Week 3 scouting report: Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Oklahoma moved to 2-0 after taking down SMU, 28-11, on Saturday night. Brent Venables' squad didn't put up nearly as many points as they'd hoped, but the Sooners also held the Mustangs to their lowest point total since 2017.

Meanwhile, Tulsa is coming off a road trip to No. 8 Washington, where they lost, 43-10.

Here's a deeper look at what the Sooners will find in Chapman Stadium when they head to Tulsa to take on the Golden Hurricane.

Date: Saturday, Sept. 16, 2:30 p.m. CT

TV: ESPN2

Radio: 107.7 FM

Record: 1-1

Last Week: Washington 43, Tulsa 10

Head coach: Kevin Wilson (first season)

OC: Steve Spurrier Jr. (first season)

Offensive Scheme: Spread

DC: Chris Polizzi (first season)

Defensive scheme: 3-4

Key Players

• Offense: QB Cardell Williams, RB Jordan Ford

• Defense: DL Ben Kopenski, S Kendarin Ray

OFFENSE

• The Mind: One of the best minds in offensive football history has taken over the reins as the head coach at TU, and that has to count for something. Wilson was around to help build the offensive empires that Oklahoma and Ohio State have become over the past two decades.

• Rushing Offense: Through two weeks of football, it appears that the Golden Hurricane might have a propensity for running the football. Averaging 214.0 yards on the ground per game, and even with a 168-yard performance against Washington, they've proven they're capable of doing it against good defenses.

DEFENSE

• Rushing Defense: Tulsa's defense is allowing 105.5 yards on the ground per game through two games. That means something's got to give with the Sooners averaging 204.0 rushing yards per game.

• Experienced Secondary: Tulsa's top-four defensive backs are two graduate students (Kendarin Ray, Kanion Williams), one senior (Tyree Carlisle), and a redshirt senior (Jaise Oliver). That means they've seen a lot of football, and that will come in handy when facing offenses like Oklahoma.

OFFENSE

• Uncertainty at QB: Braylon Braxton has been out since the season opener, while Cardale Williams and Roman Fuller split action last week against Washington. If Braxton is able to play, expect him to be the starter against the Sooners. However, that's not a certainty, and we likely won't know until just before the game.

DEFENSE

• Passing Defense: Against Washington, the Golden Hurricane surrendered 454 yards, 11.4 yards per reception, and allowed an 80% completion rate. The way that Dillon Gabriel has been playing, Oklahoma should be able to capitalize on that.

• Run the Ball: It might seem counterintuitive to say this after saying that Tulsa's rushing defense was a strength and their passing defense, but with what the Sooners have coming up on their schedule, it is paramount that they find success running the football before taking on better defensive lines like Cincinnati, Iowa State, and Texas.

• Continue Developing Depth: Oklahoma will enter this game somewhere around a four-touchdown favorite, and that means that if things go according to plan, the Sooners should be able to play several players in its three-deep that it might not be able to going forward. With Big 12 play starting next week, OU needs to get as much coachable film on their younger contributors as possible.