Oklahoma is heading to Starkville with no intention of playing the guessing game.
The Sooners are coming off their third defeat of the season, a 21-13 home loss to No. 15 Kentucky, and now they turn the page to Mississippi State.
That matchup brings a familiar face into the picture: Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby, an Oklahoma alum and Brent Venables’ first offensive coordinator. In his third season, he has Mississippi State sitting at 4-2.
A lot of the Bulldogs’ surge has run through Kamario Taylor. The quarterback has completed 66.2% of his passes for 1,450 yards and 17 touchdowns, putting himself into the early Heisman conversation. But a foot injury sidelined him in Mississippi State’s 31-0 loss to LSU, leaving his availability for Oklahoma uncertain.
Sooner safety Omarion Robinson said the defense isn’t letting that uncertainty change its approach.
"I don't think it's difficult," Robinson said via SoonerScoop." We are going to prepare for whoever gets in there.
So, we're just not going to wait and see. We are going to just practice like he is playing."
That’s the mindset Oklahoma is taking into a game where Mississippi State’s offense looks very different depending on who is behind center. With Taylor, the Bulldogs have a quarterback who can spread the ball around and create explosive plays. Without him, the Sooners know they still need to be ready for a completely different look.
For Oklahoma’s defense, the challenge is simple: stay disciplined, adjust quickly, and be ready for whatever Mississippi State throws at them on game day.
In Other News...
Oklahoma's Biggest Problem Heading Into Mississippi State Is Hard To Ignore
Oklahoma heads into its meeting with Mississippi State still trying to find a steadier gear on offense, and the concerns are hard to miss. John Mateer has flashed the kind of playmaking that can tilt a game, but the turnovers have been part of the package, and the Sooners have also had to lean on Avant to help keep the ground game moving when the passing attack bogs down.
Mississippi State brings its own uncertainty, starting with the quarterback situation, which adds another layer to a matchup already shaped by defenses on both sides. The Sooners will need to sort out their own ball security issues before they can worry much about the Bulldogs, because the margin for error shrinks fast when one offense is still searching for consistency and the other side is capable of making the game messy. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Fans Wont Like Why Ryan Fodje Stayed In Against Kentucky
Late in Oklahomas home loss to Kentucky, starting left tackle Ryan Fodje went down with a right ankle injury in the closing minutes of the third quarter and briefly headed to the sideline for examination. He came back with the ankle heavily taped, a sequence that mattered because the Sooners offense was already losing its grip on the game and needed stability in the worst possible spot.
Brent Venables said the call to put Fodje back in came with input from the training staff and from Fodje himself, a detail Oklahoma fans probably will not love given how the rest of the night unfolded. After he returned, the offense kept sputtering, with the protection issues showing up in the form of sacks and interceptions, leaving the injury decision as one more thing the Sooners will have to sort through after an ugly home result. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Faces One Big Offensive Concern Entering Mississippi State
Brent Venables missed Tuesdays press conference because of flu-like symptoms, leaving defensive tackles coach Todd Bates to field questions as Oklahoma turned the page toward Mississippi State. The conversation quickly settled on the offense, where the Sooners are still trying to get a steadier rhythm while the defense continues to hold up at a national level.
Ryan Fodjes injury status was part of the discussion, along with the broader issues on offense and the encouraging signs from running back Tory Blaylock as he works back from an early-season injury. For Oklahoma, the formula is clear enough: the defense is doing its part, but the offense still has to answer the biggest question hanging over this stretch of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]