Final thoughts on the Oklahoma Sooners matchup with the UCF Knights
The Oklahoma Sooners are hoping to extend their undefeated start to the 2023 season when they take on the UCF Knights on Saturday. Oklahoma is a heavy favorite heading into the first-ever matchup between the two teams.
But the Knights have some talent that could pose problems for the Sooners when they take the field at 11 a.m. CT in Norman.
At Sooners Wire, we’re feeling good about the Sooners heading into this one. But based on the numbers, UCF can certainly make life difficult for Oklahoma.
Here are the players that will make the biggest impact for both Oklahoma and UCF, as well as keys to the game.
Ahead of the Big 12 contest, here are a few final thoughts on the Sooners vs. Knights.
Don't Sleep on the Newbie
The new additions to the Big 12 haven’t faired all that well in their first year in the league. Houston is the only team to win a Big 12 game over a team that’s been in the conference. But they needed a Hail Mary to pull off the upset over West Virginia.
UCF, in particular, is 0-3 in Big 12 play and allowing over 40 points per game in conference games. But that doesn’t mean they can’t cause problems.
The Knights boast the No. 3 run game in the country, averaging 246.3 rushing yards per game. Oklahoma’s run defense has been really good this season. Only Texas has found success on the ground against the Sooners, and they still held them under four yards per carry.
Oklahoma can’t go into this sleeping on the Knights, or UCF will make Saturday a nightmare.
Find Balance
The Oklahoma Sooners have a great opportunity this Saturday to find some traction in the running game. The Knights come in with one of the worst run defenses in the country. Oklahoma should be able to exploit it. However, they shouldn’t neglect the passing game.
Dillon Gabriel’s been really good in 2023, especially at home. While Brent Venables and Jeff Lebby may want to get the ground game going, don’t force the issue so much that it slows the offense down.
Don’t be so deadset on running the football that this game stays closer than it should. Just run your offense. If the run game is effective and the Sooners are able to run the ball, great, but don’t force-feed the run game to make a point.
The Future is Your Present
The Oklahoma Sooners have received key contributions from a number of underclassmen in 2023. Gentry Williams, Jaren Kanak, Peyton Bowen, Kip Lewis, and Adepoju Adebawore have been crucial to the Sooners defensive success. On offense, it’s been Nic Anderson, Jayden Gibson, Gavin Freeman, and Cayden Green that have been key players for one of the nation’s best offenses.
Anderson and Gibson are likely to see increased roles on the outside with the injury to Andrel Anthony. Green could start for Oklahoma at left guard this week.
The Sooners haven’t been shy about playing their younger players. And that’s allowed the future of this team to shine through.
Need a Big Day from the Linebackers
Danny Stutsman will be in the running for every major national defensive award by the end of 2023. He’s risen to the occasion as Oklahoma’s leader on the defense. But the linebacker group as a whole has been fantastic.
In his first year as a starter, Jaren Kanak has been really good. He’s getting better each week and a lot of things came together for him in the win over Texas. He’s still such a young player but is putting together a really strong sophomore season.
In addition to Kanak, fellow sophomore linebackers Kip Lewis and Dasan McCullough have come on strong of late and were crucial to the Sooners goal-line stand against Texas.
Against John Rhys Plumlee, the linebacker crew will need to have a big day. Though it starts up front with the defensive line, much of the success of the Sooners defense will come from how well they read and react to the read-option and contain the quarterback run game.
They’ve got the athleticism and the speed to create problems for Plumlee. If they can do so, it’ll be a long day for the Knights offense.
Keep Proving a Point
6-0 is great and all, but it doesn’t earn a spot in the Big 12 title game or the College Football Playoff. It doesn’t hang on a banner or bring home national title No. 8.
The Sooners have been really good in 2023. They’re showing the promise of what Brent Venables was brought to Oklahoma to do: get the Sooners SEC ready.
But the job’s not finished.
Each week provides a unique challenge that Oklahoma can’t take lightly if they want to achieve everything that’s on the table for the Sooners this season.
Venables and the Sooners’ coaching staff have done an excellent job keeping this team locked in and focused. They’ll need to stay focused week-to-week as the expectations continue to rise.
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