Oklahoma
Oklahoma will give Alabama offense toughest test yet. What to know about the Sooners
There have been few defenses in the country better than Oklahoma.
The Sooners have allowed only 14.1 points per game this season, which leads the SEC and ranks seventh in the nation. Oklahoma also ranks first in the SEC in fewest yards allowed per game at 264.22. That also ranks seventh nationally.
A season ago, the Sooners held Alabama to three points on the road. Now, with a much different offense and a new offensive coordinator and quarterback, the No. 4 Crimson Tide (8-1, 6-0 SEC) will aim to have much more offensive success against No. 11 Oklahoma on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, ABC) at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Here’s what you need to know about the Sooners (7-2, 3-2 SEC).
Oklahoma’s resume so far
The Sooners started the season on a five-game winning streak but have lost two of their last four games.
The first loss of the season occurred against then-unranked Texas, now ranked No. 10. The second loss was two weeks later against No. 6 Ole Miss, who was then ranked eighth.
Oklahoma’s best win this season has been against No. 18 Michigan. The Sooners also went on the road before an open week and beat No. 21 Tennessee.
According to ESPN, the Sooners have the No. 12 strength of record. Their strength of schedule ranks 16th.
The Oklahoma offense
The Sooners have an offense that sits in the bottom half of the conference in points per game, ranked 11th scoring 28.89 points per game.
Only Kentucky, Auburn, LSU, Florida and South Carolina have worse offenses in the SEC.
The Sooners also rank 11th in rushing offense and defense in the conference in yards per game.
Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer has been the primary quarterback running the offense, but he hasn’t been near as effective since returning from a hand injury.
Before the hand injury, Mateer threw for six touchdowns and rushed for five more over the first four games of the season.
In the four games since, Mateer has thrown for two touchdowns and rushed for one. Those four games since the hand injury have all been against SEC competition whereas the first four included two overmatched, unranked teams.
Isaiah Sategna III has been his top target. The receiver has caught 40 passes for 692 yards and five touchdowns. He ranks fifth in the conference with 76.89 yards per game. Deion Burks has also been a top weapon, catching 42 passes for 435 yards and two scores.
Tory Blaylock has been the top rusher, taking 94 carries for 401 yards and four scores.
The Sooner defense
Oklahoma doesn’t give up many points or yards, but the Sooners also don’t get many takeaways.
They rank 117th in the country in takeaways per game at 0.8. For comparison, Alabama ranks 18th, gaining 1.8 takeaways per game.
Defensive lineman Taylor Wein is one of the SEC’s top players at securing tackles for loss. He averages 1.22 per game. Defensive lineman R Mason Thomas is another, averaging 1.06 per game. They rank tied for fourth and seventh in the conference, respectively.
Thomas is also one of the top pass rushers in the conference. He has tallied 6.5 sacks, which ranks tied for fifth.
As a whole, Oklahoma has been effective at getting to the quarterback. The Sooners have tallied 33 sacks, which ranks fourth in the country behind only UConn (35), Texas A&M (34) and Texas (34).
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Oklahoma
Bode Sparrow commits Friday: why BYU is Oklahoma’s biggest threat for the Davis star
Kaysville (Utah) Davis athlete Bode Sparrow cut his list to four back in May and has now locked in his commitment date.
Sparrow is a tremendous player on both sides of the ball and checks in as the No. 77 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.
He will make his long awaited college choice this Friday, May 25 from a final four of BYU, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah.
In handicapping this race, two schools jump out for us. The first is Oklahoma. I put a commit prediction in for the Sooners back in March and there was some buzz that he could commit around that time.
Sparrow decided to hold off making an early decision in order to take his official visits. Oklahoma was the first visit locked in and for awhile, the only visit that was set, giving even more credence to the Sooners being the team to beat.
“They really believe in me and have a vision for me there,” Sparrow told us after his official visit. “They show me so much love and I have such great relationships with the coaches there.
“I also really like the town of Norman and the plan in place for me from a safety/scheme standpoint. They really have everything I’m looking for in a school. Brent Venables is great, a defensive minded head coach and I just love the all around fit.”
Sparrow followed up his visit to OU with trips to Oregon, Utah and BYU. The Ducks made a big impression and should be considered a dark horse. They are easily one of the toughest schools to recruit against and it would surprise no one if Sparrow ends in Eugene.
Saying that, the school that is gaining a lot of momentum and looks to be Oklahoma’s biggest challenger is BYU. For months we talked to some close to Sparrow, college coaches and trainers who all said the same thing, ‘don’t rule out BYU in the end.’
No one has recruited Sparrow longer than the Cougs. He has been on campus more than any other school, he’s strong in his LDS faith and he has a great connection with the BYU staff including head coach Kalani Sitake.
BYU was able to get the final visit over the weekend and there is some quiet confidence in Provo as well as from a few other recruits/commits who were also on the visit. With the church connection, we’ve long said in a head to head battle, BYU is very tough to beat, especially for an in-state player.
Saying that, there are still Sooner commits we’ve talked to convinced Sparrow is still headed to Norman. That’s why this recruitment has become one of the more fascinating ones to follow this cycle, it’s one of those rare instances where days away from a decision, it could still go in multiple directions.
For now, my commit prediction remains on Oklahoma but BYU is closing fast and this one close to a toss up with a decision quickly approaching.
Oklahoma
OHP remembers K-9 for protecting countless lives during career
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Officials with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are remembering a dedicated K-9 officer who passed away earlier this month.
K-9 Dak was born in 2014 and began serving with the OHP in 2015.
Throughout his distinguished career, officials say Dak’s exceptional instincts made a significant impact on public safety across the state.
During his career, Dak was instrumental in the seizure of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana, 46 pounds of cocaine, 151 pounds of methamphetamine, and 99 pounds of fentanyl.
“These remarkable accomplishments represent countless lives protected and communities made safer through Dak’s service,” OHP wrote.
Dak worked his final shift on June 3 before peacefully passing away from natural causes on June 7.
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“More than his statistics and accomplishments, Dak was a loyal partner, trusted teammate, and beloved member of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. His legacy will live on through the work he accomplished, the bond he shared with his handler, and the many lives he touched throughout his career,” OHP said.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma captures third MCWS title, defeating North Carolina 13-2
It’s Boomer Sooner time in Omaha.
Oklahoma has won the 2026 Men’s College World Series, steamrolling through North Carolina in the winner-take-all Game 3, 13-2, capturing its first national title in over 30 years and third overall. The Sooners are the seventh straight SEC team to win the national championship.
A dogpile with cheers that made its way through the infiled, it closed out the Sooners’ one-for-the-ages NCAA tournament run.
for the third time in program history, the Oklahoma Sooners are national champions 🏆 pic.twitter.com/xEvjGxhqgM
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) June 23, 2026
It was an all-around masterclass for OU, jumping out to a 3-1 lead by the end of the third and never looking back. They put at least one run across the plate in four of the final six innings, including three in the fourth and four in the eighth.
The fourth was where Oklahoma’s upper hand became clear. Walker McDuffie’s three consecutive one-out walks loaded the bases, and UNC turned to star freshman Caden Glauber. The Tar Heels were previously 29-0 with whenever he pitched, but he was pulled after a walk and Jaxon Willits’ two-RBI single.
LJ Mercurius was outstanding on the mound, entering for starter Nick Wesloski in the third and tossing 5.2 innings, giving up just one run on four hits. It was his longest outing since April 17.
Outside of Mercurius, shortstop Jaxon Willits and Kyle Branch starred for the Sooners. The former went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and was named Most Outstanding Player, while Branch also went 3-for-4 with a homer and six RBIs, a career-high. He’s the third player all-time to record six or more RBIs in a national championship game.
The victory caps off OU’s gauntlet-like journey to the top. After finishing 11th in SEC regular season play, they knocked off five national seeds — three in the top five and two on the road — leaning on a trio of freshman arms and a historic power surge at the plate.
Men’s College World Series All-Tournament Team:
- Catcher: Deiten LaChance, Oklahoma
- First base: Erik Paulsen, North Carolina
- Second base: Gavin Gallaher, North Carolina
- Third base: Tyrus Hall, West Virginia
- Shortstop: Jaxon Willits, Oklahoma
- Outfield: Jason Walk, Oklahoma
- Outfield: Owen Hull, North Carolina
- Outfield: Dasan Harris, Oklahoma
- Designated Hitter: Adrian Rodriguez, Texas
- Pitcher: Joey Volchko, Georgia
- Pitcher: Caden Glauber, North Carolina
THE 2026 #MCWS ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/wlaQxxYFL3
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 23, 2026
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