Oklahoma
Oklahoma Meets Kansas, Both Two Wins Away From Omaha
Call it good timing, call it luck or a team finally showing their true selves. Oklahoma will take any of them..
Whatever the secret sauce, the Sooners (36-22) find themselves on the road once again. This time, in the Super Regionals to face an old conference friend in the Kansas Jayhawks. For the sixth time in program history, OU can smell college baseball’s hallowed grounds in Omaha.
But the Jayhawks want the same thing. Despite downing the No. 2 team in the country, with perhaps the best offense in recent years, Oklahoma will be up against it when it faces the Big 12’s regular season and conference tournament champions.
On the mound first will be true freshman LHP Cord Rager. RHP LJ Mercurius will get the nod for Game 2 on Saturday.
How to Watch Game 1 of the Lawrence Super Regional
- When: Saturday, June 6
- Time: 5 p.m.
- Channel: ESPN2
Starting freshman has been a part of Skip Johnson’s philosophy during the postseason. OU has started three true freshman — Rager, Mercurius and RHP Nick Wesloski — for three straight games before the veterans were called on the final two against Georgia Tech. The Sooners went 2-1 in those three games.
OU’s pitching staff has been made stronger with Mercurius’ move to the bullpen — a decision he described as “tough” on Thursday, but that he “went to Skip and said ‘Let’s go win.’” The former starter pitched four innings to earn the save, only giving up two hits and no runs.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.
Dayton Tockey’s home run has already reached viral status. It will be forever etched in Sooner lore — if not already — if OU can get past the Jayhawks (45-16).
Oklahoma is 169-90-2 going back to 1945 against Kansas. This year is a little different for the boys from Lawrence. KU can hit with the best of them — best shown by Tyson LeBlanc’s program season-record 24 home runs. Behind his hitting, KU has a shot to get to the College World Series for only the second time in school history.
If the Sooners prevail, it would be their 11th appearance in the College World Series. Their last came in 2022 when they finished as the national runner-up to the Ole Miss Rebels, who beat the Sooners in two games.
They may very well make it 11 if they keep hitting at the rate they’ve been since the end of May. OU has hit 28 home runs over the last 11 games.
Follow
The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card in Oklahoma City, including a pair to the main event fighters.
After UFC Fight Night 281, four fighters picked up an extra $100,000 for their performances at Paycom Center. Additionally, two fighters got $25,000 extra checks for finishes that weren’t bonus-winners.
Check out the list of winners below.
Dricus Du Plessis (24-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC) put on a masterful performance with a unanimous decision over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (21-5 MMA, 16-4 UFC), whose return to middleweight ended in failure – and him saying he didn’t want to be a sore loser, then listing about six reasons why he was being precisely that. Du Plessis frequently made Usman look slow, though the broadcast team starting in the third round lauded him for his grit. DDP’s scorecards included a 50-45, which Usman took particular exception with as part of his “I’m not a sore loser” sore loser time on the microphone with Daniel Cormier, who seemed unsure if he should feel sorry for him or be embarrassed for his assertion that he somehow was in a competitive fight.
Performance of the Night: Felipe Franco ($100,000)
Felipe Franco (11-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) turned in a performance to remember for his first win in the UFC when he took out Levi Rodrigues (5-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) with a second-round TKO. Back at 205 pounds after a loss in his UFC debut at heavyweight, Franco mounted Rodrigues and pounded him out in the second frame.
Performance of the Night: Tommy McMillen ($100,000)
Tommy McMillen (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) looked like a star has been born when he set a new promotional record for significant strikes in a three-round featherweight fight. And thought he took a few licks himself from Alberto Montes (11-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), he put him away with about 90 seconds left in the fight after a torrid of standup punishment.
Finish bonus: R.J. Harris ($25,000)
R.J. Harris (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) had a stellar debut in the UFC at heavyweight when he drilled Alvin Hines (7-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) with an uppercut in the first round that took him off his feet. Harris was on him in the bat of an eye and a few punches later had a stoppage in 100 seconds.
Finish bonus: Dione Barbosa ($25,000)
Dione Barbosa (10-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) made things look easy against Alice Melisano (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC). Knowing her easiest path to victory was on the canvas, she took the UFC newcomer and “TUF” grad down right away, then worked her way to an eventual rear-naked choke finish in the opening round. Barbosa was the second biggest betting favorite on the card at 7-1.
The Oklahoma Sooners surprised the college football world with their breakthrough 2025 season. The Sooners made the College Football Playoff after a 6-7 season in 2024.
The Sooners navigated one of the toughest schedules in college football and still finished the regular season with a 10-2 record. With another offseason of development and the return of several key contributors, expectations are high around Norman heading into 2026. However, that optimism has not carried over to the national conversation.
ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) projects the Sooners will finish with a 7-5 record this season. Despite that projection, FPI still ranks Oklahoma as the No. 12 team in the country. That disrespect likely comes from the up-and-down tenure under head coach Brent Venables. So far, he’s had two double-digit-win seasons, while also having two losing seasons. Oklahoma hadn’t had a losing season since 1998 until Venables took over before the 2022 season.
On3’s Ari Wasserman said that Oklahoma has been overlooked nationally on his show with Andy Staples.
Oklahoma has already shown it can compete at the highest level after making the College Football Playoff in its first season as an SEC member. Now, the challenge is proving that last season was not just a one-year breakthrough.
With a talented roster, an elite defense, and key players returning, the Sooners have the opportunity to exceed national expectations and establish themselves as a consistent contender in the SEC.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on X @jaronspor.
Du Plessis returns to the Octagon for the first time since losing his middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev last August. Standing across from him is Usman, a former welterweight champion who defended his title five times, with signature wins over Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington. The pair headline a stacked card filled with rising contenders and can’t-miss prospects.
Where To Watch UFC Oklahoma City
Live results, highlights, fight recaps, post-fight interviews and more will be added throughout the event. Preview each matchup below before the action begins. The main card kicks off Saturday at 8pm ET/5pm PT live on Paramount+ in the United States.
UFC Oklahoma City Main Card Results:
-
Fitness5 minutes agoHow Diplo Built a Lean, Athletic Body at 47 – and Why He Stopped Training Like a Bodybuilder
-
Movie Reviews17 minutes agoFantasia Fest 2026 Review: ‘Her Private Hell’ is Boring As Hell
-
World29 minutes agoBox Office: ‘The Odyssey’ Stuns With $124 Million Opening Weekend, Third-Biggest Debut of the Year
-
Lifestyle1 hour agoSunday Puzzle: A test of WI-T
-
Technology1 hour agoI hate that I don’t hate this song made with Suno
-
World2 hours agoEarthquake shakes Peru’s Andes region, killing at least 5, displacing hundreds
-
Politics2 hours ago‘Let’s brew it in the United States’: Teamsters target Modelo and Corona in push for Mexican beer tariffs
-
Health2 hours agoNew Alzheimer’s blood test predicts who is likely to develop dementia in 5 to 10 years
