Oklahoma’s offense is building momentum at the right time, and the latest proof came in the Sooners’ 23-15 win over Mississippi State.
The box score tells part of the story: 467 total yards against an SEC opponent, the program’s biggest offensive output in conference play since joining the SEC in 2024. But the more revealing detail is how Oklahoma got there.
This wasn’t a one-quarter burst or a fluky scoring run. The Sooners put together a full four quarters of production, something they haven’t done often enough this season.
That progress has been showing up for weeks. Over the last three games, Oklahoma has looked noticeably sharper on offense, and in nine of the last 10 quarters, the ball has moved well. That stretch reaches back to the second half against Texas, when the Sooners piled up 166 yards after managing only 72 in the first half.
Against Kentucky, the offense kept rolling early and finished with 346 yards, including 305 in the first three quarters. Things slowed late as the offensive line was hit by more injuries, but the overall efficiency was still a step forward.
Mississippi State was the cleanest version yet. Oklahoma stayed balanced, running for 184 yards on 41 carries while John Mateer threw for 283 yards on 29 attempts. The Sooners used a heavy run game and a quick passing attack in the first half, then opened things up after halftime with explosive runs from Tory Blaylock and Lloyd Avant, plus big throws from Mateer.
It still isn’t an offense that looks anything like 2023 or the Lincoln Riley era, and nobody is trying to pretend otherwise. But after facing four teams ranked in the top 30 in scoring defense, including New Mexico, which leads the nation in points per game allowed, Oklahoma has made real progress.
The bigger question now is whether it can last. If the Sooners keep leaning on the run game the way they did against Mississippi State and Mateer keeps taking care of the football, they’ll give themselves a chance to stay in every game the rest of the way.
In Other News...
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 🡒]