Mackenzie Alleyne gave Oklahoma something to hang onto in an otherwise rough afternoon against Michigan, and now the Sooners may have a reason to keep feeding him the ball.
In Saturday’s 17-10 loss, Alleyne delivered OU’s only touchdown with a 22-yard catch from quarterback John Mateer in the third quarter. It was his first reception since transferring to Oklahoma from Washington State after the 2025 season, and it came in a game where the Sooners struggled to generate much of anything on offense.
“I was glad to make the most out of my opportunity,” Alleyne said. “Got my number called, and it was just the best feeling ever seeing the ball in the air, knowing I was going to be in the end zone. Getting the crowd excited is all I wanted to do.”
Alleyne’s path to Norman included a strong finish to his time with the Cougars. In Washington State’s Potato Bowl win over Utah State, his final game there, he caught three passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Now in his third college football season, he’s already shown he can make limited chances count.
That was true again against Michigan. Alleyne played only 15 snaps in his first two games with the Sooners, but when the opportunity came Saturday, he made it matter. Pro Football Focus graded him as Oklahoma’s top offensive player in the game with a 71, and he was the only Sooners player to finish above 70.
Brent Venables wasn’t surprised.
“He might have been the most productive guy all spring,” Venables said. “He’s just a really good football player, knows how to play the game.”
Oklahoma, meanwhile, needs help in a hurry. The offense managed just 289 yards against Michigan and averaged 3.4 yards per carry. Mateer finished 17 of 33 for 189 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and the Sooners never found a rhythm.
Alleyne could be one answer if his role grows. He already has a built-in comfort level with Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, both of whom came to Norman from Washington State after the 2024 season. That familiarity helped him settle in during the offseason and showed up on the touchdown play against Michigan.
“When I first got here, it was pretty similar, learning the playbook again,” Alleyne said. “Hearing the playbook and hearing the words again, it clicked and it was pretty easy."
The Sooners also need another receiver to emerge after Venables said transfer wideout Trell Harris will be “out for the foreseeable future” on Tuesday. That makes Alleyne’s timing even more valuable.
Arbuckle sounds convinced the receiver is ready for a bigger stage.
“That's who he is,” Arbuckle said. “That's who he's been since he has shown up here… He was just ready for the moment, and you have to be because you never know whenever that moment turns into something in the game that could be a difference maker.”
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Oklahoma Now Has To Silence A Brent Venables Debate Fast
The loss to Michigan has already sparked a familiar kind of noise around Brent Venables, with his recent contract extension becoming an easy target for criticism in the wake of a rough result. Paul Finebaum went public with the kind of blunt take that tends to gain traction fast, calling the extension a poor decision and pointing to Venables performance despite Oklahomas recent College Football Playoff appearance.
For Oklahoma, the debate is bigger than one September setback, even if that kind of loss can shape the conversation for days. A single game should not be treated as a verdict on Venables or on where the Sooners season is headed, but it does mean the pressure to steady things now is real, and the longer the chatter lingers, the harder it gets to keep the focus on football. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Just Added Another Huge Name To Its Softball Future
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Schladers rise has matched the kind of national profile Oklahoma has built its roster around, and her recognition as Gatorades Iowa softball player of the year only adds to the appeal. For a program that lives at the top of the sport, landing another highly ranked prospect in her class is the sort of move that keeps the future looking as loaded as the present. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma's Offensive Line Suddenly Has A Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Oklahomas offensive line is already under scrutiny after the Michigan game, and now the group is dealing with another layer of uncertainty. Left tackle Michael Fasusi was out because of a shoulder injury, forcing another shuffle up front for a unit that had trouble holding up as the Sooners tried to establish any rhythm against a physical front.
The protection issues showed up in quarterback John Mateers afternoon, and Pro Football Focus graded several Oklahoma linemen poorly in the loss. While the offense searched for answers, a few other Sooners did stand out, including tight end Rocky Beers and punter Grayson Miller, but the bigger question now is whether the line can settle itself before the problems start carrying over into more than one game. [Read more 🡒]