SOONERS
Joe Mussatto
The Oklahoman
OU hosts Tulane at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in what we might conventionally call a “trap game.” It would be human nature for the Sooners to overlook the Green Wave in anticipation of the SEC opener next weekend against Tennessee.
But did you watch what happened last week? This is no trap game.
Tulane nearly upset Kansas State. OU barely beat Houston. Kansas State might win the Big 12. Houston might not win a Big 12 game.
OU isn’t good enough to overlook anybody, and Tulane is too good to be overlooked. Anyone who thinks this is a trap game is being blinded by the brands.
“I can promise you this team will not back down,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said Tuesday.
OU coach Brent Venables, who also spoke Tuesday, was rightfully respectful of Tulane and the challenge OU will face. The Sooners don’t have a strong non-conference schedule, but Tulane is the toughest game of the four.
“When you’ve got force on force and you’ve got people that can create resistance and challenge you, that’s how you get better,” Venables said. “I don’t know any other way.”
Coincidentally, Willie Fritz, the man who made Tulane football relevant, just came through Norman with his Houston squad. Tulane hired Jon Sumrall, the former Troy head coach, as Fritz’s successor.
In 2021, Tulane, which finished the season 2-10, gave the Sooners a scare in Norman. Final score: 40-35 Sooners.
In Fritz’s last two seasons at Tulane, the Green Wave went 23-4.
In Sumrall’s two seasons as Troy’s head coach, the Trojans went 23-4.
Sumrall’s upward trajectory as a coach matched the arc Tulane had taken under Fritz.
The Green Wave lost several key offensive players, including starting quarterback Michael Pratt, but Tulane is still among the strongest teams from the Group of Five ranks.
In ESPN’s SP+ rankings via Bill Connelly, Tulane ranks 60th — behind Purdue and BYU and ahead of UNLV and Arizona State. Houston ranks 91st. Temple, OU’s Week 1 opponent, is 134th — dead last among FBS teams.
Tulane, in a game it hosted, outgained Kansas State last Saturday 491-396. Redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah completed 65.5% of his passes for 342 yards. He threw two touchdowns and one interception.
Running back Makhi Hughes rushed for 128 yards on 6.1 yards per carry.
Mario Williams, the former Sooner who transferred from OU, to USC, to Tulane, leads the Green Wave with 10 catches for 252 yards. He ranks ninth nationally in receiving yards.
“The biggest thing for him as we move into this game is don’t worry about the, ‘Hey, I’m going back to Oklahoma piece,’” Sumrall said. “That doesn’t have any impact on you playing well.”
Tulane’s offense vs. OU’s defense will be strength on strength.
On the other side of the ball, we’ll see if OU’s offense can, you know, do something.
The Sooners have plenty to sort out before Tennessee comes to town. Chief among them, beating Tulane.
Don’t call it a trap game.
Mussatto: Don't call it a trap game. OU football is not good enough to overlook Tulane.
Joe MussattoThe Oklahoman
OU hosts Tulane at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in what we might conventionally call a “trap game.” It would be human nature for the Sooners to overlook the Green Wave in anticipation of the SEC opener next weekend against Tennessee.
But did you watch what happened last week? This is no trap game.
Tulane nearly upset Kansas State. OU barely beat Houston. Kansas State might win the Big 12. Houston might not win a Big 12 game.
OU isn’t good enough to overlook anybody, and Tulane is too good to be overlooked. Anyone who thinks this is a trap game is being blinded by the brands.
“I can promise you this team will not back down,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said Tuesday.
OU coach Brent Venables, who also spoke Tuesday, was rightfully respectful of Tulane and the challenge OU will face. The Sooners don’t have a strong non-conference schedule, but Tulane is the toughest game of the four.
“When you’ve got force on force and you’ve got people that can create resistance and challenge you, that’s how you get better,” Venables said. “I don’t know any other way.”
Coincidentally, Willie Fritz, the man who made Tulane football relevant, just came through Norman with his Houston squad. Tulane hired Jon Sumrall, the former Troy head coach, as Fritz’s successor.
In 2021, Tulane, which finished the season 2-10, gave the Sooners a scare in Norman. Final score: 40-35 Sooners.
In Fritz’s last two seasons at Tulane, the Green Wave went 23-4.
In Sumrall’s two seasons as Troy’s head coach, the Trojans went 23-4.
Sumrall’s upward trajectory as a coach matched the arc Tulane had taken under Fritz.
The Green Wave lost several key offensive players, including starting quarterback Michael Pratt, but Tulane is still among the strongest teams from the Group of Five ranks.
In ESPN’s SP+ rankings via Bill Connelly, Tulane ranks 60th — behind Purdue and BYU and ahead of UNLV and Arizona State. Houston ranks 91st. Temple, OU’s Week 1 opponent, is 134th — dead last among FBS teams.
Tulane, in a game it hosted, outgained Kansas State last Saturday 491-396. Redshirt freshman quarterback Darian Mensah completed 65.5% of his passes for 342 yards. He threw two touchdowns and one interception.
Running back Makhi Hughes rushed for 128 yards on 6.1 yards per carry.
Mario Williams, the former Sooner who transferred from OU, to USC, to Tulane, leads the Green Wave with 10 catches for 252 yards. He ranks ninth nationally in receiving yards.
“The biggest thing for him as we move into this game is don’t worry about the, ‘Hey, I’m going back to Oklahoma piece,’” Sumrall said. “That doesn’t have any impact on you playing well.”
Tulane’s offense vs. OU’s defense will be strength on strength.
On the other side of the ball, we’ll see if OU’s offense can, you know, do something.
The Sooners have plenty to sort out before Tennessee comes to town. Chief among them, beating Tulane.
Don’t call it a trap game.
