Oklahoma's Chances Against Florida Likely Rely on Defense, Special Teams

Oklahoma makes it first-ever trip to The Swamp to take on Florida on Saturday.

The Sooners, with JasonWittenmaking his debut as interim offensive coordinator in the wake of Ben Arbuckle's firing, take on the 24th-ranked Gators at 6:45 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

This one figures to be about the most unpredictable game of the season for Oklahoma, as Witten's immediate influence on the offense -and who will play quarterback -remains to be seen.

Last week was another rough one for the bold predictions. John Mateer threw for 244 yards, falling short of 300 though it took a frantic fourth quarter to get there. The Sooners forced three turnovers but only one fumble -and they didn't recover that one. Oklahoma also didn't score a rushing touchdown and remain with just three rushing touchdowns this season.

Here are three bold predictions for the matchup with the Gators:

John Mateer Isn't the Only Quarter who Plays for Sooners

It won't be a surprise that John Mateer would start for Oklahoma against Florida.

But Brent Venables' steadfast support of Mateer wasn't quite as absolute this week when Venables said "everything is on the table" when asked about the quarterback spot.

Arbuckle appeared to be the driving force behind the insistence that Mateer remain the starter even through his numerous struggles throughout the season.

Last week was actually one of Mateer's better games in passing numbers -244 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers. But it was that performance that also highlighted Mateer's shortcomings, as it took a massive fourth quarter against South Carolina backups to gain those numbers and even without turnovers, Mateer couldn't make plays until the game was well in hand for the Gamecocks.

So with Arbuckle out, the Sooners will give either Whitt Newbauer, Bowe Bentley or both a chance to show what they can do.

An Oklahoma Defender Registers Three Sacks

The Sooners figure to have plenty of opportunity to get after Florida quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., who is making his second start of the season.

The Gators' offensive line has been almost as much of a mess as Oklahoma's this season.

The Sooners' defensive front -David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Taylor Wein, etc. -should be able to wreak havoc on Jones.

Oklahoma had just one sack last week against South Carolina but that figures to change in a big way against Florida.

Only two players -Adepoju Adebawore and Jake Kreul -have three sacks total for the season. The Sooners change that against Florida.

The Sooners Score a Special Teams Touchdown

The Sooners needed to make a big special teams play earlier this season when they knocked off top-ranked Texas.

The situation is obviously much different here but Oklahoma will need to help its offense by turning the tide on special teams against the Gators.

Whether it's another big-time play design by special teams coordinator Doug Deakin or a return by Isaiah Sategna, Oklahoma finds the end zone with a special teams touchdown.

Sign up to our free newsletterand follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Today's best reads

• Report Card: Oklahoma Struggles All Around in Blowout Loss to South Carolina
• Turnovers and Touchdowns Key Oklahoma's Chances Against South Carolina
• Oklahoma's Offensive Staff Coming Together Through Early Struggles
• Brent Venables: Parity Isn't Going Anywhere in College Football
• Oklahoma's Strength Becomes a Weakness in Loss to South Carolina

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahoma as Oklahoma's Chances Against Florida Likely Rely on Defense, Special Teams.