Oklahoma
Sooners, Jayhawks meet in Super Regionals with trip to Omaha on the line
The road to Omaha runs through Lawrence this weekend.
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Oklahoma and Kansas will meet in the NCAA Super Regionals with a trip to the College World Series on the line. The best-of-three series features two of the hottest teams in college baseball after both pulled off major upsets during regional play.
The Sooners advanced by eliminating No. 2 national seed Georgia Tech in Atlanta, while Kansas swept through its home regional, including two wins over Arkansas.
Kansas radio analyst Kevin Wheeler joined Toby Rowland on the Oklahoma’s Own Sports Podcast this week and said the atmosphere at Hoglund Ballpark should be unlike anything fans have seen this season.
Kansas expects a packed and loud Hoglund Ballpark
“Every single pitch, the crowd lived and died with that moment,” Wheeler said. “It was really special to see that.”
Wheeler said the Jayhawks benefited from one of the best home-field environments in program history during regional play and expects an even larger crowd for the Super Regional.
Kansas recently expanded fan areas around the stadium and has continued to set attendance records during its historic season.
Historic season fuels Jayhawks’ confidence
The Jayhawks enter the weekend in the middle of one of the best seasons the program has ever seen.
Kansas won the Big 12 regular-season championship for the first time in more than 70 years, captured its first conference tournament title in two decades and hosted its first NCAA Regional.
Wheeler credited head coach Dan Fitzgerald for building a culture centered on team-first players.
“He doesn’t want the best player in the country. He wants the best teammate in the country,” Wheeler said.
Dominic Voegele and Kansas lineup present major challenge
Kansas is expected to start ace Dominic Voegele in Game 1.
Wheeler described Voegele as one of the best pitchers to ever wear a Jayhawk uniform, highlighting his upper-90s fastball, elite breaking ball and dominant strikeout numbers.
Offensively, the Jayhawks are led by shortstop Tyson LeBlanc, who has already broken the program’s single-season home run record.
Wheeler said Kansas’ lineup is dangerous from top to bottom, featuring a mix of power, athleticism and lineup balance that has helped fuel one of the nation’s most productive offenses.
Why Kansas respects Oklahoma’s postseason run
While Kansas has enjoyed a dream season, Wheeler said the Jayhawks understand the challenge awaiting them this weekend.
Oklahoma enters the series after knocking off Georgia Tech twice in Atlanta and overcoming multiple deficits during regional play.
“If I was Oklahoma, I’d be on cloud nine,” Wheeler said. “I think that’s the kind of team that doesn’t even think they can get beat right now.”
Both programs enter the weekend believing they have what it takes to reach Omaha.
Game 1 between Oklahoma and Kansas is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday in Lawrence. Game 2 will be played Sunday at 5 p.m., with a winner-take-all Game 3 set for Monday if necessary.
One team will leave Lawrence headed to the College World Series.
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.
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