Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold rewards Sooners' faith, dazzles in win vs. Temple in first regular-season start

The Sooners stuck with Arnold, who showed he could be one of the SEC's top arms in an easy 51-3 win vs. the Owls

By Will Backus Aug 30, 2024 at 10:54 pm ET• 3 min read

Oklahoma didn't panic when Dillon Gabriel, who has nearly 15,000 passing yards in his career, hit the transfer portal after two prolific seasons with the Sooners. Instead, Oklahoma rallied around former five-star  recruit Jackson Arnold and turned an anticipatory eye towards the future. 

That future finally arrived Friday in the No. 16 Sooners' (1-0) season-opening 51-3 victory vs. Temple (0-1) as Arnold took the field for his first regular-season start and showed that his coaching staff's faith might just pay off. 

Oklahoma lost Gabriel, who transferred to Oregon, but may have gained what looks like one of the SEC's top arms. 

Sure, it's fair to consider the level of competition. Temple has nine total wins since 2021. The Owls haven't had a winning season in almost five years, a fact that probably won't change anytime soon.