This Oklahoma offense? It has been a tough watch for much of this season, seriously. They are basically at the bottom of the barrel in most statistical categories, but the real kicker, the one that is absolutely killing them, is what happens when they get close to the goal line. We are talking red zone issues, like, historically bad. This is not just a minor tweak needed, folks. Oklahoma’s red zone offense is flat out No. 120 in college football.
The Red Zone Nightmare Is Real
Think about that for a second: 120th! When you get into enemy territory, you have to punch it in. But these guys? Out of 17 red zone possessions this season, they have only gotten into the end zone for six touchdowns. Six! And they have had to settle for seven field goals. Seven! That is not winning football, especially when you are talking about the kind of competition they face. This has been a major problem the last couple of weeks, not just a one-off.
Two Weeks, Too Many Missed Chances
You want proof? Look at the last couple of games. Against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, they drove into Bulldogs territory eight times. EIGHT! And what did they get? A measly two touchdowns. Two! They settled for six field goals, and get this, they even missed three attempts. THREE! Then against the Kentucky Wildcats, it was more of the same story. Five trips into Wildcat territory, and they could only manage one touchdown. They kicked two field goals and threw two interceptions, including one on a fake field goal, which, oof. That is just gut-wrenching.
Arbuckle Spells It Out: Touchdowns Or Bust
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle is not mincing words, and frankly, he should not be. He laid it bare for everyone: “Touchdowns win in this league. They do. And we have to not be okay with, okay, we move the ball down the field a little bit. Awesome. Okay, we don’t need to settle for field goals. We need to put the ball in the end zone. We had a few opportunities the other day. We didn’t execute in some of those moments. And so again, I want Tate Sandell kicking PATs, not field goals.” He is not wrong. Field goals keep you in games sometimes, but touchdowns win them.
Every possession is precious when you are facing SEC competition, and these trips inside the 20 simply have to result in six points. It is not just about offense, either. Converting those drives would take so much pressure off the defense and actually give Oklahoma a better chance to compete when games inevitably come down to just a handful of critical plays. Can they flip the switch? Upcoming games are going to show us if Arbuckle’s message sticks and translates into tangible progress on the field.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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