NORMAN - Oklahoma had plenty going against it in Starkville, and not just the Mississippi State defense.
The Sooners spent the days before Saturday’s game dealing with illness across the roster, with dozens of players feeling under the weather. Even Brent Venables missed Tuesday’s press conference because of “flu-like symptoms”
None of it kept OU from grinding out a 23-15 win over the Bulldogs, a result that pushed the Sooners to 4-3 after a rocky start to the 2026 season.
“Our guys were heavily invested,” Venables said. “We got a bunch of tough guys.”
John Mateer was among the players hit by the bug, and he felt it all week. Still, he turned in what might have been his best outing of 2026, completing 22 of 29 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns while adding 37 rushing yards on nine carries.
“It was hard at times,” Mateer said. “I had a couple of plays where I’d start coughing and everybody’s like, ‘Dude, back up.’ But it was good."
Mateer wasn’t carrying the load alone. Tory Blaylock gave Oklahoma a lift on the ground with 71 rushing yards and a 5.9-yard average per carry, while Isaiah Sategna piled up eight catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. The defense chipped in too, forcing two turnovers and limiting Mississippi State to 352 yards.
“It’s a flu game for everybody,” Mateer said. “Not actually, but it was fun. It’s just another challenge that we got to do together.”
The win came with some messiness attached. Tate Sandell missed three field goals, Rocky Beers coughed up the ball while trying to hurdle a defender and Mississippi State’s Fluff Bothwell ran for 111 yards.
Still, given everything OU was dealing with, Venables liked what he saw from his team.
“You nurture that type of environment, that type of buy-in,” Venables said. “As we know, there’s more reasons than not to be a part of something like that in college football. So, to see our guys continue to stick together, dig in and fight for each other, fight for victory is really rewarding.”
The Sooners now head home to face South Carolina next week.
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Sooners Face A Corner-Turning Test Against A Dangerous South Carolina
Oklahoma heads into Saturdays matchup with a chance to do something it has not managed yet this season: stack consecutive wins. At 4-3, the Sooners return home to Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to meet a South Carolina team that looked sluggish early but has now won two straight conference games, a reminder that this is still a league race with plenty of turn left in it.
John Mateer will be central to Oklahomas hopes of continuing that momentum, but the challenge is a real one. South Carolina brings a dynamic presence at quarterback in LaNorris Sellers and a disruptive defensive piece in Dylan Stewart, giving the Gamecocks the kind of playmakers that can tilt a game quickly. It makes this a useful measuring-stick afternoon for Oklahoma, with kickoff on Saturday and the SEC Network carrying the broadcast. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Brings One Big SEC Question Oklahoma Fans Should Watch
Mississippi States trip into this stretch of SEC road life comes with a few questions attached, and the biggest one for Oklahoma fans to keep an eye on is who the Bulldogs can actually trust at quarterback. The matchup arrives with Mississippi State trying to stop a three-game skid, and the uncertainty around Kamario Taylors injury only adds to the sense that this offense is searching for answers while the defense has also been fighting through recent struggles.
For Oklahoma, the broader interest is less about the Bulldogs record and more about what kind of version of Mississippi State shows up once the game gets going. A team that has had to lean on key players and work through instability on both sides of the ball can still create problems if it settles in early, and the history between the programs adds a little more texture to the conversation. Even with the current issues, this is the kind of SEC test that can change fast depending on who is available and who takes control first. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Just Landed A Big Recruiting Opportunity This Month
Fresh off a win over Mississippi State, Oklahoma is still very much in the middle of the kind of recruiting stretch that can shape the next few classes. The Sooners are set to host South Carolina next, but the staff also has its eye on the sidelines and the visitor list, where a few high school prospects are mapping out their next rounds of campus stops while sorting through offers from multiple programs.
Among them are 2028 defensive linemen Malakai Leilua and Brynnen Thompson, along with 2029 tight end Wyatt Cordray, all of whom have visits lined up at Oklahoma and elsewhere. For a program trying to keep momentum on the field and on the trail, the next few weeks matter almost as much as the next game, even if the real decision-making is still a long way from being finished. [Read more 🡒]