Oklahoma’s first trip to Starkville now has a start time.
The SEC announced Monday that the Sooners’ first-ever meeting with Mississippi State will kick off Oct. 24 at 2:30 p.m. CT at Davis Wade Stadium. The game will air on either ESPN or SEC Network.
It’s a new matchup on the field, but there’s plenty of familiar ground around it. Jeff Lebby, now in his third season as Mississippi State’s head coach, will face Brent Venables and Oklahoma for the first time since leaving his role as Sooners offensive coordinator after the 2023 season. Lebby handled OU’s offense and coached quarterbacks during Venables’ first two years in Norman, guiding a team that went 6-7 in 2022 and then 10-2 in the regular season in 2023 before taking the Mississippi State job.
Lebby’s first head-coaching opportunity has been a bumpy climb. He is 11-19 overall at Mississippi State, including a 2-10 debut and a 5-8 record last season.
This year, though, the Bulldogs have opened 4-1 and picked up a top 25 win against Missouri. Mississippi State is ranked 16th in the latest AP poll, and quarterback Kamario Taylor leads the SEC in passing.
The Bulldogs’ roster also carries a few ties back to Norman. Former Oklahoma players on Mississippi State’s team include receiver Zion Ragins, who has 11 catches for 184 yards and four touchdowns, defensive back Kendel Dolby with 22 tackles, and offensive lineman Isaiah Dent.
Mississippi State is coming off its first defeat of the season, a 56-23 loss at home to Alabama in Week 5. The Bulldogs had a bye in Week 6 and will return to action this weekend against No. 22 LSU in Baton Rouge before hosting Oklahoma.
The Sooners will get there after a big night in Dallas. Oklahoma followed its 27-24 upset of then-No.
1 Texas in the Red River Rivalry by returning home for its SEC opener at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Next up for OU is No.
15 Kentucky on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network.
In Other News...
Freshman Gave Oklahoma A Huge Lift In Its Biggest Moment
Oklahomas upset of then-No. 1 Texas was the kind of game that can reveal a lot about a young roster, and freshman Noah Best gave the Sooners another reason to feel good about where things are headed. Making his first start at left guard, Best stepped into a huge spot and helped steady the line in a win that demanded composure as much as production.
Bests day stood out not only because he was thrust into the starting role, but because he fit into the emotional fabric of the game too. Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle singled out the way Best reacted after a key reception by Lloyd Avant, noting the freshman was among the first Sooners to greet him and help keep the sideline energy up. For a team trying to build belief in big moments, that kind of presence can matter as much as the snap-by-snap work. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Faces A Big Test After The Texas Statement Win
Kentucky brings a four-game winning streak into Norman for a meeting that suddenly looks a lot more interesting than it did a few weeks ago. The Wildcats have built momentum with a road-tested edge, capped by an overtime win over LSU, while Oklahoma is coming off one of its biggest statements of the season with a victory over then-No. 1 Texas.
The matchup now asks the Sooners to handle the next challenge just as cleanly as the last one, and both coaching staffs have already pointed to the same thing: focus. For Oklahoma, the task is staying grounded after a marquee win. For Kentucky, it is trying to prove the recent surge travels against a team that has already shown it can rise to the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Debate Gets More Awkward After Oklahoma Win
Arch Mannings rough afternoon against Oklahoma only sharpened the spotlight that follows him everywhere, and it quickly turned into another round of debate about how much of his evaluation is being shaped by the family name on the back of the jersey. After the two interceptions, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian pushed back on the criticism by arguing Manning would draw a very different reaction if he were playing without the recognition that comes with being an Manning.
The discussion did not stay within the Texas locker room for long. ESPNs Paul Finebaum and Jordan Rodgers both publicly took issue with Sarkisians defense, and the pushback added another layer to a conversation that has followed Manning all season. For Oklahoma fans, it was a familiar kind of aftermath from a rivalry game: the Sooners got the win, and the fallout centered on whether Texas quarterback is being judged too kindly or too harshly, with the larger question about his current level of play still hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]