NORMAN — It’s been a rough season for OU football.
The offensive line has been a mess, Jackson Arnold struggled and was replaced and then replaced Michael Hawkins Jr. himself, injuries have battered the wide receiver corps and more.
But with two games remaining, Saturday against Alabama and then Nov. 30 at LSU, there’s still plenty for the Sooners to play for.
Here are OU’s five biggest priorities over the final two weeks of the season:
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This might be the toughest piece of these five.
OU needs a win over the Crimson Tide or the Tigers to extend their bowl streak to 26 consecutive seasons.
It’s one the Sooners desperately need, not just for momentum and prestige but also because of what the extra few weeks of practice would do for the Sooners’ development for the future.
The regular-season finale might present the best opportunity for that.
The Tigers are reeling after losing three consecutive games and they don’t exactly have an easy game this week when they host Vanderbilt.
But Baton Rouge is a tough place to play.
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Linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman made a difficult decision to return for this season and have each played significant roles in the Sooners’ defensive success this season.
But the win-loss results haven’t been what the Sooners had hoped for.
Stutsman and Bowman have both said they don’t regret their decisions to return, but it’s hard to imagine them not questioning their decisions on some level.
OU’s younger players, especially on defense, have said how much the leadership from both have meant to their development.
So while the Sooners can’t achieve the heights Stutsman and Bowman hoped for before the season, they can still go out on a high note with a solid finish and hand things off to the next generation of OU players.
With Gavin Sawchuk’s virtual disappearance from the rotation and Taylor Tatum’s struggles to hold onto the ball, there are plenty of questions about the future of the running back position.
Jovantae Barnes has performed well of late, but freshman Xavier Robinson has been the most recent surprise.
Brent Venables said recently he planned on redshirting Robinson, but with the Sooners needing another win for bowl eligibility, they might not be able to afford to sit Robinson.
That would be best both in the short and long term for OU.
Robinson looks like an SEC-type of running back and even if the Sooners’ do make a bowl, Robinson could use all of the reps he can get with the regulars.
The Sooners still have some games to play with when it comes to young offensive linemen Eddy Pierre-Louis and Isaiah Autry-Dent, in particular.
With the offensive line being a mess for much of the season, OU needs to look toward the future and that includes Pierre-Louis and Autry-Dent.
Giving them an extended look in games can not only spur their development but also give offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh and whoever the next offensive coordinator is to have an idea of what they have in two players on the roster who figure to be the building blocks for the offensive line of the future.
The younger Bowen has been one of the pleasant surprises of the second half of the season as his role continues to expand.
With the Sooners losing several key pieces out of the secondary, Bowen’s development will be critical for the future and it’s important to keep that momentum going.
It’s not just Bowen, though.
Jacobe Johnson’s role has also grown steadily, and he figures to be a significant piece as well.
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KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman (ABC)
