roster that should be built for the test.

The suffered a major loss in the transfer portal this offseason when starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel up and left to Eugene, to play for the Oregon Ducks. He was at one point a Heisman candidate and surely has some NFL hopes. The reigns to the offense are left with former 5-star Jackson Arnold. His success, or lack thereof, will play a huge part in the Sooners team success.

The Tigers and Sooners will now meet for the 100th time in both programs history, a monumental mark. These two squads have undergone multiple recruiting battles in recent years, including the likes of Luther Burden and Williams Nwaneri. The bad blood between the Sooners and Tigers had increased recently, surely setting up Nov. 9 to be a memorable game at Faurot Field. But before that, read up on what the Sooners bring to the table.

Sophomore Jackson Arnold will line up as the Sooners starting quarterback for this coming season. He stepped in for an inured Dillon Gabriel last year, throwing for 563 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions on a 63.8% completion percentage. Arnold was a consensus 5-star recruit coming out of high school, the best in Oklahoma’s 2023 class. Arnold will need to be ready for Oklahoma this season to lead their offense.

The Sooners will have another sophomore at running back, Colorado native Gavin Sawchuk. He ran for 744 yards and 9 touchdowns. Junior Jovante Barnes will get his shot at the backup spot, as could top-50 freshman Taylor Tatum. They also brought in UT-Martin transfer Sam Franklin, a highly-productive runner to contend as well. He ran for 1,378 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023.

Oklahoma has a plethora of receiving threats this upcoming seasons. Senior Andrel Anthony appears to be one of those top targets, racking up 429 yards and a touchdown last season. It’s redshirt sophomore Nic Anderson that is the returning leading receiver, posting 798 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. They also have Jalil Farooq, Jayden Gibson and Brenen Thompson returning.

Arguably their biggest addition in the transfer portal was Purdue transfer Deion Burks. He posted 629 yards and 7 touchdowns for the Boilermakers last season on 47 receptions. Burks was recently arrested for speeding and driving under the influence, so his playing status is to be determined for the upcoming season.

Multiple offensive linemen were brought in through the transfer portal, including SMU guard Branson Hickman, North Texas guard Febechi Nwaiwu and Washington guard Geirean Hatchett. These three transfers could all be day-one starters in the trenches.

Senior linebacker Danny Stutsman is arguably one of the best returning defensive players in the entire country. He recorded a dominant 104 tackles, 3 sacks, 3 pass deflections and an interception last year. He will be a favorite for most defensive awards next year.

Their defensive personel is littered with four and five-star rated recruits. Sophomore linebacker and former 4-star Kip Lewis was the second leading tackler last year with 66, returns with another former 4-star, Jaren Kanak.

Senior Billy Bowman Jr. is another one of the best returning defensive players in the country. The safety 63 tackles, 4 pass deflections and 6 interceptions last season. In the secondary with him are Gentry Williams, Woodi Washington and Robert Spears-Jennings. Senior Kendel Dolby is a dynamic playmaker on the defensive end who will also contribute in the secondary. Former 5-star safety Peyton Bowen will also be a surefire piece to the Sooners secondary.

The defensive line is the weakest link of the Sooners defense. Senior Ethan Downs is the strongest statistical returner. The defensive end recorded 29 tackles and a team-leading 4.5 sacks last season. A name to keep an eye out for is the explosive athlete Adepoju Adebawaore. He was a recruiting riser in the 2023 class and now sits behind Downs and one other in the defensive end spot. TCU transfer Damonic Williams is the most recent addition to the line, where the Sooners beat out Missouri and others to bring in the prized transfer.

This will be one of the most entertaining and exciting games on the Tigers schedule next season. In a year with not many troubling games on the list, Missouri will need to win this one to stay persistent in their title hopes. Like their matchup with Alabama, it’s a must win game. This might be the most meaningful matchup the Tigers endure this season as well, with a potential rivalry brewing with the SEC newcomers.

Date: Nov. 9

Time: TBD

Location: Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium

Series History: Oklahoma leads 24-67

Last Meeting: Sept. 24, 2011 – The Tigers got out to an early first quarter lead, led by quarterback James Franklin. Their lead was quickly squandered, as Oklahoma’s Landry Jones and company was just too much for Missouri to stay close with. The Sooners pulled out a 38-28 victory to stay ranked first in the nation at the time.

Head Coach: Brent Venables, third season as Sooners’ head coach.

Offensive Coordinator: Seth Littrell, six year head coach at North Texas from 2016-’22.

Defensive Coordinator: Zac Alley, assistant for Venables at Clemson from 2015-’18.

2023 Record: 10-3

Biggest Question: Can Jackson Arnold step up and be the star the Sooners need him to be? He has plenty of weapons and showed elite flashes last year, but is inexperience could prove to be a factor in the Sooners chase for a national title.

National Championships: 7

Last National Championship: 2000

Last Conference Championship: 2020

Total Conference Championships: 49

Bowl Record: 46-28-3

Last Season without Bowl/Playoff Appearance: 1998

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