Earlier drops the ball in the Armed Forces Bowl

FORT WORTH, Texas – As minor bowls go, you couldn’t ask for a much better game than what Oklahoma and Navy played in the Armed Forces Bowl on Friday afternoon.

The Midshipmen held on for a 21-20 win, beating the Sooners on a last-minute 2-point conversion attempt.

At Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, 50,754 spectators were in attendance, a record crowd for the Armed Forces Bowl.

Let’s get to the notes.

More:Navy coach Brian Newberry rejoices in bowl win over OU with former Westmoore coaches and teammates

OU drops: F

Seven of them. That’s the number of “clean drops” OU had on Friday, according to Sooner coach Brent Venables.

Felt like 17.

Freshman receiver Zion Kearney had a particularly costly drop on a deep pass just before halftime that would have at least given the Sooners a chance for a field goal. Michael Hawkins Jr. threw the ball, but Kearney was able to catch it.

To his credit, Kearney made an impressive catch-and-run for a 56-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

It wasn’t the smoothest day for the Zions, as fellow freshman Zion Ragins suffered a flea attack late in the third quarter.

Running backs Gavin Sawchuk and Sam Franklin also combined for several drops.

Freshman Ivan Carreon was the safest early. He had seven balls for 72 yards, both team highs.

Carreon looks like a player with a height of 1.80 meters and a weight of 100 kilograms. Seems like he would be an upgrade to OU’s tight ends group if he made the move.

More:After a second losing season as OU football coach, can Brent Venables right the ship?

OU quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.: B+

Michael Hawkins Jr. flew left on a planned rollout, saw no one open, and flipped the field. Hawkins now ran right, from sideline to sideline, and launched a pass off his back foot. The looping ball hit Kearney in an instant for a 56-yard score.

Hawkins jumped across the field to celebrate after his brilliant improvisation.

Overall, Hawkins was solid on Friday. He threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns while completing 65% of his passes – and that includes the seven drops. Hawkins ran for 61 yards on 17 attempts, a team-high.

Hawkins led OU on a game-winning drive, throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Jake Roberts before OU’s 2-point conversion failed.

Hawkins fumbled a quarterback keeper in the third quarter, but it cost the Sooners nothing. Navy missed a field goal on its ensuing drive.

More:Zac Alley addresses rumors linking the OU football defensive coordinator to the West Virginia job

Luke Elzinga fake punt pass: A+

Has anyone checked Luke Elzinga’s passer rating? It’s almost perfect.

The Sooners pulled off a nifty fake punt in the second quarter. Elzinga threw the punt down the field and took a few steps forward before passing the ball to Woodi Washington for a 28-yard fourth-down conversion.

The Sooners didn’t pay back the wrong punt with points. Freshman running back Xavier Robinson was stopped later in the drive on fourth-and-1 from the Navy 20-yard line.

The normally reliable Elzinga was a better passer than player on Friday. He hit a punt late in the second quarter that went 11 yards. He did better on his second punt, pinning Navy to its own 4-yard line.

Defending Navy’s passing game: D

Navy caught the Sooners sleeping on a third-and-long conversion that extended the Midshipmen’s opening drive.

Navy receiver Nathan Kent ran wide open down the near sideline and adjusted in the air to make a great catch. With a better throw from quarterback Blake Horvath, Kent might have been able to score.

Horvath, who had a heroic 95-yard touchdown run, could have had a much, much better day through the air if he hadn’t badly missed several throws.

After Navy forced a fumble late in the third quarter, Horvath threw a completely open Brandon Chatman to the ground, which would have set up the go-ahead touchdown.

You don’t expect Navy to beat you with the pass, but that’s exactly what the Midshipmen would have done if Horvath had finished better.

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OU running back Gavin Sawchuk: B+

Gavin Sawchuk rushed for 37 yards on OU’s first drive – more than half of Sawchuk’s season rushing total (61).

Sawchuk’s 21-yard touchdown run to end the drive was his first score of the season. It was also his longest run of the year.

It was a surprise that Sawchuk went first. He was OU’s top back on Friday, rushing for 67 yards on 5.2 yards per carry.

More:Brent Venables excited about QB John Mateer’s move to OU football: ‘He’ll make us better’

Earlier on fourth down 😀

Twice in the first half, the Sooners were squeezed on fourth-and-1.

OU finished the game 2 of 4 on fourth down, but those early fourth down misses were a serious momentum killer for the Sooners.

More:R Mason Thomas is still mulling the decision to return to the OU football team in 2025

Anticipatory coin toss: A

Some might say the game was over before it even began.

Entering Friday, the winner of the coin toss had won 12 of the last 13 Armed Forces Bowls.

Navy won the toss on Friday, extending the streak to 13 of the last 14.

More:Navy football coach Brian Newberry has a “pretty good” bond with the Oklahoma father and son

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Do you have an idea for a story for Joe? Email him at [email protected]. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoma journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

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Earlier drops the ball in the Armed Forces Bowl

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