Oklahoma waited 38 months from asserting its withdrawal from the Huge 12 to creating its SEC debut. Greater than three years of keen anticipation culminated in a 25-15 residence defeat that was even uglier than the ultimate rating steered.
The Sooners start their SEC membership beneath excellent circumstances: a top-10 opponent coming into Gaylord Household Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, the return of the Prodigal Son because the visiting head coach, and a prime-time televised kickoff.
Nonetheless, Oklahoma managed simply 222 complete yards — simply 36 yards on the bottom — and no touchdowns within the first 51 minutes and 45 seconds of the sport. In the meantime, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel, who led Oklahoma State to the earlier nationwide championship, watched as his Vols led 19-3 at halftime.
Tennessee was recognized for its explosive offense beneath Heupel, they usually confirmed that with Norman, particularly Nico Iamaleava to Donte Thornton Jr. Dont’e Thornton Jr.’s 66-yard landing move sparked a 19-point run.
Nevertheless it was Tennessee’s stacked protection that basically stole the present. Maybe that is a becoming welcome to the SEC, given the convention’s repute for robust protection.
Tennessee’s set on the sideline, with Huupel by his facet, evoked recollections of Oklahoma’s 2000 Bowl Championship Sequence-winning workforce. Going through a workforce coached by a former OU assistant coach who was fired in 2014, the Sooners’ incapacity to maneuver the ball solely added to the frustration of a lackluster efficiency of their SEC debut.
Tennessee’s huge win did not disappoint everybody in Oklahoma, although. Heupel, whose mom, Cindy, who died in Could, drove from Aberdeen, S.D., to Norman to look at the Sooners play when the Vols had been teaching.
“She’s wanting ahead to this sport. She has a whole lot of pals throughout the state they usually know she’s wanting ahead to it. “It is an away sport for me, however it’s a house sport for lots of my household , which may be very distinctive. ”
carolina blues
If Hubert Davis’ North Carolina Tar Heels basketball workforce confronted 2024 NCAA Match qualifier James Madison, the UNC Tar Heels basketball workforce would probably be decrease than Mack Brown’s 70 factors for the Tar Heels on Saturday.
“Awkward day. Stunning day,” Brown stated on the postgame press convention. “You shouldn’t lose to a Energy 5 workforce in North Carolina, interval.”
The Tar Heels did not simply lose due to them, particularly dropping to a workforce that was coming off a top-25 season. North Carolina allowed 611 yards, successfully launching a Heisman Trophy run for JMU quarterback Alonza Barnett III.
Barnett handed for 388 yards and scored 5 touchdowns whereas speeding for 99 yards and two extra touchdowns. Not since Dalton Knicht scored 37 factors within the Dean Dome final basketball season has a customer made such an offensive impression on Chapel Hill.
North Carolina’s weak defensive efficiency, coupled with NC State’s dismal efficiency at Clemson, made UNC soccer the middle of a disappointing Week 4.
Whereas the Wolfpack’s loss in Dying Valley wasn’t a shock — NC State entered the sport as a 17-point underdog, the ultimate 59-35 rating was a landing and a one-point margin.
Saturday marked the low level of an total disappointing begin to the season for North Carolina. The workforce began the yr ranked within the prime 25 and appeared poised to maneuver into the higher echelons of the ACC after just a few stable seasons beneath Dave Doeren.
As an alternative, NC State regressed. The 41-point loss to Tennessee in Week 2 pales compared to Saturday’s drubbing. The ultimate rating may have been a lot worse had Dabo Swinney not referred to as the sport away within the third quarter with Clemson main 52-7.
Issues obtained to the purpose the place ESPN colour commentator Greg McElroy lamented that the workforce’s “poor” snaps had been “unrecognizable” in comparison with previous groups beneath Doron.
