Oklahoma
See how local Texas and Oklahoma commits fared the night before the Red River Rivalry game
Texas and Oklahoma will play for the 120th time Saturday, with UT leading the series 63-51-5.
They have played annually at the State Fair of Texas since 1929, according to The Associated Press, and when the Longhorns (5-0, 1-0) and Sooners (4-1, 1-1) meet Saturday for the first time as members of the SEC, it will be the first time in 40 years that Texas will play in the rivalry as the nation’s No. 1 team.
Both schools have recruiting classes that are among the best in the nation for the Class of 2025, with UT ranked No. 6 and OU No. 11. Each team has six commits from the Dallas area, and here is a look at how they did Friday night.
The five-star recruit, rated the third-best wide receiver in the nation, had four catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns in a 63-7 rout of North Garland. For the season, he has 30 catches for 454 yards and six touchdowns for District 9-6A leader Sachse (6-1, 5-0).
The four-star recruit, rated the ninth-best linebacker in the nation, helped hold Lancaster to 10 first-half points before Lancaster rallied for a 30-19 win. Barnes came into the game averaging 12.4 tackles per game, with 62 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and five sacks in five games.
The four-star recruit flipped his commitment from Florida State to Texas on Thursday. The 20th-ranked player in the state had six catches for 86 yards and three touchdowns in a 70-0 rout of Frisco Independence. McCutcheon has 37 catches for 518 yards and 10 touchdowns for Lovejoy (4-2, 4-0), which has won four in a row and is tied with Prosper Walnut Grove for first place in District 4-5A Division II.
The nation’s 11th-ranked team allowed just 160 total yards, including 69 yards on 32 carries on the ground, in a 66-7 win over Mansfield Lake Ridge. North Crowley (6-0, 2-0) has outscored the opposition 327-124 and is a half-game behind District 3-6A leader Crowley.
Cedar Hill had 473 yards of total offense, including 308 on the ground, in a 28-14 win over Mesquite. Cedar Hill (3-3, 2-1) is tied with back-to-back 6A Division II state champion DeSoto for third place in District 11-6A, one game behind Duncanville and Lancaster.
Lewisville (4-2, 3-0) dominated on the ground, rushing for 349 yards as it beat Flower Mound 45-17 and remained tied with Coppell for first place in District 5-6A. Fasusi, a five-star recruit, is rated the third-best offensive lineman and 13th-best overall player in the nation.
The four-star recruit, a transfer from Carl Albert (Okla.) and the No. 2-ranked quarterback in the Dallas area, accounted for 241 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-10 win over Hebron. Sperry has thrown for 1,120 yards and 13 touchdowns and run for 306 yards and a score as Guyer (4-2, 2-1) is one game behind District 5-6A co-leaders Coppell and Lewisville.
The four-star recruit had five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown in a 30-19 win against Skyline. Choice has 30 receptions for 525 yards and four touchdowns as Lancaster (3-3, 3-0) has won three in a row and is tied with back-to-back Class 6A Division I state champion Duncanville for first place in District 11-6A.
Ennis beat Greenville 52-15 after losing four of its first five games. Harris entered Friday averaging 103.6 receiving yards per game, with 30 catches for 518 yards and three touchdowns. He had also thrown a touchdown pass and run for 142 yards and two scores.
Emerson led 17-14 at halftime but lost 44-31 to Anna. Hawkins, the nation’s 47th-ranked cornerback, is the brother of Michael Hawkins Jr., who will be the first true freshman quarterback to ever start for Oklahoma against Texas on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl.
The nation’s 59th-ranked interior offensive lineman had a bye in Week 7.
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Oklahoma running back Jovantae Barnes was upgraded on the second College Football Playoff availability report of the week.
Barnes appeared on Tuesday’s report as probable, but he was left off Wednesday’s report, meaning he will be available for Friday’s contest against Alabama.
Barnes appeared in four games during the regular season, carrying the ball 19 times for 45 yards and a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 16 yards.
The senior running back was able to redshirt by only playing in four games. Postseason games, including the College Football Playoff, do not count against eligibility, so Barnes will be able to maintain eligibility in 2026 and still be able to take the field for the Sooners in the CFP.
Oklahoma’s main injury concern, center Jake Maikkula, continues to linger.
Maikkula was listed as questionable on the report for the second straight day.
Maikkula missed OU’s regular-season finale against LSU due to what Brent Venables labeled as an “infection”. He was fully suited up during a brief 15-minute practice viewing window on Monday, but he was working off to the side instead of with Oklahoma’s starting offensive line group.
Read More Oklahoma Football
Oklahoma’s best news of the week came on Tuesday.
Star pass rusher R Mason Thomas was not listed on the week’s first availability report, meaning he’s good to go to take on the Crimson Tide.
Thomas earned All-SEC First Team honors in 2025 despite missing a majority of Red November.
He appeared in nine regular-season games, totaling 23 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Thomas also forced two fumbles, and he scooped up a Joey Aguilar fumble and returned it all the way for a touchdown. He sustained a quad injury on the play, however, which cost him the Alabama, Missouri and LSU games.
Thomas also missed the first half of OU’s SEC opener against Auburn after he was ejected in the second half of Oklahoma’s win over Temple for targeting.
Defensive backs Gentry Williams, Kendel Dolby and Jeremiah Newcombe were all ruled out for the CFP opener on Tuesday.
Dolby announced that he intends to enter the transfer portal on Wednesday.
When asked about the defensive back after Dolby’s announcement on Wednesday, Venables was short.
“I’m not going to talk about anybody that’s not here,” he said.
Alabama tight ends Josh Cuevas and Danny Lewis Jr. were both upgraded to probable after the tight end duo was listed as questionable on the week’s first availability report.
The Sooners and the Crimson Tide will battle at 7 p.m. on Friday, and the game will air on ABC and ESPN.
Oklahoma
Six bridges damaged by semi truck hauling ‘illegally over-height’ load, Oklahoma Turnpike Authority says
Oklahoma authorities are investigating multiple bridge strikes that occurred along the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike on Tuesday afternoon.
On December 16, 2025, “an illegally over-height commercial motor vehicle drove this afternoon from Tulsa to near Miami,” causing damage to “multiple county bridges above the I-44/Will Rogers Turnpike,” according to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA).
The OTA notes that “it is illegal for trucks taller than 14 feet to travel the state highway system without permits and approved routes. The bridges damaged today range from 14 feet and 11 inches to 15 feet and 4 inches in vertical clearance, well above the legal limit.”
“We are continuing to see damage to our state transportation infrastructure from illegal, over-height semi-trucks. This is a critical issue that puts the traveling public at risk and is unacceptable. We are extremely grateful no one was injured in this incident,” OTA Executive Director Joe Echelle said. “We implore truck drivers to follow all Oklahoma laws and work with the state’s Size and Weights permitting office to ensure that all travelers are safe on our roadways and that our infrastructure remains undamaged by these careless acts.”
Officials say that the following bridges were struck:
- E. 530 Rd. – closed between S. 4130 Rd. and Lakeway Rd.
- S. 4220 Rd. – closed between E. 460 Rd. and E. 470 Rd. east of Claremore
- N. 429 Rd. – closed between E. 390 Rd. and SH-28
- N. 4300 Rd. – closed between E. 380 Rd. and W. 390 Rd.
- N. 4310 Rd. – open
- W. 370 Rd. – open
The Will Rogers Turnpike is open, but drivers should expect temporary delays as crews continue to inspect the damaged bridges.
“OTA is working closely with officials from Rogers County, City of Claremore, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and ODOT in response to this incident,” the agency said.
For the second time this year, we’ll see Oklahoma and Alabama face off in a pivotal showdown.
The Sooners (10-2) will host the Crimson Tide (10-3) for a College Football Playoff showdown Friday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The last time these teams faced off, Oklahoma came away with a 23-21 win over Alabama on the road.
Will Oklahoma once again topple Alabama? Here’s everything fans should know about Oklahoma-Alabama in the CFP:
How to watch Oklahoma-Alabama in the CFP
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19
Where: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Norman, Oklahoma)
TV: ABC/ESPN Streaming: ESPN app
A prime-time showdown
None of the four first-round College Football Playoff games overlap, but Alabama-Oklahoma really takes center stage.
With the other three games on Saturday, including Texas A&M-Miami, this game is the only one on Friday night and doesn’t overlap with any of Saturday’s NFL action like Tulane-Ole Miss and James Madison-Oregon do.
It shouldn’t be as cold as it has been lately in Norman, Okla., as early forecasts are expecting temperatures in the lower-50s and upper-40s on Friday. Combine that with a 7 p.m. kickoff that gives Oklahoma fans plenty of time to tailgate and get riled up for the game, and “The Palace on the Prairie” should be a sight to behold as it hosts its first CFP game.
Oklahoma-Alabama head-to-head
Oklahoma and Alabama have faced off eight times in the past. The Sooners lead the all-time series 5-2-1. As we mentioned above, Oklahoma won the latest matchup in the 2025 regular season.
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— Can Oklahoma beat Alabama again in the CFP? History isn’t on its side
— Five storylines for Oklahoma-Alabama: A shot at revenge, turnover battle and more
— 10 things to know about Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables as Sooners head to CFP
— Brent Venables’ aggressive defense gives Oklahoma different look than past CFP teams
— Final College Football Playoff bracket: See where Texas Tech, A&M and Oklahoma landed
Find more Oklahoma coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
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