Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Fair announces 2025 concert lineup, from Black Stone Cherry to Joe Nichols
See the best moments from the Oklahoma State Fair 2024 in OKC
One of the state’s biggest annual events, the 2024 Oklahoma State Fair continues through Sept. 22 at the OKC Fairgrounds.
The Oklahoma State Fair is about three and a half months away, but live music fans can go ahead and mark their calendars, since the event’s organizers have announced this year’s eclectic concert lineup.
One of the state’s largest yearly events, the 2025 Oklahoma State Fair is set for Sept. 11-21 at the OKC Fairgrounds, 3001 General Pershing Blvd.
This year’s fair will spotlight rock ‘n’ roll bands, country music artists, contemporary Christian hitmakers, R&B groups, tribute bands and more on its Chickasaw Country Entertainment Stage.
Admission to the nightly concerts is free with outside gate admission to the fair.
The 2025 Oklahoma State Fair concert lineup on the Chickasaw Country Entertainment Stage is:
- 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11: Joe Nichols, the country singer known for hits like “Gimme That Girl” and “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” returns to the Oklahoma State Fair.
- 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12: Sister Sledge, the Philadelphia sibling group of Debbie, Joni, Kathy and Kim Sledge, entered the cultural consciousness with their 1979 worldwide hit and iconic album “We Are Family.”
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13: Black Stone Cherry with The Kentucky Headhunters, two rock bands from the Bluegrass State, are heading this fall to the Oklahoma State Fair.
- 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14: ZZ-KC is based in Kansas City and tours the country paying tribute to Rock and Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top.
- 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15: Josiah Queen, the “I am Barabbas” hitmaker who was named one of Amazon’s Breakthrough Artists to Watch for 2024, just wrapped his first headline tour as a contemporary Christian recording artist.
- 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone will bring their 1960s hits like “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and “I’m into Something Good” to OKC.
- 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept: 17: Shawn Klush – Tribute to Elvis returns to the Oklahoma State Fair with the addition of a horn section to add to the authenticity and excitement of his homage to The King.
- 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18: Drew Baldridge, a country singer-songwriter hailing from Patoka, Illinois, has scored hit singles with “Dance with Ya” and “She’s Somebody’s Daughter.”
- 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19: Hairball, a tribute band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025 by performing classics by KISS, Van Halen, Queen and more, complete with pyrotechnics, costume changes and theatrical flair.
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20: Stephen Pearcy the Voice of RATT with Quiet Riot brings together the frontman for glam metal band behind the 1980s hits “Round and Round” and “Lay It Down” with the Los Angeles quartet known as the first heavy metal band to top Billboard charts.
- 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21: Los Herederos de Nuevo Leon, a regional Mexican band specializing in norteño music, returns to close out the Oklahoma State Fair, which traditionally reserves the final concert slot on its Chickasaw Country Entertainment Stage for a Spanish-language act with appeal for a multi-generational Latino audience.
“I have been buying talent for the Oklahoma State Fair for quite some time, and I can honestly say this is one of the strongest lineups I can remember,” fair spokesman Scott Munz said in an email to The Oklahoman.
“Without hesitation, there is truly something for every musical taste during the 11 days of the 2025 Oklahoma State Fair.”
Along with the concerts on the Chickasaw Country Entertainment Stage, the Oklahoma State Fair will feature a diverse lineup of Oklahoma performers from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily at The Bandshell.
For more information on the concerts, carnival rides, food vendors, performances and other attractions at the 2025 Oklahoma State Fair, go to https://okstatefair.com.
Oklahoma
Every Oklahoma State Cowboys’ College Football 27 Preseason Player Rating
Since the return of EA Sports’ iconic college football game, its release has become a summer rite of passage.
It’s not just because gamers like the game or because players like the game. Since its return post-NIL, players can be themselves in the game. They get a small cut through an NIL agreement, and they can play the game with them and their teammates in it. Plus, EA Sports has made a commitment to making its player ratings as realistic as possible.
For those reasons and a host of others, the game’s popularity has soared far beyond an initial surge over pent-up demand when the game was shelved.
But it isn’t just the stars that get player ratings. Yes, those players get plenty of attention. But now every player that agrees to be in the game is in the game and gets a player rating. For Oklahoma State, that’s more than 70 players that are in the game and have player ratings.
With the game in wide release on Thursday, let’s dive into how each player is ranked.
Every OSU Player’s CFB 27 Player Rating
EA Sports gives every player that is in the game an overall score, which is from 0 to 100. Those scores are based in part on six separate categories that also receive scores — speed, strength, agility, awareness, change of direction, injury and awareness. Those individual scores don’t add up to 100 and other factors go into the overall scores.
Going into the season just two Oklahoma State players have overall player ratings of 90 or better — running back Caleb Hawkins (91) and wide receiver Wyatt Young (90). Quarterback Drew Mestemaker is just outside that percentile at 89. Those scores can change during the season based on a variety of factors, including actual game play.
For now, here is the rating for every OSU player in the College Football 27 game:
RB Caleb Hawkins: 91
WR Wyatt Young: 90
QB Drew Mestemaker: 89
LB Ethan Wesloski: 87
CB Mo Horn: 86
EDGE James Williams: 84
WR Justin Bowick: 83
RB Ayo Adeyi: 82
WR Chris Barnes: 82
WR Miles Coleman: 82
OG Johnny Dickson III: 81
OT Braydon Nelson: 80
TE Donovan Green: 80
LB Isaiah Chisom: 80
WR Israel Polk: 80
FS Christian Bodnar: 79
OG Jacob Sexton: 79
SS Evan Jackson: 78
DT Jerry Lawson: 78
WR Rodney Harris II: 78
EDGE Braylon Rigsby: 77
DT Enai White: 77
DT Fatafehi Vailea II: 77
EDGE Jaleel Johnson: 77
TE Oscar Hammond: 77
DT Saadiq Clements: 77
OT Joseph Hanson: 76
WR Kam Powell: 76
CB LaDainian Fields: 76
EDGE Landon Dean: 76
OG Louie Canepa: 76
FS Mose Phillips III: 76
SS Cameron Epps: 75
RB KD Jones: 75
RB Tre Page III: 75
FS Vincent Holmes: 75
OT Ashton Lepo: 74
EDGE DeSean Brown: 74
DT Dominic Macon: 74
CB Kollin Lewis: 74
EDGE Malik Charles: 74
EDGE Rashod Bradley: 74
EDGE Billy Walton III: 73
EDGE Keviyan Huddleston: 73
SS Quinton Hammonds: 73
K Sam Keltner: 73
CB Trudell Berry: 73
RB William Mason: 73
LB Carl’veon Young: 72
CB Kobi Foreman: 72
LB Tate Romney: 72
LT Shaun Torgeson: 71
WR Terrence Lewis: 71
TE Bodie Boydstun: 70
LB Jack Puckett: 70
LB Trip White: 70
LB Dallas Winner-Johnson: 69
OG Desmond Magiya: 69
WR Jabarie Thornton: 69
P Lachie Pozzobon: 69
CB Marrel Davis III: 69
OG Miguel Chavez: 69
C Tyler Mercer: 69
QB Grant Jordan: 68
C Jakobe Sanders: 68
OT Kai Holec: 68
LB Taurean Davis: 68
SS Braeden Presley: 67
QB Broderick Vehrs: 66
EDGE DJ Jackson Jr.:65
TE Caden Yates: 64
LB Gunnar Wilson: 64
C Isaiah Bowman: 56
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Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s Brent Venables named to 2026 Dodd Trophy Preseason watch list
The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. have announced the preseason watch list for the 2026 Dodd Trophy, recognizing 20 college football head coaches from across the Power Four conferences, the Pac-12 and one independent program.
The annual award honors the head coach whose program exemplifies success on the field while promoting scholarship, leadership and integrity, the three principles that defined legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s philosophy.
Oklahoma’s Brent Venables among nominees
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables is one of six Southeastern Conference coaches included on this year’s watch list. Coaches became eligible after leading their current programs for at least two seasons and maintaining an Academic Progress Rate (APR) above the national average of 971.
The selection committee also considered each program’s Graduation Success Rate, community service efforts and projected performance during the 2026 season.
| Coach | School | Conference | APR (2024-25) |
| Bret Bielema | Illinois | Big Ten | 988 |
| Jeff Brohm | Louisville | ACC | 972 |
| Curt Cignetti | Indiana | Big Ten | 989 |
| Mario Cristobal | Miami (FL) | ACC | 993 |
| Spencer Danielson | Boise State | Pac-12 | 985 |
| Ryan Day | Ohio State | Big Ten | 1000 |
| Kalen DeBoer | Alabama | SEC | 1000 |
| Sonny Dykes | TCU | Big 12 | 987 |
| Mike Elko | Texas A&M | SEC | 1000 |
| Kirk Ferentz | Iowa | Big Ten | 997 |
| Jedd Fisch | Washington | Big Ten | 991 |
| Marcus Freeman | Notre Dame | Independent | 1000 |
| Willie Fritz | Houston | Big 12 | 989 |
| Josh Heupel | Tennessee | SEC | 993 |
| Brent Key | Georgia Tech | ACC | 997 |
| Dan Lanning | Oregon | Big Ten | 988 |
| Lincoln Riley | USC | Big Ten | 993 |
| Steve Sarkisian | Texas | SEC | 990 |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia | SEC | 981 |
| Brent Venables | Oklahoma | SEC | 997 |
Key facts
- Twenty coaches were named to the preseason watch list.
- Oklahoma’s Brent Venables included with a program APR of 997.
- The Big Ten leads all conferences with seven coaches on the list.
- Four previous Dodd Trophy winners are included.
- Watch list coaches have combined for four national championships, 31 conference titles and 1,841 career victories.
What’s next for the award?
A midseason watch list will be released this fall and could expand or narrow the field. Finalists will be selected after the 2026 regular season by a panel that includes previous winners, national media members, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame representative.
The 2026 Dodd Trophy winner will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
We used AI tools to help with editing and formatting this story. A human journalist reviewed everything before publication.
Oklahoma
Kip Lewis reveals why he returned to Oklahoma for senior season
Kip Lewis returning for his redshirt senior season with the Oklahoma Sooners was one of the biggest wins of the offseason. Lewis has built an impressive career in Norman, racking up 209 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and five sacks with two interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns.
Beyond his production, Lewis has become one of the emotional leaders of the Oklahoma locker room. Although the NFL was an option, Lewis believed another season learning under Brent Venables would put him in the best position for long-term success.
In a video shared by Oklahoma, Lewis explained the factors that led him to return to Norman for another season.
“I talked to a lot of people,” Lewis said. “Mostly, my family and then my dad. He was just giving me key points that he felt like I should have come back… Mostly talked to a couple of my teammates like John (Mateer) and Isaiah (Sategna), getting their thoughts on what their plan was. I asked Danny (Stutsman) for advice. Talked to him for a little bit. Advice from Danny really stood out to me.”
Getting advice from Stutsman likely played a significant role in Lewis’ decision. Stutsman was in a similar position following a strong 2023 season. Stutsman elected to return to Norman in 2024 and had another strong individual season. That resulted in him being taken in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Lewis’ decision to return gives Oklahoma one of the most experienced and talented linebackers in the country for another season. By following the same path as Stutsman, Lewis is betting on development and another opportunity to improve his draft stock.
If he continues to lead at the level he has throughout his career, his final season in Norman could be the one that cements him as one of the top defensive players in college football.
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.
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