The Oklahoma Sooners are 1-1 after a Week 2 loss to the Michigan Wolverines. Now they turn the page to the New Mexico Lobos.
The Lobos had a great season last year, winning nine games. That marked the second-most wins in a season in program history. They've started the season off 2-0. They have a 38-7 win over the Central Michigan Chippewas and a 70-7 win over the Mercyhurst Lakers. The Lobos average 166 passing yards and 246 rushing yards.
Head coach Brent Venables said the Sooners' focus is entirely on New Mexico despite the setback.
"Our complete focus now is on New Mexico," Venables said via Sooners Illustrated. "They're 2-0. They just scored 70 points and rushed for almost 300 yards last week. They forced six turnovers. They're a confident,
aggressive football team. They're coming here expecting to win."
Saturday is therefore about more than simply getting back into the win column. Oklahoma needs to clean up the mistakes that showed up against Michigan while proving it can stay focused against an opponent that enters the game with confidence.
The timing also matters. New Mexico is the final game before Oklahoma travels to face the Georgia Bulldogs, making this the Sooners' last opportunity to work through their issues before another major test. A strong performance would not erase what happened in Ann Arbor, but it would show that Oklahoma can learn from the loss rather than carry it forward.
The Michigan defeat changed the tone around the program, but the Sooners still control what comes next. New Mexico arrives in Norman expecting to compete, and Oklahoma now has a chance to respond with the urgency and execution Venables has demanded.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma's 'complete focus' is on New Mexico after setback
