Before faltering in the Armed Forces Bowl

On By Littum

FORT WORTH, Texas – You can’t question OU’s effort, you don’t think anyone has. But whatever the reason, the execution and thought process in 2024 just left a lot to be desired.

There is a reason Brent Venables and team 130 was 6-6 going into the Defense Bowl. Unfortunately, it was on full display against Navy in the Defense Bowl on Friday afternoon at TCU.

After a great start, a disastrous finish. OU down 21-20 against Navy, the Sooners denied the two-point conversion with :06 left. Michael Hawkins Jr. was sacked on the two-point attempt.

Hawkins found Jake Roberts in the corner of the end zone to give OU a chance.

Hawkins leaves it all out there, not enough

It wasn’t all pretty from the quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., but he was on point. Passing, running, scrambling. You could see the confidence.

He created something special on a 56-yard touchdown pass to Zion Kearney in the first quarter. Reversing field, giving himself a chance to throw.

OU had six drops. Some of them, no other way to put it, stopped scoring drives. Period. But Hawkins kept coming.

He took some hits, lost a fumble, but he did his best to show an offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle exactly what he can do.

Hawkins threw for 247 yards and ran for 61. But it wasn’t enough. He also accounted for two touchdowns.

Allergic to success, even in a bowl game

Drops, penalties. You name it. OU had a real chance to get on the scoreboard in the first half. Up 14-0 and it could have been a lot worse. It should have been much worse.

Over the course of the game, however, the bugs kept piling up. Dropped passes from receivers that would have been potential game-changers.

Hawkins had a 56-yard touchdown run wiped out by a penalty. OU simply couldn’t get out of its own way. Even one as strong as player Luke Elzinga could not avoid it. He had an 11-yard punt in the first half that led to Navy’s first touchdown.

It’s just incredibly hard to piece it together as to why it just kept happening. The defense allowed one big play after another, including a 95-yard touchdown run by Blake Horvath that set a Navy record. Just unreal.

Next

Take a breath… or a drink. The 2024 season is over for OU. The Sooners will now look to replenish what they need in the transfer window and get ready for 2025.