LSU 2024 Opponent Preview: Oklahoma

We finish our LSU opponent preview series today with a newcomer to the SEC, Oklahoma. Brent Venables’ squad comes in with hopes of competing with the top of the conference in year one, while Brian Kelly’s Tigers want to remain as one of the consistent contenders for the SEC Title. Here’s everything to know about the Sooners and the potential matchup in the final game of the season.

Previous opponent previews: USC, South Carolina, UCLA, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Florida

Head coach: Brent Venables (3rd season)

Offensive coordinator: Seth Littrell (1st season)

Defensive coordinator: Todd Bates (3rd season)

Last year

After beating Texas to improve to 6–0 on the season, it was hard to imagine the Sooners not being in contention to make the College Football Playoffs, but things collapsed quickly. Oklahoma barely survived a home game against UCF, then dropped road games at Kansas and Oklahoma State in back-to-back weeks, completely changing the trajectory of the season. The Sooners rebounded with wins over mediocre Big 12 teams to close the season, then lost to Arizona 38-24 in the Alamo Bowl, finishing the year at 10-3. Venables is now 16-10 in two years at OU.

Offense

It was a significant step forward for Oklahoma’s offense in 2023, finishing the year fourth in points per game at 41.7 and 11th in offensive EPA. Dillon Gabriel ended the year as one of the best quarterbacks in the country by the numbers, totaling 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns on 69.3 completion percentage with just six interceptions. Drake Stoops led the team in receptions with 84 for 952 yards and 10 touchdowns. Three running backs had over 75 carries and 300 yards as the balanced offense was often too much for Big 12 defenses to slow down. With five games of 50+ points and three coming in conference, the offense hummed along comfortably.

Defense

Venables is always known as an elite defensive mind and his unit in 2023 was solid once again, ranking 23rd in defensive EPA and coming up big in games against Iowa State, Texas, and BYU. Danny Stutsman was the dominant figure with 104 tackles and 16 tackles for loss last year, but Billy Bowman also broke onto the scene with six interceptions and three of them going for touchdowns. We’re still waiting to see an elite defense from Venables at Oklahoma entering his third year. 

Key departures

Drafted: OT Tyler Guyton (29th overall), OT Walter Rouse (177th overall), DT Jonah Laulu (234th overall)

Transferred out:  QB Dillon Gabriel, OT Cayden Green, S Key Lawrence, EDGE Reggie Grimes, CB Jasiah Wagoner, CB DJ Graham, RB Hollywood Smothers, RB Marcus Major, OT Aaryn Parks, S Daeh McCullough, RB Tawee Walker, EDGE Kelvin Gilliam. 

Of course, Gabriel and Guyton are the two major departures everyone talks about, but losing Green is another blow to the offensive line that feels significant. It’s a retooled front line for the Sooners and it’s going to be interesting to see how it holds up in SEC play. Defensively, Oklahoma didn’t lose too much and retaining Bowman and Stutsman was crucial. In total, the Sooners lost 28 players to the portal.

Important additions

2024 Class: DL David Stone, RB Taylor Tatum. IOL Eugene Brooks, WR Zion Kearney, EDGE Danny Okoye, S Reggie Powers, DL Nigel Smith, TE Davon Mitchell, QB Michael Hawkins  

Transfers in: IOL Branson Hickman, EDGE Caiden Woullard, WB Casey Thompson, OT Michael Tarquin, DL Damonic Williams, WR Deion Burks, TE Jake Roberts, CB Dez Malone, TE Bauer Sharp, RB Samuel Franklin, IOL Febechi Nwaiwu.

It’s hard not to like what Oklahoma has done along the defensive line, from the addition of Williams and Stone to quality players like Woullard and Okoye. Another position the Sooners continue to reload at is running back with the No. 1 running back in the class in Tatum and Franklin from the portal.Of course, the offensive line is completely overhauled, but the personnel is good and gives them a foundation to build on.

Going into 2024

Top returners: LB Danny Stutsman, CB Billy Bowman, DE Ethan Downs, WR Nic Anderson, QB Jackson Arnold, DL Da’Jon Terry.

The biggest question entering the season is about Jackson Arnold replacing Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel was efficient, smart, and able to get the ball to his playmakers. In Arnold’s one start in the Alamo Bowl, he was the opposite, throwing three interceptions. Now, Arnold enters his sophomore year with the keys to the car and expectations to live up to his lofty high school ranking. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the 2023 class and has all of the arm talent you could want, but in the SEC we know it takes more than that to survive. He has some solid receivers to throw to, but it’s largely going to be on him to make plays.

Expectations

Oklahoma enters a season where Venables will look to remain relevant among the top couple of tiers in college football but it also comes with the move to the SEC and a brutal schedule. Vegas has the Sooners’ win total at 7.5 which I think speaks more to the conference slate than it does the overall talent of the roster. The question marks at quarterback are legitimate, but Oklahoma should be 4-0 in non-conference play and has Auburn and South Carolina for two of its conference games. The other six games? All preseason top 16 teams according to both ESPN and CBS. Oklahoma is a top 20 team as well, according to both lists, but it’s still a program that will be tossed into the fire. Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss, Missouri, Alabama, and LSU, with only two of those being at home? Good luck.

Early thoughts on LSU vs. Oklahoma

The final game of the regular season sets up to be a fascinating matchup with potential implications for the SEC Title game and potentially the CFB Playoffs. LSU opened as a five-point favorite this summer, which partially speaks to the edge in talent LSU has and also this game being in Baton Rouge. LSU’s offense should be better at maybe every single position and if it is clicking, will be a handful for the Sooners to stop. Last year, I think LSU drops 42+ on this Oklahoma defense pretty regularly, but it’s a new year. 

The question becomes how much can Oklahoma’s new offense score on the Tigers’ revamped defense? At this point in the year, both teams will be as polished as they can be and neither coach is on the hot seat in any way, so there will still be plenty on the line, but the Tigers have more proven commodities at key spots on offense and that should be enough to get the win at home.