NORMAN — After his best college season yet, Gracen Halton returns to Oklahoma as one of the leaders on a veteran defensive line.

Halton, a 6-foot-2, 284-pound defensive tackle entering his senior year, played all of the Sooners’ 13 games in 2024 and started three of them. 

With several other veterans in OU’s front seven, Halton’s primary goal for 2025 is simple: be a major factor in one of the Sooners’ most experienced position groups.

“It’s great to have that experience, you know what I’m saying?” Halton said during a post-practice media in the spring. “Guys that know what to do, those guys can coach up the younger guys so that when we’re not here, the younger guys can take it to another level.”

Halton’s production in his first three seasons at OU was linear.

As a true freshman in 2022, he played in 10 games, finishing the season with 10 total tackles, with tackle for loss. Halton played 11 games in 2023 — zero starts — and ended the season with 3.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry.

Sunday Offering: Oklahoma Extends Several Offers to 2026, 2027 Prospects
Keep Up With Oklahoma’s NFL Free Agent Signings
Oklahoma’s Latest NFL Draft Streak Ends After 22 Years

And last year, Halton played a key role on the Sooners’ defensive line.

Halton finished the 2024 campaign with 30 tackles, six TFLs, five quarterback sacks, three hurries, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a safety. Halton earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors in the Sooners’ Week 2 win against Houston, logging two tackles for loss and the game-clinching safety.

Halton finished the 2024 season with a Pro Football Focus defensive grade of 75.4. That grade was second among OU interior defensive lineman who played more than 10 games, behind only David Stone (75.7).

Still, even after such a stellar season, Halton isn’t content. He used spring ball to improve both as a player and as a leader.

“I’ve been through it before,” Halton said. “So just taking it day by day, just really getting better at the things I need to. Knowing what I need to get better and just taking it and applying it on the field.”

Halton sees his run-stopping abilities as an area where he can get better. While Halton’s pass rush grade was 76.7 in 2024, his run defense grade was a bit lower at 71.3, fourth-best among Sooner defensive tackles.

“Just staying in those double teams,” Halton said. “Things that I watched film on myself from last year (in run defense). Things I feel like I need to get better at.”

OU’s defensive line is loaded with players who have played hundreds of snaps for the Sooners, including senior tackle Damonic Williams, senior defensive end R Mason Thomas, sophomore tackle Jayden Jackson and Stone, a sophomore. The Sooners also picked up former Florida State and Georgia defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. from the transfer portal.

In a defensive line group filled with talented, experienced players, cornerback Gentry Williams believes Halton will be a centerpiece again in 2025.

“Gracen Halton had an excellent season,” Williams said. “I think G-baby has done a really good job (in spring practice).”

Oklahoma also signed two defensive linemen — tackle Trent Wilson and defensive end Alex Shieldnight — in its 2025 recruiting class. 247Sports rated both Wilson and Shieldnight as 3-star prospects.

With an array of old and new talent up front for OU’s defense, it’s hard to predict what the Sooners’ defensive two-deep will look like. But it’s safe to assume Halton will be a key piece for OU’s d-line, no matter where he lines up.

“I feel very comfortable,” Halton said. “I feel like it came through last year like game four or five, getting comfortable in where I was playing. Now I’m just getting better at it. All the mistakes I made, just getting better at those.”

Oklahoma City Police say one man was injured after a 4-wheeler crash near Southwest 78th and South Hillcrest Drive.

Sunday, April 27th 2025, 11:03 pm

By:

Victor Pozadas

OKLAHOMA CITY –

Oklahoma City Police say one man was injured after a 4-wheeler crash near Southwest 78th and South Hillcrest Drive.

Authorities confirm a 25-year-old man was found unconscious but breathing, and was then transported to the hospital.

The current condition of the victim is unknown at this time.

Refresh the page as we post updates to this story.

No. 4 Oklahoma (41-5, 15-5 SEC) defeated No. 3 Texas (42-8, 13-7 SEC) 7-2 in game two on Saturday.

Oklahoma’s win in game one and Arkansas’ win over Texas A&M yesterday moved the Sooners into first place in the SEC standings. With Texas sitting in third, Oklahoma looked to further separate itself in the rankings to secure the No. 1 seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament.

Junior left-handed pitcher Kierston Deal’s  dominant, complete performance helped lead the Sooners to victory, as Deal, backed by a strong Oklahoma defense, kept a high-powered Texas offense in check for the majority of the game.

Deal made her 13th start of the season, repping an 8-1 record with a 2.98 ERA. After senior right-handed pitcher Sam Landry’s performance in game one, a big question heading into the game was how the rest of the Sooners’ pitching staff would hold up against a powerful Texas offense. 

Deal answered with a strong start in the first three innings. Similar to game one, Deal and the Sooners’ defense held the Longhorns to three scoreless innings, allowing only one hit in the second and striking out two batters. 

B2B punchies for @DealKierston 💥ℹ️» https://t.co/Th2U6csrhI pic.twitter.com/qII2twCIIi

— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 26, 2025

Oklahoma struck first for the second straight game with a two-out solo home run from sophomore utility Ella Parker deep over the right-field wall, giving Oklahoma a 1-0 lead in the third. The homer was the Sooners’ first hit of the day and the start of an explosive offensive rally. 

Junior left-fielder Abigale Dayton crushed a ball deep to right-center field, sending game one’s player of the game, junior second baseman Ailana Agbayani, home from first and extending Oklahoma’s lead to 2-0 in the fourth.

“I think it was just allowing myself to work for my team. They’ve been picking me up the last few games so being able to produce for them was really big,” Dayton said. “(Kierston Deal) is on the mound pitching a great game, so how do you not come up clutch for her?”

Dayton’s RBI double was her first hit of the series but not her last. With bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, Dayton lined a ball up the middle which was muffed by Texas’ center fielder Kayden Henry, allowing two runners to score and pushing the Sooners’ lead to 5-0.

Abby woke up on the clutch side of the bed today ❕5-0 Sooners! pic.twitter.com/W8NNM3CHtt

— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 27, 2025

Advertisement

Deal remained dialed in the circle, not allowing a single Texas hit through four more innings. The Longhorn’s offense couldn’t find an answer for Deal’s pitches, and when it did find contact, the Sooners’ defense moved quickly to make plays all over the diamond.

“Plays like that get you so fired up as a pitcher because all you want to do is just feed them ground balls, so they can make double plays,” Deal said. “You pitch so free knowing that you have a defense like that playing behind you.”

Redshirt freshman third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas provided extra insurance in the sixth with a two-run home run, as Oklahoma took a 7-0 lead for its largest of the series. 

Cap’n wants in 💣7-0 Sooners! pic.twitter.com/kZE78UqzZj

— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) April 27, 2025

Advertisement

The Sooners looked to seal the deal in the top of the seventh as a strikeout and pop fly sat down the first two Longhorn batters. However, Texas’ Victoria Hunter responded with a single followed by a two-run homer, eliminating a possible shutout before a final-out pop fly to sophomore right fielder Kasidi Pickering capitalized a dominant 7-2 Oklahoma win.

“The Sooners are normally finding their best late in the season,” head coach Patty Gasso said after the game. “To be able to do what we’re doing against Texas is a big deal to us and taking us forward to the SEC.”

The outing was Deal’s second complete game of the season, finishing with three strikeouts, four hits and two runs. The defensive performance was the Sooners’ best in the last three games, and the offense finished strong, scoring runs in each of the last four innings. 

Next, Oklahoma will look to hand Texas its first series sweep in SEC play in game three at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Love’s Field on ESPN2.

What channel is Oklahoma vs. Texas on today?

TV channel: ESPN2

Start time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Love’s Field

Notes: Oklahoma is coming off a 7-6 series-opening win over Texas. 

Oklahoma softball schedule

Feb. 6: Oklahoma 7, Cal State Northridge 2

Feb. 6: Oklahoma 11, San Diego State 6 (9 inn.)

Feb. 7: Oklahoma 8, Cal Baptist 0 (5 inn.)

Feb. 7: Oklahoma 13, Cal State Fullerton 3

Feb. 8: Oklahoma 9, Loyola Marymount 0

Feb 9: Oklahoma 2, Long Beach State 0 (11 inn.)

Feb. 15: Oklahoma 8, Hofstra 0 (5 inn.)

Feb. 15: Oklahoma 9, Baylor 1 (5 inn.)

Feb. 16: Oklahoma 11, Hoftsra 3 (5 inn.)

Feb. 16: Oklahoma 8, Baylor 0 (5 inn.)

Feb. 22: Oklahoma 8, Tulsa 0 (5 inn.)

Feb. 23: Oklahoma 8, Wichita State 1

Feb. 24: Oklahoma 8, Bowling Green 5 (8 inn.)

Feb. 24: Oklahoma 9, Abilene Christian 1 (5 inn.)

Feb. 28: Oklahoma 9, Marshall 1 (5 inn.)

Feb. 28: Oklahoma 9, Kansas 1 (6 inn.)

March 1: Oklahoma 8, Kansas 0 (5 inn.)

March 1: Oklahoma 11, Marshall 0 (5 inn.)

March 2: Oklahoma 17, Kansas City 1 (5 inn.)

March 7: Oklahoma 10, South Carolina 9

March 9: Oklahoma 10, South Carolina 9

March 9: Oklahoma 2, South Carolina 1

March 12: Oklahoma 10, Tulsa 2 (6 inn.)

March 14: Oklahoma 7, Arkansas 0

March 15: Oklahoma 6, Arkansas 4

March 16: Oklahoma 10, Arkansas 7

March 19: Oklahoma 8, East Texas A&M 0 (5 inn.)

March 21: Oklahoma 8, Missouri 0

March 22: Oklahoma 1, Missouri 3

March 23: Oklahoma 5, Missouri 1

March 26: Oklahoma 19, Wichita State 16

March 28: Oklahoma 2, Tennessee 5 (8 inn.)

March 29: Oklahoma 4, Tennessee 1

March 30: Oklahoma 3, Tennessee 5

April 1: Oklahoma 13, UT Arlington 2 (5 inn.)

April 4: Oklahoma 12, St. Thomas 4 (5 inn.)

April 4: Oklahoma 6, UCF 0

April 9: Oklahoma 11, Oklahoma State 3 (5 inn.)

April 12: Oklahoma 5, Alabama 1

April 13: Oklahoma 1, Alabama 6

April 14: Oklahoma 1, Alabama 2

April 18: Oklahoma 4, Mississippi State 0

April 20: Oklahoma 6, Mississippi State 5

April 20: Oklahoma 9, Mississippi State 6

April 25: Oklahoma 7, Texas 6

April 26: vs. Texas at 6:30 p.m. (TV: ESPN2)

April 27: vs. Texas at 1 p.m. (TV: ESPN2)

May 1: at Florida at 5 p.m. (TV: SECN)

May 2: at Florida at 5 p.m. (TV: SECN)

May 3: at Florida at 2 p.m. (TV: ESPNU)

This story was edited by Josh McDaniel.