Sooners handle Tulane in tune-up for first-ever SEC game

The Oklahoma Sooners raced out to a 21-0 lead and held on for a 34-19 victory over the Tulane Green Wave last Saturday afternoon at Owen Field in their final non-conference game of the season before playing their first-ever Southeastern Conference game this Saturday night.

Jackson Arnold ran for a pair of touchdowns and passed for another to help the No. 15-ranked Sooners secure the victory. He finished with 169 yards passing and 97 yards on the ground.

After struggling against the Houston Cougars last week, the Sooners (3-0) took a step in the right direction against a tough Tulane team. The Green Wave played the then No. 17-ranked Kansas State Wildcats tough last week, losing 34-27.

“We know what Tulane has been,” OU coach Brent Venables said. “They have been a very successful program. We knew they would come in here and have confidence. Last time they were here, I think we won 40-35, and they have every bit as good of a team right now.”

After a three and out by Tulane to start the game, OU went on a 14-play, 69-yard drive to go up 7-0 midway through the first quarter. Arnold finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.

After a series of punts, the Sooners went on a seven-play, 60-yard drive to lead 14-0. Arnold hit Taylor Tatum from nine yards out for the score.

The Green Wave (1-2) got into field-goal position on their next drive, but a 50-yard try was missed.

OU then drove 67 yards in six plays to go up 21-0 on Tatum’s 1-yard run with 3:39 left in the first half.

Tulane finally started to gain some yardage against the OU defense, driving down to get within 21-6 late in the first half. The extra point was missed.

Momentum swung just a bit to Tulane as the team’s went into halftime.

“It was 21-0 right before half, and we had a chance to slam the door,” Venables said. “We got a lot to learn from that.”

The Sooners used a 13-play, 64-yard drive to take a 24-6 lead on a 29-yard field goal by Tyler Keltner to begin the second half.

Then the Green Wave began to get their offense moving. Tulane went 75 yards in nine plays to get within 24-13 after a Makhi Hughes 8-yard TD pass from quarterback Darian Mensah.

The Tulane defense responded as well, getting a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown by Tyler Grubbs early in the fourth quarter to trim the lead to just 24-19.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the OU defense took over. Billy Bowman Jr. picked off a Mensah pass to give OU the ball at the Tulane 43-yard line.

Then on third-and-11 from the Tulane 24-yard line, Arnold broke through the pressure and scrambled for a touchdown to put the Sooners up 31-19.

“All day they were heating us up on third down,” Arnold said. “So, internally I knew my clock was a little shorter, and I would have to get to my reads pretty quick. When I got to my first read, I thought the pocket washed, so I stepped up, saw a lane and just took off.”

R. Mason Thomas sacked Mensah twice on the next drive, the second time coming on a fourth down to give the Sooners possession at the Tulane 32yard line.

After another Keltner field goal extended the lead to 34-19, Thomas sacked Mensah again, forcing and recovering the fumble as well.

Despite the win for OU, Venables still sees room for improvement.

“We found a way to win,” Venables said. “We did a lot of great things, particularly in the first half. Obviously, turning the ball over and a pick-6 there really puts a damper on things, but there were some signs that we’ve made some growth and some improvement. We’ve still got a long ways to go.”

Tatum finished with a rushing and passing touchdown, while Deion Burks had seven receptions for 80 yards to lead the Sooners offense.

Danny Stutsman had 12 tackles and Thomas finished with three sacks for OU on defense.

OU entertains No. 7 Tennessee this Saturday night. The Volunteers are coached by former OU quarterback Josh Heupel, who also was the OU quarterbacks coach (2006-10) and co-offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach (2011-14).