The pressure is on for Brent Venables and this offense to find some answers after a concerning effort last week and looking ahead to a bombshell SEC opener a week from now, as No. 15 Oklahoma welcomes Group of Five challenger Tulane in college football’s Week 3 action on Saturday.

Tulane is no slouch: despite a prominent coaching changeover this offseason, the program owns the nation’s longest active road win streak at 10 games, is 24-6 over the last two years, and nearly knocked off a ranked Kansas State team at home last Saturday.

Green Wave tailback Makhi Hughes eclipsed 100 yards rushing last week, and he pairs well with quarterback Darian Mensah, who has turned out a good showing in two games thus far.

Oklahoma pounded Temple in the opener, but played things much closer than expected against a Houston team projected to finish near the bottom of the Big 12, coming out with a 16-12 victory that had Venables suggesting his team may have deserved to lose the game.

What can we expect in the matchup? Here’s what you should watch for as Oklahoma and Tulane square off in this Week 3 college football game, with our updated prediction.

1. Green Wave on the attack. Mensah was overlooked during the preseason, but has earned the No. 1 spot with his play in two games, posting 547 yards passing with 4 touchdowns and coming off a 342-yard effort with 2 scores against K-State. 

He can force the Sooners to spread out their defense, with some solid receivers like former OU transfer Mario Williams who could have the combined effect of opening interior running lanes for Hughes, who had 1,378 yards last fall, to move the chains and extend drives.

2. Sooners’ momentum. OU’s offensive line was an area of concern coming into the season after having to replace all five starters, and the offense failed to generate consistently behind it last week.

Oklahoma totaled just 252 yards and ran for 2.8 yards per touch against a Houston rush defense that allowed almost 200 yards on the ground in its opener. Injuries have played a role on the line and at receiver, but could find angles against a Tulane front allowing almost 5 yards per carry.

3. Going deep. Tulane has defended the pass admirably in two games so far, allowing only two catches of 20-plus yards to opponents, while Oklahoma is tied for the lead nationally with eight forced takeaways and is No. 1 in college football with a plus-7 turnover margin. Both of these defenses present a legitimate challenge when the ball is in the air.

Lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Oklahoma: -13.5 (-106)
Tulane: +13.5 (-114)

OU to win: -600
Tulane to win: +430

Over 45.5 points: -118
Under 45.5 points: -104

Expect this to be a game in the fourth quarter, as the Green Wave does present a credible obstacle defending against the pass, combined with what appears to be a legit, multi-varied offensive attack.

But when it comes to being more physical on the line, the Sooners’ defensive front should hold the decisive advantage. It had 7 tackles for loss and held Houston to 1.7 yards per carry.

Maybe the Sooners won’t be that successful against some decent Tulane gainers led by Mensah and Hughes, but turning Tulane’s offense to one dimension will be the final piece in this puzzle.

College Football HQ picks …

More … Oklahoma vs. Tulane score prediction by expert football model

When: Sat., Sept. 14
Time: 2:30 p.m. Central
TV: ESPN network

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NORMAN — Oklahoma obviously has a little work to do before SEC play comes to town next week.

First up, though, is beating Tulane.

The Green Wave (1-1) has talent and depth. They nearly beat Kansas State last week in New Orleans. The same program nearly won in Norman three years ago. They were 12-2 in 2022, and 11-3 last year. 

But most of Oklahoma’s problems comes Saturday will stem from Oklahoma, not Tulane.

The No. 15-ranked Sooners are a 13 1/2-point favorite, but that spread seems sketchy after last week’s 16-12 near-debacle with Houston, in which OU was favored by 27 1/2.

Brent Venables’ squad spent the week trying to get key players healthy — namely wide receiver Nic Anderson, center Branson Hickman and right tackle Jake Taylor. If those three are able to make their return to the field when the game kicks off at 2:30 p.m., life will become a little easier for offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Aside from the obvious — getting people healthy and staying healthy for next week’s SEC opener against Tennessee — here are three keys to the game:

In two games against FCS Southeastern Louisiana and Big 12 contender Kansas State, Tulane ranks in the top 60 in the nation in total offense (32nd), rushing offense (43rd), passing offense (34th), passing efficiency (8th), scoring offense (33rd), total defense (59th), passing defense (35th), scoring defense (56th) and time of possession (46th). 

They’re also 27th nationally in third-down conversion percentage, meaning they know how to stay on the field, and they’re 35th in third down conversion defense, meaning they know how to get off the field.

For an Oklahoma offense that ranks 131st nationally in third down offense and 107th in time of possession, this could be huge.

OU may be favored by two touchdowns, but against a complete team like Tulane, the Sooners would be wise to play like they’re two-TD underdogs.

The Green Wave isn’t coming into Norman scared or intimidated or even impressed, and they’re going to try to turn this thing into an all-day fist fight.

Tulane is a decidedly triple-threat offense: Quarterback Darian Mensah ranks 26th in the nation at 273.5 passing yards per game and running back Makhi Hughes is 30th nationally at 93.5 rushing yards per game.

But the Green Wave’s best player is a former Sooner: wide receiver Mario Williams ranks ninth in the nation with 126 receiving yards per game.

Williams is a former Rivals 5-star prospect from Plant City, FL, who committed to OU over Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, USC and others.

Of course, he only played one season for the Sooners — he caught 35 passes for 380 yards and four touchdowns as a true freshman — before following Lincoln Riley to USC. He didn’t fully enjoy his two seasons in Troy, even though he caught 40-631-5 in 2022 and 29-305-2 in 2023.

Williams isn’t some scrappy Group of 5 wideout who wins with guile and guts. He’s an elite athlete, a blue blood talent with game-breaking skills. 

So far this season, Williams is averaging 25 yards per catch. Last week against K-State, he had six catches for 128 yards while Mensah passed for 342 yards and two TDs and Hughes ran for 128 yards and a touchdown.

Tulane is a lot better than Houston. If Oklahoma is going to avoid a tense fourth quarter, the Sooner defense is going to have to have its best game of the season so far, generating pressure (and maybe takeaways) from Mensah, and corralling Hughes while not letting Williams run wild.

Brent Venables proudly says Oklahoma leads the nation in field position (this website says OU ranks third, just behind Tennessee) with a net 20.6.

That could end up being the winning metric against Tulane.

The Green Wave is good at converting third downs, and they’re good at possessing the football. For OU to win Saturday, they might have to dominate field position again and make Tulane’s dangerous offense go cross country.

Using the same metrics as above, Tulane ranks 31st in net starting field position. 

Much of OU’s success comes from takeaways against Temple (especially one that started at the 6-yard line and a punt that was fumbled and returned for a touchdown), but punter Luke Elzinga and kickoff man Zach Schmit have been strong components as well.

Elzinga is averaging 43.9 yards per punt, but he’s flipped the field with three 50-yarders and has dropped six of his 12 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.

Schmit, meanwhile, has placed nine of his 13 kickoffs into the end zone, and opponents are taking over at the 23 on average after Schmit’s kickoffs.

Blazers Ice Centre, on the east side of I-35 near the I-240 interchange, is an unassuming building. Thousands pass by it every day on their morning commutes, not realizing that some of the best 16 to 20-year-old hockey players in the nation, and from around the world, are inside skating up a sweat. 

The Oklahoma Warriors of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) are the most interesting team you’ve probably never heard of. 

“There’s a lot of people that still don’t know we’re here,” Warriors coach Nate Weossner said Wednesday after a morning practice. 

Two seasons ago, the team’s inaugural year in Oklahoma City after relocating from Wichita Falls, Texas, the Warriors won the NAHL Robertson Cup. The Warriors were crowned champions of a 35-team league stretching from Anchorage to Amarillo and Shreveport, Louisiana, to Lewiston, Maine. 

At 7 p.m. Friday, the Warriors, who wear orange and black, will open season No. 3 in Oklahoma City with a game against the Amarillo Wranglers at Blazers Ice Centre. 

Oklahoma City has been a hockey desert since the Barons left town a decade ago, and the city hasn’t truly embraced hockey, been energized by it, since the CHL days. The Blazers were the biggest show in town, playing in front of raucous crowds at the Myriad. 

Oklahoma City has since joined the big leagues with the Thunder and plenty of other entertainment options, but for fans who miss the Blazers, who want to see high-level hockey, the Oklahoma Warriors are hoping to fill that void, albeit on a more intimate scale. 

“There’s beer, there’s fights, there’s everything we had with the Blazers, just a little bit younger,” said assistant coach Mick Berge, who grew up in Oklahoma City. 

The NAHL is a Tier-II junior hockey league that’s been around for 50 years. 

For the uninitiated, junior hockey isn’t what it sounds like. 

“For people that aren’t in it, it is difficult to understand,” Weossner said. “Like, what are these guys? Because you look at ‘em and you’re going, ‘They’re pretty f—–’ good.” 

More: How Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State football show found a home at Stillwater senior community

What is NAHL junior hockey?

We’re well acquainted with the path the best football players take from the preps to the pros. We know all about high school hoops, the AAU circuits, college basketball and professional leagues around the world. In baseball, some future big-leaguers turn pro after high school. Others go to college. 

Hockey is different. Junior hockey is a level without a parallel in other sports. 

“Nobody really understands what level we’re at,” Berge said. “I try to let them know how good this hockey is.” 

The USHL is the top junior hockey league in the country. The NAHL, which the Warriors play in, is one tier below. 

Think of junior hockey as a developmental level between high school and college. Most junior hockey players have graduated high school while others are still finishing up. Those still in school are likely taking their classes online. 

A lot of college hockey players enter their freshman year at 21, having spent several years in junior hockey before aging out at age 20. 

While the players are unpaid, the Warriors operate like a professional franchise. They scout players, sell sponsorships and make money off gate proceeds and concession and merchandise sales. George Chalos, a Utah-based attorney, owns the team. 

Berge, whose parents moved from North Dakota to Oklahoma, lived the junior hockey life. After two years at Putnam City High School, Berge left home at 16 to pursue hockey. 

He spent a year in Dallas and then three years in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he graduated high school and finished his junior hockey career. 

From the USHL, Berge played four years at Minnesota State University in Mankato. Hockey is in his blood. His dad played at the University of North Dakota and was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers. His brother also coaches. 

Weossner, the Warriors’ head coach and general manager, played junior hockey in Canada. Weossner, from Bemidji, Minnesota, played college hockey at Minnesota-Crookston. 

Last season, 340 NAHL players committed to play college hockey. According to the NAHL, 77% of those players were Division-I commits. 

“These guys are all capable of playing in the NCAA,” Weossner said, looking out onto the ice, where some of his players were getting in work after practice. 

And after that?

“They wanna play in the NHL,” Weossner said. 

He didn’t back down from the lofty goal. Only 45 players with NAHL ties have been selected in the last nine NHL drafts, according to the NAHL. 

“We want guys who want to play in the NHL,” Weossner said. “Now, are they all going to make the National Hockey League? No. But will some of them? Maybe. And we want guys who want that. We want guys that are intentional, that come with a compete level that is driven toward that goal.” 

Weossner pushes his guys. 

“Let’s not be casual,” he said during a lull in practice. “We’re not a casual team.” 

Weossner shares a motto with his team: “We’re gonna figure out how we’re going to do something rather than worry about why we can’t.” 

“We want people that are intentional, and we want guys that are gonna drive our game plan and drive their goal setting,” Weossner said. “And if we have those types of guys, the hockey takes care of itself.” 

More: Mussatto: Don’t call it a trap game. OU football is not good enough to overlook Tulane.

Who are the Oklahoma Warriors?

The Warriors have a 25-man roster. One player is from Oklahoma. One is from Russia. Three are Slovakian. 

The rest are from places you might guess. Like Watertown, Massachusetts, the hometown of Warriors captain Ollie Chessler.

This is Chessler’s second season with the Warriors. 

“It’s obviously a lot different being from the East Coast and moving down here, but it’s been awesome,” Chessler said. 

Chessler, like a lot of Warriors, lives with a host family. 

“These families open up their homes, open up their hearts to have us,” Chessler said. “It’s an awesome experience all around. 

“Those people are the lifeblood of our team,” Weossner added. “It’s an unreal experience for both them and the players. You’re bringing somebody into your home and you basically become part of their family. A lot of these guys will carry that relationship for a long, long time.” 

This will be Chessler’s last season with the Warriors. He’s committed to play at Union College in Schenectady, New York. 

Chessler has enjoyed his time in Oklahoma City. He’s been to Thunder games and even an OU football game. 

“Obviously there’s a bunch of people who don’t know that there’s a hockey team here, but I think as we keep getting better and we keep winning games and putting a good product on the ice, the word is getting out,” Chessler said. 

Berge has taken it upon himself to get the word out. 

The Warriors are the only NAHL team in Oklahoma. They play in the South Division, which also includes teams from Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas. 

“We’ll have scouts in this barn a lot,” said Berge, who expects capacity crowds of a couple thousand fans. “A lot of colleges come to watch to recruit these kids, professional scouts will be here, NHL scouts will be here to watch. It’s just a different dynamic compared to any other sport, so it’s very hard to explain until you get in the door and see it.” 

Berge invited legendary Blazers coach Doug Sauter to do the ceremonial puck drop before the season opener Friday. 

Having grown up here, coaching the Warriors has taken on extra meaning for Berge. 

“It’s my dream,” he said. 

When the Warriors are on the ice, Blazers Ice Centre is filled with dreams. 

“To watch them know how hard it is, discover how difficult it is, really learn what it’s like to compete and watching them go through that process” Weossner said, “it’s the best feeling in the world.” 

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.