Oklahoma
Who Will Return Kicks for Oklahoma in 2026?
NORMAN — Special teams was among the biggest reasons Oklahoma made the College Football Playoff in 2025.
Kicker Tate Sandell was a late addition out of the transfer portal from UTSA who wound up being pure gold: All-SEC, All-American, and even became the Sooners’ first Lou Groza Award winner as the best kicker in college football.
Punter Grayson Miller, an even more out-of-nowhere acquisition from the portal, lost out on the job initially but took over after the first game and wound up averaging 45.8 yards and earning All-SEC honors.
All-SEC wide receiver Isaiah Sategna lived up to his reputation as a dangerous punt returner at Arkansas, averaging 13.2 yards on returns last season, including a key 42-yarder in the regular-season win over Alabama.
All three of those players return next season, setting up Oklahoma’s special teams for a promising 2026 campaign.
The biggest question among the main special teams spots now is at kick returner.
In the final post-portal depth chart projection, we take a look at the Sooners’ special teams.
Oklahoma returned just two kickoffs last season, easily a record for the fewest in program history: a 15-yarder from Peyton Bowen in the season opener and a 1-yarder by Jaydn Ott a week later against Michigan.
Bowen and Sategna were at the top of the depth chart on kick returns last season, and though Bowen is back in 2026 as well, the Sooners might’ve picked up their kick returner in the transfer portal.
Running back Lloyd Avant returned kickoffs each of the last two seasons.
Read More Oklahoma Post-Portal Depth Chart Projections
At Tulsa in 2024, in his first collegiate game, Avant returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against Northwestern (LA) State.
He averaged 28 yards on 14 returns that season before transferring to Colorado State, where he averaged 24.4 yards on 11 returns last year. That experience and success might push him to the top of the depth chart at OU.
Sandell will be looking to rebound after a sour finish to the 2025 season.
After missing his first field goal of the season, he hit a school- and SEC-record 24 consecutive tries, including a 51-yarder to put the Sooners up 10-0 late in the first quarter against Alabama in the College Football Playoff.
But Sandell missed a pair of field goals in the final three minutes, helping end any chance for an Oklahoma comeback.
If Sandell can recover mentally from that finish, he figures to once again be a major asset.
He changed the way Ben Arbuckle called the offense at times, thanks to the near-automatic points on the board from even beyond 50 yards.
Jacob Ulrich was Oklahoma’s punter to start the season but when Ulrich had to miss the Michigan game due to illness, Miller took over and was fantastic.
Miller began his collegiate career as a soccer player at Lubbock Christian before transferring to UCO to play football. After two seasons there, he transferred to OU as an unheralded walk-on.
Miller averaged 47.8 yards on four punts against Michigan in Week 2 and the job was his.
Like Sandell, Miller had a bit of a rough ending to the season in the CFP loss to Alabama.
After a dropped pass that might have gone for a touchdown on third-and-long, Miller came in to punt, but dropped the snap, then scrambled to pick it up but his desperate punt attempt was blocked late in the first half.
Along with Sandell, Miller and Sategna, the Sooners also return their long snapper, Ben Anderson, who also earned All-SEC honors, as well as Ulrich, who served as Sandell’s holder on placekicks.
Projected Special Teams Depth Chart
Starters: Tate Sandell, RSr. (K); Grayson Miller, RSo. (P); Ben Anderson, RSr. (LS); Jacob Ulrich, RJr. (H); Lloyd Avant, So, (KR); Isaiah Sategna, Sr. (PR)
Backups: Trace Rudd, Fr. (K); Jacob Ulrich, RJr. (P); Seth Freeman, RFr. (LS); John Mateer, RSr. (H); Peyton Bowen, Sr. (KR/PR)
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Oklahoma Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 27, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 27 drawing
03-16-28-30-59, Powerball: 11, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from June 27 drawing
03-08-18-22-39, Star Ball: 06, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 27 drawing
3-6-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from June 27 drawing
15-17-20-25-26
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from June 27 drawing
02-26-34-43-45, Powerball: 15
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 27 drawing
26-32-38-51-52, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Sign Your Ticket: Please make sure to sign and complete the back of your ticket
- You have 180 days from the draw date to claim your prize.
- Prizes up to $600: Can be claimed at any Oklahoma Lottery retailer or at the Oklahoma Lottery Winner Center, located at 300 N. Broadway in downtown Oklahoma City. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 4:00 pm.
- Prizes from $601 to $49,999: These can be claimed at the Oklahoma Lottery Winner Center or by mail. Payments can be issued as a check or direct deposit (ACH). Claiming in person requires a photo of the front and back of the winning ticket, a valid ID, official proof of Social Security number and a completed claim form.
- Prizes of $50,000 or more: These can be claimed in person at the Oklahoma Lottery Winner Center or by mail. Payment options include check or ACH. Bring a photo of the front and back of the winning ticket, proof of Social Security number, a completed claim form, and valid ID.
Mail-in Claims: Mail the original signed ticket and a completed claim form to the Oklahoma Lottery, P.O. Box 548810, Oklahoma City, OK 73154. For direct deposit, include a voided check or bank letter with your account details. Non-winning tickets are not accepted, and Oklahoma Lottery assumes no responsibility for lost or stolen mail.
For additional details, refer to the official Oklahoma Lottery claim page.
When are the Oklahoma Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- MEGA Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Pick 3: 9:10 p.m. CT daily.
- Cash 5: 9:10 p.m. CT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oklahoma editor. You can send feedback using this form.
ICE plans to sell or transfer $700m in empty warehouses
US Immigration & Customs Enforcement is reportedly planning to sell or transfer seven unused warehouse facilities that were purchased as part of a major immigrant detention expansion effort.
unbranded – Newsworthy
President Donald Trump announced June 27 he would nominate Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper, to serve as director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“The Senate must CONFIRM Lance, IMMEDIATELY — Do not delay,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, calling Schroyer a “patriot” and asserting he would help carry out Trump’s broader immigration push to detain and deport individuals the administration describes as serious criminal offenders.
The move to fill the position comes months after Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE who oversaw immigration enforcement crackdowns linked to killings in Minnesota and Illinois, resigned as acting director at the end of May.
Schroyer has over 29 years in law enforcement in Oklahoma and is a U.S. Marine, Trump said. Most recently, Schroyer’s spearheaded federal-local immigration enforcement partnerships with ICE, including a program that allows state and local agencies to assist federal immigration authorities.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also praised the selection, saying Schroyer’s background positions him to advance the administration’s immigration enforcement goals and called on the Senate to act quickly to confirm him.
Who is Lance Schroyer?
Schroyer currently serves as senior adviser to the Department of Homeland Security, where he helps coordinate immigration enforcement strategy and interagency cooperation among federal, state and local partners, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
He previously served as a major with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, overseeing emergency and special operations units that handled disaster response, civil disturbance planning, abducted child recovery efforts and tactical operations.
ICE leadership vacancy and broader enforcement debate
ICE has not had a Senate-confirmed director since early 2017 and has largely been led by acting officials.
The nomination comes as the agency continues to play a central role in Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda. The Trump administration has expanded detention and deporation efforts as part of the president’s goals to crack down on people entering the country illegally. Immigration rights groups have raised concerns about civil liberties and detention conditions. ICE has faced scrutiny over enforcement actions and deaths in custody, including incidents that have prompted protests and public debate.
ICE’s detention strategies continue to evolve, including adjustments to how custody facilities are planned and utilized. At the same time, immigration enforcement officers are being deployed in more states, pointing to a wider national presence as part of the administration’s enforcement efforts.
Contributing: Reuters
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT
Nowata County Emergency Management is urging motorists to avoid several roads across the county as flooding continues following recent heavy rainfall.
Officials reported water over a bridge on County Road 408 south of Road 2, between Roads 2 and 3.
Roads to Avoid
Emergency management officials issued the following road advisories:
- Road 21 between Roads 420 and 419
- Road 419 north of U.S. Highway 60
- Road 420 between Roads 27 and 28
- Road 27 west of Road 421 near Panther Creek
Officials say these roads should be avoided because of flooding.
Road 2 Closed
Emergency management also announced that Road 2 (EW 2) is closed.
Officials said some areas of the roadway have approximately 12 inches of standing water.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid flooded roadways and seek alternate routes until water recedes.
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