Oklahoma Sooners offense lacks rhythm, confidence
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The Oklahoma Sooners are coming off another disappointing offensive performance to start the 2026 college football season. The Sooners defeated the New Mexico Lobos 14-6, totaling just 299 yards of total offense.
Quarterback John Mateer completed 18-of-25 passes for 238 yards and two scores, but he also threw two interceptions. The run game was stifled as the Lobos stacked the box, forcing Oklahoma to beat them through the air. They held the Sooners to just 61 yards on 32 carries.
These last two offensive performances are a far cry from the Week 1 dominance over the University of Texas at El Paso Miners. The Sooners scored 51 points in that game and totaled 401 yards of total offense, including 170 yards on the ground. Head coach Brent Venables reveals what has changed since that dominant opener.
"If you're playing at a high level, you have confidence, right?" Venables said. "You get into a rhythm. That's a very real thing. So, you come out of the first game with confidence. And then you go play against much stiffer competition in front of 111-thousand people, and you miss opportunities that are there. It can start to creep into your confidence and certainly your rhythm… then you start pressing."
The New Mexico game showed some of the same symptoms. Oklahoma turned the ball over three times, struggled to run the football and repeatedly failed to put the Lobos away despite controlling the game defensively. The Sooners ultimately won because their defense held New Mexico to 185 yards and six points.
Oklahoma has little time to figure out its offensive struggles. SEC play is here, and the first two games are against the top two teams in college football. The Sooners either figure it out now, or it could be another long season in Norman.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners offense lacks rhythm, confidence
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