What Slip-Ups Could Await the Sooners?

With the season less than a month away it’s time to look into my crystal ball and try to see what the Sooners are looking like in 2023. Who will be the breakout stars? Who will Oklahoma have to avoid tripping up against? The Sooners are one of the most interesting teams in the country for 2023 and it’s time to see what could be on the horizon. And as such it’s time for the Fearless 20, where I make 20 picks for the upcoming season.

20. Another Lopsided Bedlam Win is Coming

Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Texas A&M have all seen its rosters raided by the transfer portal to start the 2023 offseason. (Chris Coduto / Stringer PhotoG/Getty)

Breakdown: If I’m being honest this wouldn’t have been on my list until a few weeks ago. I’ve not been high on the Cowboys chances in 2023 for a while but I was under the impression that was consensus. A reality that would make this about as ‘common’ a pick as it could be. However, there are people who are buying ‘this is the sneaky Mike Gundy kind of team’. Hey, maybe I’ll be wrong but I just don’t see Oklahoma State sticking with the Sooners in the last Bedlam matchup in the foreseeable future.

19. Oklahoma’s Tight Ends Won’t Combine for 30 Catches

Brian Bahr / Contributor PhotoG/Getty

Breakdown: For the first time since 2015 Oklahoma’s tight end room won’t combine for 30 total catches. To put that in perspective? The group that year that came up short was a redshirt freshman Mark Andrews along with Lee Morris, Connor Knight and Sam Grant. I’m not sure there’s a future Mackey award winner in the group in 2023 but there are certainly plenty of question marks in a group that has some real injury history, and outside of Austin Stogner, a lot of unknowns.

18. P.J. Adebawore Gets at Least Six Sacks

Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Adepoju Adebawore speaks to media during a press conference in Norman, Okla., Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. OU Sooners Football

Breakdown: This may not seem that fearless but tracking back to 2005, the farthest record we could track, the Sooners haven’t had a freshman hit this number. In fact for all of Oklahoma’s successes, there haven’t always been huge sack numbers. But with the way that Brent Venables can create pressure, particularly with a weapon like Adebawore, I just see a big year. It’s the kind of year that could set him up for some real stardom nationally in 2024.

17. Dillon Gabriel Does Not Make 1st or 2nd Team All Big-12

Icon Sportswire / Contributor PhotoG/Getty

Breakdown: Gabriel was left off several preseason first team lists and a lot of people seem shocked by it. I thought Gabriel came on toward the end of the year but much was made of his Cheez-It Bowl performance, where he failed to complete 60-percent of his passes. The Sooners quarterback should be as motivated as he could be as 2023 is almost certainly his final go around in Norman. However, he is a guy who can help Oklahoma but huge numbers could be tough in an offense that may lean heavily on a talented ground game.

16. Danny Stutsman Leads College Football in Tackles

Danny Stutsman – Photo by: Josh McCuistion – SoonerScoop/On3

Breakdown: Everyone knows that Stutsman led the Big 12 in tackles in 2022 and even so was left off numerous All-Big 12 lists for 2023. The Sooners WILL linebacker under Venables has considerable history, including a pair of Butkus winners. Stutsman needs to go a long way before he’s ready to be mentioned with the likes of Teddy Lehman and Rocky Calmus but that said his productivity could be exceptional.

15. Look for Oklahoma to Drop one of Kansas or BYU

(Winters/Icon Sportswire)

Breakdown: Look, we know I pick one of these every year and until last year my picks had seemed fairly prescient. But when you’re losing a mess of games, these type of slips don’t seem nearly so ‘fearless’. That said, it’s safe to say I’m expecting more out of the Sooners in 2023 and these two games, on paper, should be wins. But if it’s possible to forget what Jalon Daniels did for the Jayhawks last year, I think many have. He was one of the most dynamic weapons in the conference and, arguably, the sport. Look out for a game falling just before the final Bedlam game for the foreseeable future.

With the Cougars, the Sooners also get in a bit of a scheduling pickle. A Saturday night in Provo less than a week before what is sure to be a roster-wide anticipated rematch with TCU? On paper, I like Oklahoma by some distance but that feels like a trap for BYU to spring.

14. Billy Bowman makes third team All-American

Oklahoma defensive back Billy Bowman celebrates an interception with teammates during a game against rival Oklahoma State on Nov. 19, 2022. (Sarah Phipps / USA TODAY Sports)

Breakdown: If I was to weigh in on the predictions I’m most convinced about? It might be this one. I feel like Bowman will almost certainly put together a big season. Add that to the reality that so many are going to be watching Oklahoma’s defense to see if Brent Venables can fix things and you get the spotlight to garner this kind of attention. But forget all the ways that help Bowman, his play is criminally under appreciated. If he can stay healthy, this is one of the safer bets on the list.

13. Sooners Start the Season 5-0

Bryan Terry | The Oklahoman | USA TODAY NETWORK

Breakdown: A year ago this sort of prediction wouldn’t have felt fearless at all. But with Oklahoma facing a few decent tests in it’s first five games, maybe there’s some risk in here. SMU and Cincinnati figure to be good litmus tests for the Sooners. Keep an eye on how they handle those two games. If Oklahoma is in a dogfight, there’s a chance for more of the same from 2022. If they can go in and look like the more talented team that they are, perhaps there’s a chance to prove last year was a blip.

12. Baker’s Dozen of Sooners Avoid Redshirting

Oklahoma’s Peyton Bowen (22) was one of the highest ranked defensive backs in the 2023 recruiting class. (NATHAN J. FISH-THE OKLAHOMAN – USA TODAY NETWORK)

Breakdown: OK, too young to get this numeric reference? How about 13 Sooners freshman playing enough to keep moving forward with their eligibility. There are some who are very obvious, Jackson Arnold (more below), Kalib Hicks, Peyton Bowen, P.J. Adebawore, Jaquaize Pettaway, Jasiah Wagoner, and Cayden Green among them. A couple that have given plenty of reason to believe that with Oklahoma playing good football they could see the field plenty in 2023 – Lewis Carter and Jacobe Johnson. Finally, Makari Vickers, Kade McIntyre, Heath Ozaeta, and Ashton Sanders. The latter four have all shown real potential but seem to be stuck behind some depth along with the reality of a few still being in the developmental stage of their games.

11. Jackson Arnold Starts at Least One Game

Nathan J. Fish/The Oklahoman via USA Today Sports

Breakdown: If I’m being honest, I’m not entirely sure I know how this will play out. Could it be an injury to Dillon Gabriel? Could it be Arnold just coming on and ready to be the player we all think he can be? I’m not quite sure but if I’m being honest there’s a part of me that thinks it’ll be more than two. Arnold is a special talent that has impressed everyone. And the more Sooners can get him on the field to be ready for 2024, it’s hard to see it as a bad thing.

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