The Oklahoma Sooners suffered a setback loss to the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, 17-10. The loss dented offseason optimism among the fan base.
The question now is how Oklahoma responds as the Sooners take on the New Mexico Lobos. New Mexico is coming off a nine-win season and a dominant performance last week, scoring 70 points. Head coach Brent Venables said his team's response to adversity will determine how the season goes.
"These tough, challenging moments do reveal the character and the toughness, the leadership, the maturity of our team," Venables said via Sooners Illustrated. "Anybody can be committed when everything is going right. It was a real test of who our guys are. The response will show whether our commitment is conditional or
it's who we are."
This makes Saturday's matchup with New Mexico more significant than a typical nonconference game. The Lobos have started the season with two dominating performances, meaning Oklahoma will have to approach the game with the same focus it would bring to any quality opponent.
More importantly, the Sooners need to show that the problems from Michigan were correctable, not recurring. Venables has already acknowledged that Oklahoma missed opportunities in Ann Arbor, and the coaching staff has spent the early part of the week breaking down those mistakes.
The Michigan loss changed the tone around Oklahoma, but it doesn't have to define the season. The Sooners now have an opportunity to show that the adversity exposed areas they can fix. If Oklahoma responds with cleaner execution, better fundamentals and the urgency Venables is demanding, Saturday can become the first step in turning a disappointing loss into a valuable lesson.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Brent Venables expects the Oklahoma Sooners to bounce back
