Tulane Vs Oklahoma Week 3 Preview

Patrick Harkness • September 10, 2024

Tulane Green Wave Vs Oklahoma Sooners Preview

Tulane to Face 15th-Ranked Oklahoma in Norman
By Patrick Harkness

Spread: -13.5

Total: 50.5

Tulane travels to Norman this week to take on the 15th-ranked Sooners after a controversial 34-27 loss to Kansas State. Meanwhile, the Sooners barely escaped with a 16-12 win over former Tulane head coach Willie Fritz and the Houston Cougars. Let’s dive into how this Tulane team might pull off a victory against an Oklahoma squad still trying to find its identity. Can Mensah handle his first big road test, and will Tulane's defense rise to the challenge?

Offense

Quarterback – Mensah’s First Road Challenge

Darian Mensah has looked impressive in his first two collegiate starts, throwing for 547 yards with a 70.7% completion rate, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. You really can't ask for much more from a redshirt freshman Quarterback. Mensah and the Tulane offense will be up against a new defensive coordinator tandem at Oklahoma, with Jay Valai and former Clemson aide Zac Alley. Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables, a defensive mastermind, will likely throw multiple formations and stunts at the young QB and Tulane's offensive line, aiming to confuse them.

Mensah needs to keep an eye on Oklahoma’s free safety Billy Bowman, who had six interceptions last year, including three pick-sixes. Though Oklahoma's defense has struggled over the past few seasons, they appear to be improving. However, they're still working out the kinks, and Tulane might be able to capitalize. Look for this passing attack to challenge Oklahoma's experienced but inconsistent corner back room.

Ty Thompson was irrelevant in the last matchup. Still think Tulane may have some fun packages up their sleeves especially against this Oklahoma Defense. I'm still hoping for Ty to get more involved especially in the redzone with RPOs and Play action rollouts and just let the kid use his athleticism.

Running Back – Makhi Hughes Must Cook

Makhi Hughes is coming off a fantastic performance, rushing for over 120 yards and a touchdown. He’ll be a key factor in this matchup. Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman, a 6'4" senior and likely NFL draft pick, had 15 tackles against Houston and will look to shut down Tulane's run game. If Tulane struggles on the ground, Shadie Clayton could step in to assist in the passing attack, especially after his impressive work in kickoff returns. Arnold Barnes will need to bounce back from his early fumble last week if he wants to see more action.

Receiving Game – The Fantastic Four

Tulane’s “Fantastic Four” receiving core—Mario Williams, Dontae Fleming, Yulkeith Brown, and Alex Bauman—could play a pivotal role. Oklahoma’s corners, led by Woodi Washington and Gentry Williams, along with impact transfer Dez Malone from San Diego State, have talent but can be inconsistent at times. Mario Williams is coming off another 100-yard game but still hasn’t found the end zone. Fleming rebounded nicely last week with 92 yards receiving, and if Oklahoma's defense focuses too much on Williams and Fleming, Brown might be poised for a big game with his speed and playmaking ability. Bauman, meanwhile, has become a reliable target for Mensah, notching two touchdowns last week and three on the season. We can expect this Tulane offense to spread it out and challenge the Oklahoma secondary and capitalize in the redzone with Bauman.

Offensive Line – Clean It Up

Penalties, penalties, penalties. They’re drive-killers. Tulane’s experienced offensive line must clean up the false starts and holding calls if they want to stand a chance on the road. Oklahoma’s defensive front features some heavy hitters in defensive end Ethan Downs (Second Team All-Big 12), Tennessee transfer Da’Jon Terry, and 5-star recruit David Stone. These players will look to disrupt Tulane's offense with multiple formations, stunts and disguised linebacker blitzes, but if the O-line can maintain discipline and read the defense, they have the talent to get the job done.

X-Factor: Offensive Line

Offensive Review – Efficiency is Key

Tulane's offense can move the ball effectively and quickly if they avoid penalties. A well-balanced attack early in the game, finding their vulnerabilities and exploiting them will be key, run game or passing game.

Defense

Defensive Line – Time to Shine

Tulane’s defensive line hasn’t lived up to expectations YET. Initially considered a team strength, both the pass rush and run stopping have been subpar. However, this week's matchup presents a golden opportunity. Oklahoma does not return a single starting player on the offensive line and Oklahoma’s offense is in transition with a new offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, and quarterback. The Sophomore QB Jackson Arnold is more of a pocket passer, but he has mobility when needed, rushing for 62 yards on 22 carries. If Tulane’s front can pressure Arnold, they might force him into costly mistakes. On the season Arnold is still trying to get his feet underneath him with 315 yards passing (63.2% comp rate) but has a respectable 6 passing touchdowns. This Boomer Sooner offense seems to have a running back by committee and is a bit unsettled, with Gavin Sawchuk (RB1), Taylor Tatum (former top running back recruit), and Javonte Barnes all likely to see carries. Stopping them will be crucial.

Linebackers

Tyler Grubbs, second on the team with nine tackles, will need another strong showing. Sam Howard and Dickson Agu are rotating based on game down/type situations. The Sooners' offense is well-balanced, 61 pass attempts and 65 rush attempts, meaning Tulane’s linebackers will be tested, especially by Oklahoma’s tight ends, Bauer Sharp and Jake Roberts, who have combined for 12 catches. Chris Rodgers might also see more snaps, given Oklahoma’s tendency to pass more than Kansas State.

Secondary – Injuries Loom Large

Micah Robinson and Jonathan Edwards both went down with injuries last week. While Edwards is expected to return, Robinson’s status is unclear. Rayshawn Pleasant, who started last game, seems to be gaining confidence and locking down the cornerback one position. This Tulane coaching staff still seems to be trying to figure things out on the back end with Jack Tch and Kevin Adams getting a lot of playing time last game. Look for Jalen Geiger and Bailey Despaine to get the starts at the safety positions. Oklahoma has four receivers who could all be threats. Nic Anderson (that'll be weird to hear), Deion Burkes (transfer from Purdue), and Brennan Thompson all averaged over 20 yards a catch last season. Deion Burkes is "THE GUY" in the offense and leads the team in receptions (15). Burkes is a speedster and has already caught 3 touchdowns which also leads the team. Jalil Farooq is another wideout to keep an eye on, an injury had him out last game. He has big play ability with one catch for 47 yards in week 1. Tulane’s secondary will need to step up, especially if Robinson is out. It'll be their first true test.

X-Factor: Pass Rush/Secondary

Defensive Review – Get After the QB

Getting pressure on QB Jackson Arnold will be critical. If Tulane’s defense can disrupt Oklahoma’s rhythm, especially in the passing game, they have a chance to control the game. Improved tackling will also be key after last week's struggles.

Special Teams

Kicker/Punter

Jacob Barnes has been perfect this season, going 3-for-3 on field goals with a long of 41, and has made all 10 extra points.

Will Karrol had a solid game last week, flipping field position effectively, and Tulane will need more of the same against Oklahoma.

Stay Tuned for Tulane vs Oklahoma Review later

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LSU Salvages Game 3 Over Vanderbilt

By David Billiot Jr • March 16, 2026

Sunday Afternoon Recap There aren’t any must-win games this early in the season, but Sunday felt like a must-bounce-back game for LSU. Following the emotional roller coaster that was game 1 on Friday night, the Tigers got steamrolled in game 2 on Saturday. Jay Johnson did not get the response he was hoping for from his team after their heart was ripped out by Logan Johnstone when he hit a 2 out, 2 run walk off homerun two nights ago. Today, the response was great, especially early. The first four LSU hitters reached base to start the game, leading to a 4 run 1st inning. After adding two more in the 2nd, the Tigers were rolling with a 6-0 lead. That lead evaporated, though, and those bad feelings that this team may be in trouble started creeping back in. To their credit, LSU refused to lay down this time. They went blow for blow with Vanderbilt, but back to back 5 run innings in the 7th and 8th innings helped salvage the final game of SEC opening weekend and the Tigers improved to 14-7 with a 1-2 start in the SEC. Pitching For the second straight week, William Schmidt’s line doesn’t do his performance justice. Vanderbilt made him work inning after inning and it eventually led to his early exit. The start got off to a great start, though, pitching around a double to record three groundouts with only 7 pitches. In the 2nd, he allowed a leadoff homerun, but recorded a couple of outs before stranding a 2 out walk. The 3rd was where Schmidt had to battle the most. He hit the first batter and then allowed a 3-2 walk after Johnstone fouled off pitch after pitch to stay alive. That approach by Commodore hitters is what stretched Schmidt’s pitch count. With runners then on 1st and 2nd and no one out, he struck out the next three to slam the door on the threat. Vanderbilt went down in order for the first time in the 4th, but finally found a way to get Schmidt out of the game the very next inning. Another leadoff homerun brought the game slightly closer at 6-2 and that was the beginning of the end. After starting his final hitter 2-0 with a couple of high fastballs, Cade Arrambide called time to go to the mound and check with his pitcher. Jay Johnson and Head Athletic Trainer Isaac Trujillo also came out to talk to Schmidt, then left him in to finish the at bat. Once back in the dugout, the broadcast showed him a few times and he seemed to doing just fine without a trainer in sight. After the game, Koki Riley reported that Jay confirmed everything is ok. He said Schmidt had some slight back tightness that he was trying to fight though and could have continued to, if needed, but it wasn’t worth it. Final line: 4.0 IP / 3 hits / 3 runs / 6 Ks / 3 BBs / 1 HBP / 84 pitches (51 strikes, 61%) Mavrick Rizy was first out of the bullpen and it turned in to his worst outing of the year. Upon entering with a runner on 2nd and no outs, Rizy gave up back to back RBI doubles. Both doubles came off of decently executed pitches, but were just more examples of the good hitting Vanderbilt displays. Back to back strikeouts would get Rizy close to escaping the inning, but a 2 out double off of the left field wall would chase him from the game and LSU’s lead was down to 6-5. Final line: .2 IP / 3 hits / 2 runs / 2 Ks / 0 BB Santiago Garcia was tasked with shutting down the Commodores 4 run 5th inning. He walked the first guy he faced, but froze Korbin Reynolds to end the frame. Tommy Goodin led off the 6th with his second homerun, Vanderbilt’s third lead off blast of the game and the LSU lead had vanished. Garcia then went strikeout, double, strikeout, and that would be the end of his SEC debut. Final line: 1.0 IP / 2 hits / 1 run / 3 Ks / 1 BB Deven Sheerin entered with the go-ahead run on 2nd, but was able to induce a pop out to John Pearson in foul territory to let his offense get back to work. They did just that, exploding for 5 runs and giving Sheerin a comfortable lead to back out with in the 7th. He struck out the first hitter, then a slow chopper got past Steven Milam for an infield hit. A tailor-made double play ball was then hit right to defensive replacement Jack Ruckert at second base, but he booted it and failed to record a single out. As they did all weekend, Vanderbilt made LSU pay. A 3 run Mack Whitcomb homerun got the Commodores right back in to it. A strikeout and a walk would bring the tying run to the plate, when Jake Brown made a diving catch on a blooper in shallow right field. It was originally called a no-catch, but was challenged and correctly ruled the third out. Sheerin would cruise from that point, returning in the 8th to retired 4-5-6 in the Vanderbilt lineup after a Pearson error to leadoff the inning. Final line: 2.1 IP / 2 hits / 3 runs / 4 Ks / 1 BB Cooper Williams entered to record the final 3 outs with LSU up 16-9 and it went just about as well as it could’ve for the lefty. He’s had a very disappointing start to his sophomore season, but hopefully this outing could be the spark that he needs going forward. He retired Vanderbilt 3 up, 3 down and struck out the final two. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 2 Ks / 0 BB Hitting With the offense back in a big way, there should be no surprise that Jake Brown was in the middle of all of it. He is a legitimate Golden Spikes candidate right now. Brown hit his 11th homerun of the year, which was his 2nd of the weekend. Both of them were 3-run bombs. This one came after Milam had just driven in the go-ahead run to steal back the momentum after the Tigers choked a 6-0 lead. The big swing from Brown went off of the batter’s eye, re-extending the lead to 4 runs. He finished 2-4 with 6 RBI and scored twice. Cade Arrambide quietly had a good weekend, hitting .384. On Sunday, he went 2-5 with a double, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Despite a few mishaps, his defense behind the plate slightly improved over the weekend. The much-welcomed return of Chris Stanfield kept rolling on Sunday as the senior leftfielder provided another multi-hit game. He finished 2-4, while also drawing a walk. One of his hits was a single off of the big wall in left field, that very well may have been a homerun in other parks. Stanfield also drove in a run and scored twice. Steven Milam’s 1-4 line may not seem massive, but it was his one hit that retook the lead for LSU after their collapse halfway through the game. He also walked, while scoring 3 runs, despite only recording the one hit. Derek Curiel also only went 1-4, but his one hit was a triple where he got to show off his speed. The ball went to left-center and Vanderbilt still didn’t come close to keeping him from getting to third base. Curiel also drew a walk and scored 3 runs of his own. John Pearson got the start at third base and made the most of it. Despite one throwing error in the 8th inning, he played a great all-around game. Even the error wasn’t a big deal, as it came with him shifted way out of position. He finished 0-1, but Pearson drew 3 walks and was also hit by a pitch. Those four times on base led to 3 runs scored. I would be surprised if Pearson is not back in the starting lineup once again on Tuesday. Although Seth Dardar finished hitless with an 0-3 stat line, he deserves to be pointed out for a few good at bats. After LSU had taken a 2-0 lead in the 1st, Dardar drove home another run with a ground ball for an RBI. Later in the 7th after Curiel tripled, Arrambide was unable to get him in with 0 outs because the Commodores brought their infield in and he hit the ball hard right to the second baseman. They remained in for Dardar and after falling behind with an 0-2 count, he found a way to drive the ball deep enough to left field for the sacrifice fly and his second RBI of the game. Those little things matter, especially for a struggling team. Omar Serna had a good day in his first SEC start on Saturday when catching Cooper Moore, so Jay rewarded him with a start in the DH spot. In the 1st, he hit a laser in to left field where Mancini made a crazy leaping catch. That brought in the 4th run of the inning with a sacrifice fly, but the ball was drilled. Serna finished 1-4 with an RBI single that drove in the final run of the game, as well. Up Next LSU will return home where they will remain for an eight game homestand. That will start on Tuesday as they welcome Grambling for a 6:30 pm central first pitch. The Tigers come in with a 5-13 record, following a 2-1 series win at Alabama St. Pitchers to watch for potential work for LSU include Dax Dathe, Grant Fontenot, Danny Lachenmayer, Connor Benge, and DJ Primeaux.

Vanderbilt - 11, LSU - 3

By David Billiot Jr • March 15, 2026

The big question following LSU’s heartbreaking loss on Friday night was how they would respond. Game 1 was a rollercoaster of emotions, starting with the Tigers scoring first, giving up the lead, Jake Brown crushing a homerun to retake the lead, then the pitching staff collapsing to fall behind 10-4, followed by 8 unanswered runs by LSU, only to be walked off in the 9th inning while being just an out of securing the dramatic comeback victory. Having that happen will test a team mentally under normal circumstances, but considering the timing, it was an even bigger challenge. It happened on the road, in the first game of SEC play, and on the heels of a pretty bad multi-week stretch for the Tigers. LSU was going to need a quick start on Saturday night to regain momentum, but Vanderbilt beat them to it by scoring first while Wyatt Nadeau carved up Jay Johnson’s lineup the first time through the order. The Tigers answered back to tie the game, but as Cooper Moore battled through the early innings, he was also playing with fire. He finally got burned in the 5th inning and things went downhill in a hurry for LSU. Before you knew it, they were down 10-1 and, again, in deep trouble. What was most concerning was Saturday’s results seemed to indicate that what we watched transpire on Friday had more to do with the Commodores choking, rather than the Tigers storming back on their own merit. LSU would go down quietly this time, dropping their first series of conference play. Pitching Cooper Moore entered Saturday coming off of his worst start of the season thus far. It wasn’t bad last week, but it was a far cry from his first three. He looked good early against Vanderbilt, breezing 1-2-3 through the 1st inning. Despite getting in to early trouble in the 2nd, Moore battled out of a 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs situation by only allowing 1 run. That was a massive win in the moment. The leadoff hitter got on base in the 3rd, but, again, he fought through it and didn’t allow the baserunner past 2nd base. We saw more of the same in the 4th, as the inning started with an infield hit, a single, then the chopper that bounced high over Zach Yorke’s head and rolled down the 1st baseline to give Vanderbilt a 2-1 and, once again, put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs. Moore struck out Ryker Waite, who came in to the series with a .560 on base percentage. Then, thanks to the magician that LSU has playing shortstop, a double play ended yet another big threat. Korbin Reynolds hit a laser right at Steven Milam, who was playing on the grass with the infield in. The ball go on to Milam so quickly, he had to fall backwards to catch it, but his impeccable reaction time somehow allowed him to snag the ball, fall to his butt, and toss it Trent Caraway at 3rd base. Unfortunately for Moore, the trouble would catch up to him in the 5th, though. A four pitch walk to the Commodores 9-hole hitter was the omen of bad things to come, as that was followed with a perfect sacrifice bunt attempt that no one fielded as they hoped it would roll foul, and then another single loaded the bases with 0 outs and Moore’s night was over. The first inning was the only inning that he was able to pitch from the windup, as the leadoff hitter was on base for the next four innings. Despite the talent of starting pitchers, that will forever be tough to overcome, especially against good teams. Final line: 4.0 IP / 7 hits / 5 runs / 4 Ks / 2 BBs / 79 pitches (48 strikes, 61%) Ethan Plog entered in an impossible situation and promptly got he ball he was hoping for. A high chopper ground ball made Yorke leave his feet, but he snagged it and fired home for the force out attempt. Unfortunately, the throw was poor and Omar Serna was unable to go down and get it, scoring a run and the bases remained loaded with no outs. Plog would then walk a hitter and give up a sacrifice fly, pushing Vanderbilt’s lead to 5-1. Chris Maldonado then stepped to the plate to pinch hit and blasted a 3 run homerun over Derek Curiel’s leaping attempt in dead center and the Commodores had blowing things open with 6 run 5th inning. Plog has been fantastic, but that’s where his first SEC appearance would come to an end. Final line: .1 IP / 1 hit / 3 runs / 0 K / 2 BBs Freshman Zion Theophilus was called upon to try and finish off the disaster of an inning for LSU pitching and he did just that, recording a strikeout and a flyout to end the 5th. Back for the 6th, he recorded the leadoff hitter for the first time since the 1st inning, but was unable to record another out after that. He then issued 3 walks (1 intentional) and a hit by pitch and his day was done. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 2 runs / 1 K / 3 BBs From one high promise freshman pitcher to another, Reagan Ricken entered with the bases loaded and 1 out. He did exactly what Jay Johnon called upon him to do, drawing a ground ball to record an out and striking out Waite looking to keep the damage from getting worse. Even though a run scored on the groundout, LSU pitchers have struggled to simply record outs in some of these tough spots, which allows things to get worse and worse, much like we saw in the 5th. Ricken returned for the 7th and despite allowing a solo homerun and 2 two out walks, was able to navigate through the entire inning and get out of trouble. Ricken continues to flash plenty of traits to very excited about as he grows as a Tiger. Final line: 1.2 IP / 1 hit / 1 run / 2 Ks / 2 BBs With LSU down 11-3 and the tensity of the moment being low, Jay Johnson inserted Marcos Paz for the 8th inning in a great spot to get his feet wet. As he continues to come back from Tommy John surgery, he’s flashed his talent that made him a possible draft risk, while also battling through rust. In his first SEC appearance, he looked fantastic. Despite a walk, Paz struck out the side, including Maldonado that hit the big homerun earlier. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 3 Ks / 1 BB Hitting There isn’t a lot of offensive production to get to, so this will be quick. Steven Milam followed up his 3 hit performance on Friday with a 1-4 game, including a fantastic piece of opposite field hitting for a double. Derek Curiel, Cade Arrambide, and Omar Serna each had a single hit, to give you the 4 total LSU hits. Arrambide’s was a double and Serna’s was a 2 run single that brought his RBI total for the week up to 6. Jake Brown entered the game with only 9 strikeouts so far this season, but Nadeau’s stuff was so good, he was able to get LSU’s offensive MVP twice. Brown did draw 2 walks, finishing the night 0-2. Up Next LSU and Vanderbilt will wrap up SEC opening weekend tomorrow. First pitch will be at 3 pm central. William Schmidt will take the mound for the Tigers as they look to avoid being swept on SEC opening weekend for the first time since 2006 when Arkansas took three in Alex Box during Smoke Laval’s final season. The Tigers have fallen to 13-7, which matches Vanderbilt’s record after back to back wins to start the series. The Commodores will send Nate Taylor to the mound on Sunday, who has started all four Sundays for them this season. Taylor has a record of 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA. His batting average against is the highest of any of the top Vanderbilt pitchers that LSU has seen so far at .242. Taylor has given up 12 runs in 18.1 innings of work, so the opportunities for the Tiger offense to get back on track could be there.