"We kept fighting," Holgorsen said on Monday, a day after the tone-setting game. "I was proud of them. We kept fighting. I thought we were a little wide-eyed early. We settled down."
He later explained that the team looked a little "too amped" ahead of potentially upsetting the No. 4 team in the nation.
The Cougars can put the wind back in their sails after an 8-5 season in 2018 by hosting the Prairie View A&M this coming Saturday.
The Oklahoma game didn't necessarily showcase what the Coogs are capable of this season, but there's room for improvement, according to Holgorsen.
"Obviously, Prairie View is going to come in here and play hard," he said on Tuesday. "We better get our tail ready to play."
Houston hosts the Panthers at TDECU Stadium at 7 p.m. Saturday. The team will follow that with a contest with another nationally-ranked, non-conference opponent in Washington State on Sept. 13.
SEE MORE: University of Houston falls to Oklahoma Sooners 49-31 in season debut
ABC13's David Nuno previews Houston/Oklahoma