Sooners Fall to Navy in Armed Forces Bowl

Friday, December 27

Fort Worth, Texas

11 a.m. CT

University of Oklahoma

6-7 , 2-6

Navy

10-3 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Oklahoma

Navy

Sooners Fall to Navy in Armed Forces Bowl

December 27, 2024 | Football

Box Score Final Stats Postgame Notes Postgame Press Conference Photo Gallery

FORT WORTH, Texas – Oklahoma led 14-0 after the first quarter and outgained Navy 433 to 318 in total yards, but fell to the Midshipmen 21-20 Friday afternoon in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

The Sooners (6-7) scored on their first two possessions of the game to take a 14-0 lead. Navy (10-3) scored one touchdown in each of the final three periods to go ahead 21-14. OU pulled within 21-20 with :06 remaining in the game on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. to tight end Jake Roberts but could not convert its two-point attempt.

Oklahoma took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 21-yard touchdown run by redshirt sophomore running back Gavin Sawchuk.

On its second possession, OU went 85 yards on six plays to extend its lead to 14-0. From the OU 44, Hawkins rolled left, then scrambled back to his right and threw on the run, connecting with freshman wide receiver Zion Kearney for a 56-yard strike. It was Kearney's first career touchdown.

Navy took over on downs at the OU 45 with 7:16 left in the second quarter and scored on an 11-yard rush by Alex Tecza to cut Oklahoma's lead to 14-7. The Midshipmen tied the game with 3:49 to play in the third quarter when quarterback Blake Horvath ran 95 yards to the end zone.

Following a missed 52-yard field goal attempt by OU with 12:06 left in the game, Navy took 7:32 to drive 66 yards in 12 plays to take a 21-14 lead on a 6-yard rush by Horvath.

Oklahoma punted from its own 38 with 2:56 remaining and downed the ball at the 5-yard line, then held Navy to a three-and-out. The Sooners took over at their own 35 with 1:47 to play, and drove 65 yards in 1:41, scoring when Hawkins found Roberts wide open in the back corner of the end zone.

Hawkins, a true freshman making his fourth start of the season, completed 28 of 43 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, setting career highs in each category. He also rushed for 61 yards on 17 carries. Sawchuk led the Sooners with a season-high 67 rushing yards on 13 carries, and true freshman wide receiver Ivan Carreon notched team and career highs of seven receptions and 72 yards.

Oklahoma started four true freshmen on offense, including three at wide receiver. Carreon and Jacob Jordan each made their first career starts and Zion Ragins made his fifth start of the season. The four freshman receivers (Carreon, Jordan, Kearney and Ragins) combined for 18 catches for 185 yards. Jordan had five catches for 27 yards, Ragins made four receptions for 20 yards and Kearney had two catches for 66 yards.

Oklahoma's Armed Forces Bowl appearance marked its 58th bowl showing all-time, the fourth most nationally. OU made its 26th consecutive bowl appearance, which is the second-longest active streak in the nation (Georgia; 28). The Sooners are 31-26-1 all-time in bowl games.