OXFORD, MS – Oklahoma shocked everyone for two quarters.

The Sooners, fresh off staff changes amid back-to-back losses, took their first lead of the half in conference play, but OU couldn’t finish off No. 18 Mississippi.

Lane Kiffins team dominated the third quarter until power over Brent Venables’ Sooners, as the Rebels posted a 26-14 win Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

OU’s offense showed it was moving the ball for the first time in weeks, but it wasn’t enough to keep it from going 4-4 ​​on the year and 1-4 in the SEC.

The biggest question all week was how much could actually change for Oklahoma’s offense since then Seth Littrell was fired on Sunday.

Below Joe Jon Finley And Kevin Johnsturns out everything can change.

Things seemed much closer to what Jeff Lebby Littrell’s operation has been running for the past two years Jackson Arnold rolled out to try to nullify Ole Miss’ (6-2, 2-2) pass rush.

Run back Jovantae Barnes consistently ran the ball against the nation’s best rush defense, allowing the Sooners to march down the field multiple times.

OU’s final drive of the first half, a 92-yard touchdown drive, was the team’s longest of the season. That came after starting at left tackle Jacob Sexton also left the match with an ankle injury.

The first drive of the game, a 74-yard drive that fell two yards short of the goal line, was the sixth-longest drive of the season for the Sooners.

Finley only needed half the football for both series.

Unfortunately, the Sooners did not have the element of surprise after halftime.

While Jaxson Dart By carving up the OU secondary (more on that in a minute), the offense only gained 23 yards in the third quarter.

This allowed the Rebels to turn the momentum around at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, creating a 26-14 lead after three consecutive scoring drives to open the half.

Dart opened the game with ease, effortlessly moving Ole Miss’ offense down the field for a touchdown, though the first half was far from easy for the Rebels’ offense.

After halftime, Kiffin took to the air again.

Ole Miss made five passing plays of 20 yards or more five times in the third quarter alone, attacking the middle of the field, cornerback Kani Walker and eventually a cornerback Dez Malonewho was thrown into the battle in Walker’s place.

Playing without leading receiver Tre Harris, the Rebels had to find other ways to pressure Oklahoma.

The result was a balanced passing attack with Dart spreading the ball to many different wide receivers – none of which Venables and defensive coordinator Zac Alley seemed to have an answer.

It was also the second straight week in which the defense didn’t force a turnover, as the Sooners’ only takeaway came when JJ Hester one denied Taylor Tatum clumsily by punching the ball out himself.

Kiffin didn’t have the ball in the second half like South Carolina did a week ago, meaning the OU defense had its chance but couldn’t help the offense by putting Arnold in excellent field position in the second half.

There will be no quarterback contrast this week.

Arnold’s return to the lineup was something to build on, despite Ole Miss stifling its offense in the second half.

Finley and Johns helped the offensive line roll through the pocket, and Arnold was able to make quicker decisions to get the ball out, even if he had to settle for checkdowns for most of the afternoon.

His lone turnover was far from his fault as it looked like the right guard Febechi Nwaiwu was unable to pull fast enough on a running play, which led to Arnold being erased at the mesh point.

The former five-star quarterback was able to calmly move the offense down the field late in the first half to perfectly manage the clock and also score a touchdown, something the offense hopes to build on.

There were still very few opportunities to strike deep for Oklahoma’s offense, but the coaching change didn’t change the offensive line situation or the health of the receiving corps.

With the Sooners forced to throw the ball on every turnover on the final few possessions, the offensive line capitulated and prevented Arnold from having a chance to engineer a comeback.

He was sacked six times on the final three drives alone and nine times overall as everything around Oklahoma’s quarterbacks continued to struggle.

Sunday’s film review will provide plenty for the young quarterback to build on, but Arnold felt much more comfortable at the helm of OU’s offense in his fifth start of the year.