The Oklahoma Sooners head to Starkville on Saturday looking to climb back above .500, and the margin for error feels thin after last week’s loss to Kentucky. With injuries stacking up across the roster, especially on offense, Brent Venables and his staff are going to need answers from all over the depth chart.
Mississippi State comes in with its own frustrations after a disappointing outing, so Week 8 sets up as a battle between two teams trying to find their footing again. For Oklahoma, these four names loom largest.
The offensive line remains the biggest issue on the board. Oklahoma’s front has been battered, and last week’s game pushed the Sooners into relying on third- and fourth-string options. Eddy Pierre-Louis and Ryan Fodje are out for this one, while Michael Fasusi and Heath Ozaeta are both uncertain.
That leaves Jake Maikkula, Noah Best, and E'Marion Harris as the clear starters in Starkville, with the final two spots still in flux. Peyton Joseph should see plenty of snaps, and Oklahoma can mix and match with Caleb Nitta, Deacon Schmitt, and Fred Hinton depending on what it needs. Right now, the line is not giving the offense much of a runway.
At receiver, Manny Choice is the player worth tracking after he flashed against Kentucky. He caught five passes for 98 yards in that loss, and with Oklahoma still searching for a reliable complement to Isaiah Sategna III, he may be ready for a bigger role.
The Sooners are short-handed there, too. Trell Harris is out, and Parker Livingstone and Elijah Thomas remain up in the air.
If those two can’t go, Oklahoma will need more from Mackenzie Alleyne, Jer'Michael Carter, and Jacob Jordan. The tight end group is in better shape, with only Trynae Washington unavailable.
Rocky Beers, Hayden Hansen, and Jack Van Dorselaer are all available.
Jonathan Hatton Jr. could also be in line for a larger workload. Behind Lloyd Avant, the running back room is dealing with its own injuries, as Tory Blaylock is not guaranteed to play and Xavier Robinson has not suited up in a few weeks.
That opens the door for more carries for Hatton, who has shown enough promise when given chances. Oklahoma badly needs to lean on the run game if it wants to succeed in the SEC, even though that has been a struggle so far during its time in the conference. Hatton looks like one of the backs who could be part of the answer moving forward.
On defense, the Sooners are in much better shape. Taylor Heim’s season-ending spring ball injury is the main issue at linebacker, and the biggest question now sits at cornerback.
Jacobe Johnson remains out, and Eli Bowen is still undecided for this week. If Bowen can’t play, Trystan Haynes could get another start after impressing with heavier duty over the last two weeks.
He’ll be working opposite Courtland Guillory and could see plenty of action against a Mississippi State passing game that likes to push the ball vertically. Dakoda Fields may also get more run, but Haynes is the key defensive back to watch in Starkville.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Has A Few Players Who Must Deliver In Starkville
Oklahoma heads to Starkville dealing with some familiar early-season uncertainty up front, and that makes the margin for error a little thinner than usual. With injuries on the offensive line complicating the Sooners preparation, the emphasis shifts quickly from comfort to survival, especially against a Mississippi State defense that will be looking to make the visitors work for everything.
On the other side, the Bulldogs bring their own question mark in the status of starting quarterback Kamario Taylor, which adds another layer to a game already full of moving parts. For Oklahoma, the bigger issue may be whether the right players can steady the offense while the defense does its part against a Mississippi State attack that has its own tendencies to sort through before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
OU Faces A Huge Defensive Question Heading Into Mississippi State
Brent Venables is planning for the kind of week that keeps defensive staffs up late. As Oklahoma gets ready for Mississippi State, the Sooners are preparing as if quarterback Kamario Taylor will be available, even though his recent injuries have left his status in question. Taylor has been central to the Bulldogs' offense and entered the matchup leading the SEC in passing yards and touchdowns, which makes his availability a major issue for an Oklahoma defense trying to sort out its game plan.
Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby has called Taylor day-to-day, and backup Billy Puckett stepped in to start last week when Taylor was out. For the Sooners, the challenge is less about who gets the first snap and more about being ready for both versions of the offense on short notice. With an SEC matchup looming, Oklahoma has to account for Taylor's explosiveness without losing sight of the possibility that Puckett could again be the one under center. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Heads Into A Rare SEC Setting With Unexpected History
Few opponents have felt as unfamiliar to Oklahoma as Mississippi State, and that comes down as much to geography as conference history. Even with both programs carrying plenty of tradition, their football paths have barely crossed over the years, and the Sooners have seldom found themselves on the road in Mississippi or lining up against SEC competition in that part of the country.
There is, though, one notable thread tying the programs together. Marcus Dupree was one of Oklahomas most heavily recruited players in the early 1980s, and after a brief stint with the Sooners, he eventually transferred to Southern Miss. It is a reminder that even a matchup with limited shared history can still carry an unexpected layer of old recruiting lore and unfinished football connections. [Read more 🡒]