Oklahoma gets its chance to reset Saturday night in Norman, and the setup is straightforward: the Sooners need a cleaner showing after last week’s loss to Michigan, while New Mexico arrives unbeaten at 2-0.
The Sooners’ offense is the biggest storyline. Oklahoma has to find a better rhythm on the ground and get more out of John Mateer after an inefficient day against Michigan.
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle did not stay with a run game that showed some promise in the first half last week, and instead leaned on Mateer to carry the passing load when he wasn’t at his sharpest. Mateer said he and the offense would answer the right way, and now they get that shot.
New Mexico brings its own issues into the matchup. The Lobos are looking to clean up tackling problems from the first two weeks, when athletic quarterbacks hurt them with big runs. Their answer figures to be a heavy dose of the rushing attack, aimed at avoiding third-and-long situations against Brent Venables’ defense.
The game will air nationally on ESPN2 in Week 3 of the 2026 college football season. Jay Alter and Tom Luginbill will be on the call, with Laura Sisler reporting from the sideline. Streaming is available on ESPN Plus/Unlimited and FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Kickoff is set for Saturday, Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m. CT from Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma.
As for the projection, the call is Oklahoma 33, New Mexico 10. The expectation is that the Sooners handle business on both sides of the ball, with Mateer and the offense bouncing back and the defense playing with more discipline and fewer missed tackles.
The odds listed from BetMGM on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026 have Oklahoma favored by 21.5, with the over/under at 45.5.
In Other News...
Kirby Smart Just Put Oklahomas Brent Venables Defense In The Spotlight
Ahead of a matchup that already carries plenty of weight, Georgia coach Kirby Smart made sure to put Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables in the conversation for all the right reasons. Smart pointed to Venables reputation as a top-tier defensive mind and the history between the two coaches from Venables Clemson days, a reminder that this meeting is as much about elite game-planning as it is about the records each team brings in.
For Oklahoma, that kind of public praise only adds to the spotlight on Venables unit, which will be tested by one of the sports most familiar and demanding opponents. The Sooners have a chance to show that their defense can travel against a Georgia program that expects to dictate terms, and the buildup only sharpens the significance of whats coming next. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Heard The Boos With Georgia Up Next
John Mateer didnt need anyone to explain the frustration inside the stadium Saturday. Oklahomas quarterback said he heard the boos after two early interceptions against New Mexico, and while the Sooners still came away with a 14-6 win, the first-year signal-caller clearly knows the margin for error shrinks fast when the competition gets better. He settled in enough to finish with a 76% completion rate, 238 yards and two touchdowns, but the early mistakes were impossible to ignore.
Now the attention turns quickly to a much bigger test with No. 2 Georgia coming to town. For Oklahoma, the win over New Mexico was enough to survive, not enough to feel comfortable, and Mateers ability to clean up the giveaways will loom large against a defense that wont be nearly as forgiving. The Sooners got the result they needed, but the next one is where the conversation gets serious. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas Defense Is Carrying A Problem Sooners Fans Cant Ignore
Brent Venables has done exactly what Oklahoma hired him to do on the defensive side, turning that group into a far more reliable unit and pushing the Sooners up the national rankings in points allowed. It has given Oklahoma a sturdier identity and a chance to stay in games even when things get messy, which is a major shift from the recent past.
The problem is the other side of the ball has not kept pace. Since offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby and quarterback Dillon Gabriel moved on, the Sooners have had trouble finding the same rhythm, and the imbalance is becoming harder to overlook. For a program built to contend, the question now is whether a defense this good can keep carrying the load while the offense searches for answers. [Read more 🡒]