Joel Klatt predicts bounceback year for Oklahoma

If there’s one team primed for a bounce back year in 2023, it’s the Oklahoma Sooners according to Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt.

In Year 1 under Brent Venables, Oklahoma went 6-7 after the team was a popular preseason College Football Playoff contender. Last fall went completely in the other direction.

However, Year 2 could be very different with some pieces returning and a Big 12 Conference that has a few questions.

“But really it comes down to there’s one team that I’m looking at it I’m like, okay, their schedule, their quarterback coming back, just a little bit of improvement on the defensive side of play here, they’re in a close game, Oklahoma,” Klatt said on his podcast. “Oklahoma. I’m going to keep saying this, Oklahoma is my team that’s going to pop. I know that they were a six win team. 

“They were close to a nine win team, close to a 10 win team really when you look at all their one score games, and that can easily go the other direction. You look at that conference, and no one’s going to be running away with it. It’s not like they have to go play an Ohio State or an Alabama or Georgia or a Michigan, right? They don’t have that team in their conference. So OU is a team that could possibly take advantage of some chaos in 2023.”

Can Oklahoma bounce back in 2023?

Oklahoma started out 3-0 last fall but lost a one-score game to Kansas State at home. After that, the Sooners dropped games to TCU and rival Texas, both blowout defeats.

After they sat at 3-3, Oklahoma ripped off two wins in a row over Kansas and Iowa State. It seemed like Venables got the team back on track, but back-to-back losses against Baylor and West Virginia doomed Oklahoma’s chance at a Big 12 title.

However, Oklahoma beat in-state rival Oklahoma State but lost to Texas Tech to conclude the rollercoaster regular season.

A close 35-32 loss to Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl showed promise for the Sooners but it ended in disappointment.

But as Klatt alluded to, Oklahoma can bounce back in 2023. Venables got the first year jitters out and Dillon Gabriel is back at quarterback. In his first year he transferred from UCF, Gabriel tossed 3,168 yards, 25 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 62.7% completion percentage.

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Despite the team’s struggles, Oklahoma has the No. 7 overall recruiting class in the 2023 cycle, per the On3 Database. The Sooners have the No. 26 overall transfer portal class.

Put it all together and Oklahoma can certainly bounce back in 2023 within the Big 12.