It’s safe to assume Oklahoma’s preparation has intensified over the last week. The Sooners are preparing for a much more talented foe than they have seen at any point this season. No. 7 Tennessee presents an incredible challenge for OU on Saturday night, but that’s to be expected with the Sooners entering the SEC. The conference games will be more challenging than they were in the Big 12.
The rest of the college football world doesn’t give the Sooners a real chance to win this game. Brent Venables, a master motivator and no stranger to coaching in high-profile matchups over the last 20 years, knows what it will take for his team to come out on top Saturday night.
While Tennessee is the higher-ranked team, it is not invincible. Oklahoma has a path to victory. We took the time to highlight that path with our three keys to the game below.
1. Start Fast
It’s such a cliche statement, but it does hold a lot of weight in a football game. Especially in a game where one team has heard they were the underdogs and didn’t have a chance at winning. It’s a confidence thing that can boost one team and psychologically damage the other.
Oklahoma has had some decent starts to their games this season, but they’ve yet to carry it into the second quarter. And that’s where Oklahoma needs to hone in on Saturday. Play a complete first half, take a breather, and gear up to scrap in the second half because Tennessee will not go away if you come out swinging.
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Seth Littrell must get his young quarterback into a rhythm. Maybe start out with the short passing game and mixing in designed QB runs along with the regular run game to ease him in. As the results show and his confidence grows, Littrell can then start to open up the playbook even wider.
Up Next: More Keys to the Game
2. Stop the Run
It’s pretty simple, but Oklahoma’s chance of winning the increases dramatically if the can stop Tennessee’s ground game led by junior running back Dylan Sampson. Sampson has scored nine touchdowns through three games and is averaging nearly eight yards per carry.
He’s a critical part of the offense and a very talented player. Oklahoma’s approach should be to stop him and force Heupel to put the game on the right arm of former five-star QB Nico Iamaleava. This will be Iamaleava’s first true road game. He’s yet to be tested in the tense moments of a tight fourth quarter.
The Volunteers’ tempo and run game will try and do its best to wear down Oklahoma, but unlike in years past, where depth was a significant weakness, the Sooners can go three deep at almost every position on the defensive side of the ball.
3. Ride your horses
This key is probably the most important for the Sooners, but it will be the difference in this game. Oklahoma must live and die with Nic Anderson, Taylor Tatum, Jovantae Barnes, Deion Burks, and Bauer Sharp getting most of the offensive action.
That doesn’t mean that other players can and won’t get in on the action, but when it’s time to make a play, those guys should be the ones Littrell draws something up for.
In big games, play-callers often forget that football is simply about getting the ball in your best player’s hands and letting them be athletes.
Even on defense, the same can be said. Oklahoma will rely on Damonic Williams, Billy Bowman, Danny Stutsman, R Mason Thomas, and others on third down to make plays. They need to be on the field during those pivotal moments.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: 3 keys that could lead to an Oklahoma victory over Tennessee
