Oklahoma swarms Auburn in document 9-sack night time, strikes to 4-0

NORMAN, Okla. — Auburn coach Hugh Freeze referred to as Oklahoma “one of the better pass-rushing teams in the country” after the Eleventh-ranked Sooners swarmed former quarterback Jackson Arnold and rode a record-tying line of defense efficiency to a 24-17 win over the No. 22 Tigers on Saturday.

Arnold, a former five-star recruit who began 9 video games at Oklahoma in 2024, was a central storyline within the Week 4 SEC opener. The Sooners commemorated his return by sacking Arnold 9 occasions, matching the single-game faculty document in a press release efficiency that lifted them to 4-0 and handed Auburn its first lack of the season.

Sophomore Jayden Jackson (2.5 sacks) led a gaggle of seven Oklahoma defenders who accounted for at the least one sack. Edge rusher R Mason Thomas, who missed the primary half following a Week 3 concentrating on ejection, capped the show when he chased down Arnold for a security with 1:06 left within the sport, stymying Auburn on a possible go-ahead drive within the closing minutes.

“Their physicality, their ability to get off blocks and knock people back was something else today,” Sooners coach Brent Venables mentioned of his line of defense.

Arnold was welcomed again to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium with boos and pregame jeers from the Sooners’ pupil part. He completed 21-of-32 for 220 yards and a passing landing in his fourth sport with the Tigers, however he spent nearly all of sport avoiding an Oklahoma cross rush that pressured him on 46% of his dropbacks Saturday, in response to ESPN Research.

Arnold, who was sacked eight occasions on two events with the Sooners final fall, is just the sixth SEC quarterback to be sacked nine-plus occasions in a league sport since 1996 and the primary since Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott in 2015.

“He’s got amazing courage and toughness,” Venables mentioned of Arnold. “He’s going to have plenty of amazing days. He had some amazing moments today — some great moments today. He’s still just a baby. All of his best days were in front of him. … I’m just glad at the right time we made the plays on him that we needed to.”

Oklahoma spent the offseason earlier than Venables’ fourth season in cost emphasizing the significance of its line of defense following a 6-7 begin to life within the SEC final fall. On Saturday, these efforts paid off in an enormous approach.

Despite six first-half sacks, Oklahoma entered halftime knotted with Auburn at 10-10 following Arnold’s 2-yard landing throw to Cam Coleman with 1:08 remaining earlier than the break. The Tigers took their first lead of the sport with 7:08 left in regulation earlier than Sooners quarterback John Mateer restored the Oklahoma benefit with a 9-yard dashing landing 2½ minutes later, setting the stage for a closing flourish from the Sooners’ line of defense.

Leading Auburn 22-17 with 2:00 remaining, Oklahoma stuffed the Tigers on three consecutive performs to seal the win. One play after Sooners defender David Stone stuffed Arnold on a run up the center on second down, Gracen Halton notched Oklahoma’s eighth sack of the sport and Thomas adopted with an finish zone sack to set off a game-clinching security.

“The people in the stands know they’re going to pass the ball. We know they’re going to pass the ball. Our coaching staff knows they’re going to pass the ball. A mom watching on television knows they’re going to pass the ball,” Thomas mentioned of the ultimate sequence. “You have pass rushers on the field, and we know he’s going to hold the ball, in a sense, because [Arnold is] down. That’s what set up those sacks.”

Still unbeaten, Oklahoma enters its Week 5 open date boasting a line of defense that has emerged as one of many nation’s deepest and best models over the opening month of the season. After closing the win, Thomas was requested what Saturday’s efficiency mentioned about what the Sooners and their pass-rushing unit can in the end do that fall.

“There’s no ceiling,” Thomas mentioned. “That’s all it says.”