Barnes Shines In Oklahoma's Fun Break From The SEC Gauntlet: 3 Takeaways From OU's Blowout Win

The Sooners did what they were supposed to against Maine: Light up the scoreboard and dominate on defense. Here are my takeaways from the big win.

Jovantae Barnes is a Sleeping Giant 

I have been high on this kid for a long time now, just WAITING for him to break through. Last week I wrote about how he has been building momentum and it all came to fruition against Maine. He looked like a star -- fast and explosive, yet patient, waiting for his blocks to develop before shooting through the holes. The result? 18 carries for 203 yards and 3 touchdowns. His 74-yard scamper in the first quarter perfectly showcased what he is capable of when he reaches the second or third level before being touched. He looked like a well-rounded back all game. He showed he has the speed to turn the corner on a defense, the shiftiness to make a DB miss in the open field, and the toughness to put his head down and run through a tackle or at least fall forward when things get crowded. 

Brent Venables wasted no time praising Barnes after the game, saying, “I’d be remiss if I didn’t recognize and congratulate Jovantae Barnes... he has been playing really well here the back half of the season.” 

I know Maine isn’t exactly a defense that should be used as a measuring stick, but this was the first game in which the offensive line was able to create a push and open holes, allowing Barnes to do the rest. If OU is going to score an upset in the final three games of the season, it will likely be because this offense—and Barnes—can produce some explosive plays. 

This game served as a much-needed palate cleanser 

For everyone: during our Saturday morning broadcast before the game, I said 'The players need to remember how fun football is.' In a season filled with injuries, adversity, and negativity, it was nice to see the guys enjoying themselves again. Watching Jackson Arnold run to the endzone to celebrate with Barnes after a touchdown, get knocked over in the celebration, and lay spread eagle in the endzone brought a smile to my face. It is easy to forget these are college students, many of whom are barely old enough to vote. They fell in love with the game of football at a young age (and who can blame them?), and that love was back on display against Maine. 

I asked safety Robert Spears-Jennings about the morale of the team and he said, “BV always tells us winning cures everything... it was all smiles on the sidelines”. 

Jackson Arnold said, “We almost forgot what winning feels like. I thought Joe Jon Finley called a hell of a game and now we need to build on it.” 

I think it was equally as important for the fans. Is a blowout win over an FCS opponent in chilly, windy weather the most enjoyable experience? Probably not. But how refreshing was it to see Jackson Arnold escape the pocket in his own endzone, just to drop a dime to JJ Hester who looked like an Olympic sprinter taking it all the way to paydirt for a 90-yard touchdown? Points have been hard to come by this season, and big plays have been nearly nonexistent. The fans deserved a chance to see the fireworks shoot up over the jumbotron again and again, just like they did in this game.

OU Lore is alive and well 

Even in a season where making a bowl game has become a lofty task, the University of Oklahoma continues to be one of the most iconic programs in the country. I was able to talk to some of the Maine staff that made the trip- one of the graduate assistant coaches and a media member who used to play for Maine. They had the same sentiment: OU football is larger than life. The reporter pointed out to me before the game that, while this may be a boring week for Sooner fans, “it is by far the most special game the Maine players will ever get to play in. And they know it.” He added, “I can’t believe you get to come to this stadium and cover this program every Saturday.” It was a good reminder of a time when I could only dream of covering one of the winningest programs in history. What struck me even more- the assistant coach said that during game-prep all week, it was “surreal to be cutting video of Oklahoma, especially the game against Texas.” That high regard for a usually mundane task is special. My conversations with fans from the SEC teams Oklahoma has played this season haven’t been quite as awe-inspired, but they have all included a newfound respect for the Sooners and their fans. It is clear the lore hasn’t faded, but it would be nice to get back to having a product on the field that does it justice.