Oklahoma
Which Oklahoma Freshmen Could Break Out In the Cheez-It Bowl?
As Oklahoma shifts its consideration from a disappointing common season to a troublesome, top-15 opponent within the Cheez-It Bowl, proficient children must fill large sneakers within the Sooners’ season finale.
After dropping six video games and ending the season at a fair .500, Oklahoma drew simply in regards to the hardest bowl matchup potential. Exterior of TCU, who’s now ranked within the prime 4 and headed to the Faculty Soccer Playoff, No. 9 Florida State is the very best ranked staff on the Sooners’ schedule this season.
Regardless of a three-game skid in opposition to three prime ACC groups in the course of the season, the Seminoles rallied to 9 whole wins, ending the season on a five-game win streak.
Veteran quarterback Jordan Travis is an enormous motive for Florida State’s enchancment, as he led the Noles to this system’s finest document since 2016. Travis introduced consistency to the offense, throwing for two,796 yards and 22 touchdowns and recording simply 4 whole interceptions.
Florida State’s balanced dashing assault might give the shorthanded Sooners issues, too, as Trey Benson is as proficient as they arrive. The sophomore operating again, who began his profession at Oregon, totaled 965 yards and 9 touchdowns on the bottom at 6.8 yards per carry.
Brent Venables will definitely have his palms full with the Seminoles’ proficient solid, however making issues worse, the Sooners shall be with no handful of important gamers. Working again Eric Grey, offensive linemen Anton Harrison and Wanya Morris, and defensive lineman Jalen Redmond have all opted out of the bowl recreation.
As well as, quite a few gamers entered the switch portal early in December. Most distinguished of these is longtime huge receiver Theo Wease, who introduced his switch to Missouri, leaving the Sooners down a cross catcher.
In all, it will likely be an important probability for Oklahoma’s youth to play free. Typically, a staff with nothing to lose is essentially the most harmful staff on the sphere.
Listed below are a number of proficient children who might use a breakout bowl recreation efficiency to spur on an enormous time 2023 season (with knowledge from Professional Soccer Focus):
Jovantae Barnes
Grey’s early departure definitely leaves a gap in Oklahoma’s operating again room, but it surely looks like Barnes has been ready for a much bigger alternative all season lengthy. It’s not typically {that a} true freshman operating operating again carves out enjoying time, however Barnes snatched away the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind 411 yards and 4 touchdowns, recording 4.6 yards per carry.
Oklahoma’s offensive line shall be shorthanded in opposition to the Seminoles, however shifting ahead, Barnes ought to have stout blockers over the following few seasons. He has an opportunity to be a particular operating again at OU, and a breakout efficiency within the bowl recreation would simply add gasoline to the hearth.
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Offensive snaps in 2022: 193
PFF Grade: 69.9
Jayden Gibson
Gibson’s affect on the sphere this season wasn’t felt as a lot as some anticipated. Regardless of being a real freshman, his bodily traits are arduous to disregard, and his velocity on the sphere is obvious. With Wease’s departure, although, Oklahoma must rotate guys round all through the huge receiver room. As Gibson plans on being a star sooner or later, a great quantity of these reps could possibly be headed his approach within the Cheez-It Bowl. Plus, connecting on a cross or two with Dillon Gabriel earlier than subsequent season might go a great distance for the pair.
Offensive snaps in 2022: 92
PFF Grade: 53.8
Jacob Sexton, Jake Taylor
Oklahoma’s pair of extremely touted offensive linemen acquired reward from the teaching workers each within the offseason and all through the autumn, and now the duo goes to get an opportunity to show it on the sphere. With a number of spots opening on the road subsequent season, each Sexton and Taylor might every declare a leg up within the competitors heading into the Spring. Oklahoma’s proficient younger operating backs growing chemistry with the offensive line core shall be a recipe of success for the following few seasons.
Offensive snaps in 2022: 68, 41
PFF Grade: 58.9, 57.5
Gentry Williams
Typically the depth within the defensive again room brought on freshmen like Williams to get misplaced within the rotation. Over the previous couple of video games of the season, Williams noticed prolonged motion and held his personal. His blazing velocity provides the Sooners a real benefit on the skin, and as a big-time recruit securing snaps in his first season on campus, the longer term definitely seems to be brilliant. He might get an opportunity to have an prolonged alternative with the Sooners’ opt-outs and willingness to play younger expertise within the bowl recreation.
Defensive snaps in 2022: 60
PFF Grade: 60.4
The Oklahoma Sooners are one win away from advancing to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament. All that stands in the way are the Cal Golden Bears. Cal survived their first elimination game with a 4-0 shutout to beat Omaha for the second time to eliminate the Mavericks.
The Sooners are looking to make it to the Super Regional round for the 15th tournament in a row. The 2020 tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s been an incredible run for this young Sooners team, which has risen to the occasion during the postseason. Since the SEC tournament began, the Sooners are 4-0. In two NCAA Tournament games, Oklahoma has outscored their opponents 19-2.
Kasidi Pickering went 3-for-3 on Saturday with two home runs and six RBIs. She was the only Sooner to record multiple hits in the win. From the circle, Sam Landry picked up her 20th win of the season, scattering seven hits across four innings and allowing two runs. True freshman Audrey Lowry worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning to close out the win and extend her scoreless innings streak to 6 1/3 innings.
If the Sooners win their first matchup with Cal, Oklahoma will move on to face the winner of the Tuscaloosa regional final between Alabama and Virginia Tech. If Cal wins the first regional final, the Sooners will play the Bears in an elimination game right after.
Here’s how you can watch Oklahoma-Cal in the Norman Regional final.
What channel is Oklahoma-Boston on today?
TV Channel: ESPN+
Livestream: ESPN+
Watch Oklahoma vs. Cal live on ESPN+
Oklahoma-Cal time today
Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Start time: 1 p.m. CT, 3:30 p.m. CT for elimination game if OU loses game one.
Oklahoma Softball Schedule 2025
| Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 6 | Cal State Northridge | W, 7-2 |
| Feb. 6 | at San Diego State | W, 11-6 (9 inn.) |
| Feb. 7 | California Baptist | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 7 | Cal State Fullerton | W, 13-3 |
| Feb. 8 | Loyola Marymount | W, 9-0 |
| Feb. 9 | at Long Beach State | W, 2-0 (11 inn.) |
| Feb. 15 | Hofstra | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 15 | at No. 23/24 Baylor | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 16 | Hofstra | W, 11-3 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 16 | at No. 23/24 Baylor | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 22 | Tulsa | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 23 | Wichita State | W, 8-1 |
| Feb. 24 | Bowling Green | W, 8-5 (8 inn.) |
| Feb. 24 | Abilene Christian | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 28 | Marshall | W, 9-1 (5 inn.) |
| Feb. 28 | Kansas | W, 9-1 (6 inn.) |
| March 1 | Kansas | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| March 1 | Marshall | W, 11-0 (5 inn.) |
| March 2 | Kansas City | W, 17-1 (5 inn.) |
| March 7 | No. 10/11 South Carolina | W, 10-9 |
| March 9 | No. 10/11 South Carolina | W, 10-9 |
| March 9 | No. 10/11 South Carolina | W, 2-1 |
| March 12 | at Tulsa | W, 10-2 (6 inn.) |
| March 15 | at No. 15/12 Arkansas | W, 7-0 |
| March 15 | at No. 15/12 Arkansas | W, 6-4 |
| March 16 | at No. 15/12 Arkansas | W, 10-7 |
| March 19 | East Texas A&M | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| March 21 | at Missouri | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| March 22 | at Missouri | L, 3-1 |
| March 23 | at Missouri | W, 5-1 |
| March 26 | at Wichita State | W, 19-16 |
| March 28 | No. 10/9 Tennessee | L, 5-2 |
| March 29 | No. 10/9 Tennessee | W, 4-1 |
| March 30 | No. 10/9 Tennessee | L, 5-3 |
| April 1 | at UT-Arlington | W, 13-2 (5 inn.) |
| April 4 | St. Thomas | W, 12-4 (5 inn.) |
| April 4 | UCF | W, 6-0 |
| April 5 | UCF | Cancelled |
| April 9 | Oklahoma State (Devon Park, OKC) | W, 11-3 (5 inn.) |
| April 12 | at Alabama | W, 5-1 |
| April 13 | at Alabama | L, 6-1 |
| April 14 | at Alabama | L, 2-1 |
| April 18 | Mississippi State (Devon Park, OKC) | W, 4-0 |
| April 19 | Mississippi State (Devon Park, OKC) | W, 6-5 |
| April 20 | Mississippi State (Devon Park, OKC) | W, 9-6 |
| April 25 | Texas Longhorns | W, 7-6 |
| April 26 | Texas Longhorns | W, 7-2 |
| April 27 | Texas Longhorns | W, 9-8 |
| May 1 | at Florida | W, 6-5 |
| May 2 | at Florida | L, 9-4 |
| May 3 | at Florida | L, 6-4 |
| May 6-10 | SEC Tournament | Athens, Ga. |
| May 8 | vs. LSU | W, 4-1 |
| May 9 | vs. Arkansas | W, 8-6 |
| May 10 | vs. Texas A&M | Canceled |
| May 16-18 | NCAA Regionals | |
| May 16 | vs. Boston | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
| May 17 | vs. Cal | W, 11-2 (5 inn.) |
| May 18 | vs. Cal | 1 p.m. CT |
| May 18 | vs. Cal | 3:30 p.m. CT* |
| May 22-24 | NCAA Super Regionals | |
| May 29-June 6 | Women’s College World Series | Oklahoma City, Okla. |
*If Necessary
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NORMAN — Oklahoma is one win away from clinching a spot in next weekend’s Super Regionals.
OU downed the California Golden Bears behind a pair of home runs by Kasidi Pickering.
Her first came in Oklahoma’s first at-bat of the afternoon, then she returned to hammer a grand slam in the fourth to essentially end Saturday’s contest.
The 2-seeded Sooners finished off the 11-2 run rule victory in the top of the fifth at Love’s Field.
Oklahoma (47-7) gets to take the rest of the day off, while California (36-20) will have to battle out of the loser’s bracket on Saturday night.
Patty Gasso started Sam Landry in the circle for the second straight day, but the big offensive day made things easy on OU’s pitching staff.
Still, Cal put up a good fight against Landry.
The Golden Bears totaled seven hits off the Oklahoma ace, but the right-hander was able to strand runners in each of the first four innings to ensure Cal couldn’t battle back into the game.
Pickering needed just three pitches in the first to put the Sooners on top.
Cal immediately bounced back, however.
Left fielder Kaylee Pond bounced a home run off the foul pole in right field on the first pitch of the second inning to pull the Golden Bears back level with Oklahoma.
OU’s offense then plated four runs in the bottom of the second without an extra-base hit.
Cydney Sanders and Isabela Emerling put two aboard with walks and one out, then Cal starter Annabel Teperson hit Abby Dayton.
Oklahoma then got back-to-back-to-back singles from Pickering, Ella Parker and Sydney Barker, which each plated a run.
Barker’s single came off new Golden Bears pitcher Anna Reimers, then she plunked Gabbie Garcia to put OU up 5-1.
Reimers finally battled back with a pair of strikeouts to end the threat, and her offense got back to work in the top of the third.
The Golden Bears tallied three straight singles, the last of which by Acacia Anders plated a run to cut OU’s lead to 5-2.
Landry hit Pond to load the bases, but the Sooners rung up a double play to limit the damage to the lone run.
Cal loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the fourth, but Anders bounced out to third and OU was able to keep its 5-2 lead intact.
Barker’s second walk of the afternoon quickly turned into a run in the bottom half of the inning after Garcia hit her 17th home run of the year, which leads the team.
After Garcia’s bomb, a walk, a hit batter and a single loaded things up for Pickering’s grand slam.
Freshman left-hander Audrey Lowry entered for Landry in the fifth, and she closed the game out in the circle.
The Sooners will now wait for the loser’s bracket to work itself out to find out their opponents for tomorrow’s regional final, which starts at 1 p.m.
Omaha and Boston University will battle in the day’s first elimination game at approximately 3:30 p.m., and the winner of that will turn around and immediately take on Cal.
Whoever emerges to take on Oklahoma in Sunday’s regional final will have to beat the Sooners twice to advance to next weekend’s Super Regionals.
One win for OU will push it through to next weekend’s festivities.
NORMAN — Watch as Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso, outfielder Hannah Coor and third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas spoke to the media following OU’s 8-0 win over Boston University after five innings at Love’s Field on Friday night.
The Sooners moved into Saturday’s winner’s bracket contest against Cal after the Golden Bears beat Omaha 1-0 on Friday.
Saturday’s contest is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
Sam Landry started in the circle, and she quickly worked through three innings. She allowed two hits and a walk, while finishing with four strikeouts.
Kierston Deal took over for Landry in the fourth and she closed out the game for the Sooners.
OU’s offense plated runs in the second inning and a pair of runs in the third.
The Sooners walked the game off with a home run by freshman catcher Corri Hicks. It was her third long ball of the season.
McEnroe-Marinas and Coor both led OU with two RBIs each, and Tia Milloy and Isabela Emerling also added RBIs to help the offensive explosion in the second inning.
Boston University will take on Omaha in the Regional’s first elimination game on Saturday night at Love’s Field.
You can also watch the press conference on Youtube.
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