Connect with us

Oklahoma

Three Matchups Oklahoma Must Win Against Tennessee

Published

on

Three Matchups Oklahoma Must Win Against Tennessee


The margin for error is gone for both Oklahoma and Tennessee. 

The No. 14-ranked Volunteers host the No. 18 Sooners on Saturday with both teams looking to stay alive in the College Football Playoff race. 

Both programs are 6-2 overall. All losses have come in SEC play, meaning the winner on Saturday night at Neyland Stadium will still need help to get to Atlanta. But whoever emerges victorious will be in a great position when the season’s first CFP rankings drop on Tuesday. 

Brent Venables’ defense will have its hands full yet again, this time facing Josh Heupel’s offense one week after matching wits with Lane Kiffin

Advertisement

If the Sooners win these three matchups, they’ll have a great chance to notch another legendary win in Knoxville. 

Oklahoma Sooners, Michael Fasusi

Oklahoma offensive lineman Michael Fasusi / Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Tennessee’s defense isn’t quite Alex Grinch’s “Speed D”, but Tim Banks’ unit will look familiar to OU fans. 

Given time to work in the pocket, opposing quarterbacks have shredded the Tennessee secondary.

The Vols are allowing 266.3 passing yards per game this season, which enters the week ranked 122nd in the FBS.

Teams have been able to throw and score on Tennessee, but not due to a lack of pressure. 

Advertisement

The Volunteers average 3.4 sacks per game, which ranks sixth in the country. 

Dominic Bailey and Joshua Josephs have done most of the damage for Tennessee this year. Bailey leads the team with 4.5 sacks, and he’s closely followed by four sacks from Josephs. 

True freshman Ryan Fodje performed admirably last week for the Sooners. When Derek Simmons went down, he bumped from guard to right tackle to make his first-career start after working for just two days at tackle. 

Across from him, fellow true freshman Michael Fasusi protects John Mateer’s blind side. 

Saturday night, Fasusi and Fodje will face a massive test. 

Advertisement

Not only will they be tasked with blocking productive pass rushers, they’ll have to do it in a deafening environment. 

Regardless of whether Heath Ozaeta or Eddy Pierre-Louis starts beside Fasusi, the Sooners will start a pair of underclassmen on the left side of the line. 

If OU’s line can hold up on the edge, then Mateer should have a clear enough picture to take advantage of Tennessee’s secondary. 

If not, it could be a long night for Oklahoma. 

Oklahoma Sooners, Taylor Wei

Oklahoma defensive end Taylor Wein is second in the SEC in tackles for loss through eight games. / NATE BILLINGS/FOR THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For their part, the Volunteer offensive line has kept quarterback Joey Aguilar clean. 

Advertisement

The Vols are 20th in sacks allowed per game, which has helped the offense rank third in first downs per game, third in passing offense and second in scoring offense in 2025.

Oklahoma needs star defensive end R Mason Thomas to have a good night. Add in a strong showing from Taylor Wein, who continues to grow into the season, and the Sooners could put real pressure on Aguilar. 

Wein ranks second in the SEC with 11 tackles for loss and he has 3.5 sacks through eight games. 

Lance Heard has started every game at left tackle for the Volunteers this year, and while Venables moves his defensive linemen all over the field, Wein will get plenty of chances to battle Heard on Saturday night. 

Oklahoma Sooners, Deion Burk

Oklahoma receiver Deion Burks flashes a smile in warmups at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee defensive back Colton Hood missed time against Kentucky due to a reported calf injury. 

Advertisement

He was not listed on the availability report this week, signaling he should be good to go on Saturday. 

Isaiah Sategna, Deion Burks and Javonnie Gibson will hope to test Hood and see if there are any lingering effects from the injury. 

Burks and Sategna’s speed could be crucial if Hood is half a step slow, assuming Mateer delivers the ball on time on Saturday night. 

If the OU quarterback can’t shake off last week’s poor showing against Mississippi, it might not matter who the Vols have in the secondary. 

Mateer missed plenty of open receivers in last week’s loss to the Rebels, something he hopes to make right at Neyland Stadium. 

Advertisement



Source link

Oklahoma

How Oklahoma GM Jim Nagy ‘Put More Around’ John Mateer During Offseason

Published

on

How Oklahoma GM Jim Nagy ‘Put More Around’ John Mateer During Offseason


Oklahoma general manager Jim Nagy experienced great success during his first year in Norman.

Nagy, who joined OU’s staff in February 2025, oversaw the Sooners’ scouting staff as Oklahoma reached the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019. He also helped OU sign a top-15 2026 recruiting class and land several key transfer portal players after the 2025 season.

Though the wins outweighed the losses in Nagy’s first year, the Sooners’ general manager knew that there was much to fortify during the offseason.

Advertisement

Oklahoma’s offense sputtered late in the season, as the Sooners scored fewer than 25 points in each of their last four games.

Advertisement

For Nagy, a major focus was surrounding OU quarterback John Mateer with quality talent.

“(We wanted to) just really put more around John Mateer,” Nagy said on The Dari Nowkhah Show on KREF on Friday.

Nagy and his scouting team added plenty of pieces from the portal that should elevate Oklahoma’s offense.

The Sooners signed three portal wideouts — Trell Harris (Virginia), Parker Livingstone (Texas) and Mackenzie Alleyne (Washington State) — after the 2025 season to join returning receivers Isaiah Sategna, Jer’Michael Carter and Jacob Jordan.

Advertisement


Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Advertisement

Sategna, who transferred to OU from Arkansas after the 2024 season, served as Mateer’s safety net in 2025. The receiver finished the year with 965 yards and eight touchdowns on 67 catches.

Advertisement

Harris and Livingstone are both proven producers at the Power Four level, and Nagy believes that those two will make OU’s receiving corps stronger in 2026.

“Those two, we’re very excited about both of those guys,” Nagy said.

Nagy also did plenty of work to ensure that OU’s run game improves in 2026.

The Sooners added three tight ends — Hayden Hansen (Florida), Rocky Beers (Colorado State) and Jack Van Dorselaer (Tennessee) — from the portal. They also added three transfer offensive linemen: Caleb Nitta (Western Kentucky), E’Marion Harris (Arkansas) and Peyton Joseph (Georgia Tech).

Advertisement

OU will have its two top running backs from the 2025 squad, Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock, back in 2026.

Advertisement

For those two to reach their full potential, the Sooners’ blockers will have to regularly open up running lanes — and Nagy is confident that they will.

“We have to run the ball better, there’s no way around that,” Nagy said. “Our job is to create more competition in every room in the offseason. I feel like we’ve done that.”

On the show, Nagy revealed that the Sooners added nearly 9,000 collegiate snaps to their roster during the offseason. 

The general manager believes that both sides of the ball will be stronger as a result of his scouting team’s offseason efforts and their collaboration with OU’s coaching staff.

Advertisement

“I’ve tried to be really intentional with our communication,” Nagy said. “There’s a common goal: We’re trying to win a national championship. This is a true partnership, and we all have the same goal in mind. It’s going to continue to evolve and get better.”

Advertisement

Oklahoma will open its 2026 season against UTEP on Sept. 5.



Source link

Continue Reading

Oklahoma

Elgin’s Ritson Meyer becomes four-time Oklahoma high school wrestling state champion

Published

on

Elgin’s Ritson Meyer becomes four-time Oklahoma high school wrestling state champion


play

The loss was on Ritson Meyer’s mind all week as he prepared for his final state wrestling tournament. 

A senior 215-pounder at Elgin, Meyer isn’t used to getting beaten, but he got a wake-up call when he lost against Coweta senior Aiven Robbins by five points in their regional championship match. 

Advertisement

For Meyer, it set in that winning his fourth state championship wouldn’t be an easy task. 

“I lost to him last week and I’m not a loser, so it was eating on me all week in practice,” Meyer said. “So (in) practice, I really leveled up everything. Everything about it.” 

Meyer and Robbins met again on Saturday, this time with the Class 5A state championship on the line. 

Intensely focused from the start, Meyer came out aggressive. And although it was another great match, Meyer did just enough to etch his name in the state history books. 

Meyer held on to beat Robbins in an 8-7 decision in the new OG&E Coliseum as he claimed his fourth state championship, while Coweta won the team title. 

Advertisement

An Abilene Christian football signee, Meyer’s wrestling days are over, but he leaves the sport with satisfaction. 

“I came out here — even though it hurt, even though I was tired — I got it done,” Meyer said. “I’m so happy. I got to celebrate with my parents, my family, my friends. It’s a crazy feeling.” 

Advertisement

A standout running back and linebacker on the gridiron, Meyer helped his team win the Class 4A state title in football as a junior before Elgin lost to Tuttle 23-20 in the 2025 championship game in December. 

It’s a different sport, but that loss fueled Meyer’s wrestling season in a way. 

“I like to tell people that wrestling is like offseason football,” Meyer said. “I can’t go out, lose. Everybody wanted me to win this. I won it for the whole entire community. First four-timer at Elgin. And that football (loss) really did eat me alive. It didn’t feel good at all, and I didn’t want that same feeling again.” 

Meyer had a great start against Robbins on Saturday and never trailed, but Robbins battled to set up a great finish and both were gassed when it was over. 

“I just gave it my all,” Meyer said, “and I got it done.” 

Advertisement

This article will be updated.

Nick Sardis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Nick? He can be reached at nsardis@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at@nicksardis. Sign up forThe Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Nick’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing adigital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Oklahoma

Oklahoma leaders react after U.S. and Israel launch joint attack on Iran

Published

on

Oklahoma leaders react after U.S.  and Israel launch joint attack on Iran


State leaders are reacting after the United States launched an attack on Iran Saturday morning.

U.S. Senator James Lankford said he is praying for the safety of the American service members involved in the attack.

“Iran remains the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and has long threatened the United States and our allies. Today’s military actions underscore the seriousness of that threat and the need to prevent Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Lankford said. “I’m praying for the safety of every American service member involved in these operations and for their families at home. God bless our troops and God bless America.”

Lankford also said that any Americans in the Middle East should keep an eye out for advisories and guidance from the U.S. Department of State.

Advertisement

U.S. Representative Tom Cole released a statement following the attack:

It’s a time of reckoning for those who chant ‘Death to America.’ President Trump is right when he calls the effort to eradicate Iran’s nuclear weapons program and give its people the opportunity to seize their freedom ‘a noble mission.’ The evil Iranian regime has been the leading state sponsor of terror for decades. It has killed thousands of people within and beyond its borders, including hundreds of Americans. It must be defanged and dismantled.

The President did not take this action lightly or impulsively. He has warned Iran repeatedly that it must change its policies and its actions. He has negotiated with Iran in good faith and with great clarity. It was the Iranian regime that chose to ignore those warnings and make a mockery of those negotiations. In doing so, its tyrannical leaders made an enormous miscalculation.

Our Commander in Chief has made clear that his goal is not just to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. It is also to give the Iranian people a chance to take back their country. Self-determination and freedom will be theirs to claim. I hope they will.

Like every American, my thoughts and prayers are with our brave and capable men and women in uniform who are carrying out this noble but hard and dangerous mission. I know that they will have the unwavering support of every American, and I am confident that they will acquit themselves with honor and distinction.

May God protect our troops and the innocent Iranian people – and once again – as He so often has, bless America.

U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin said he is praying for the United States’ men and women in uniform in a post on Saturday.

“May God bless and protect our men and women in uniform—the greatest peacekeeping force in the history of the world. Americans are praying for your safety in this mission,” Mullin said.

U.S. Representative Kevin Hern said the Iranian regime is a threat to the U.S. and President Trump was left with no other choice than to take action.

As the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, the Iranian regime is an active threat to the United States, our allies, and stability across the Middle East.”

Iran’s refusal to accept a deal left President Trump with no choice other than to take decisive action to ensure the regime never possesses a nuclear weapon. There is no peace without strength, and the United States will not sit by while this regime pursues their nuclear ambitions, fuels their terrorist proxies, and brutalizes the Iranian people. I’m praying for our brave troops in the region. May God bless them, and may God bless the United States.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a social media post that his prayers are with President Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth as they work to achieve a safer world.

Advertisement

“God bless and protect the men and women of the United States military engaged in the Middle East this weekend. My prayers are with our military, President Trump, Secretary Hegseth, and our Generals, as they use American force to achieve a safer world for the future of our children and grandchildren,” Drummond said.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending