Micah Rhodes waited until the timing could not feel any worse for Oklahoma.
Just two days before the Red River Rivalry, the 2028 four-star running back announced he was flipping from the Sooners to Texas, posting his commitment to the Longhorns on X just after midnight on Thursday - which also happened to be his birthday. For Oklahoma, the move has the potential to turn a big rivalry week into an even bigger headache if the Sooners don’t pull off the upset on Saturday.
Committed to The University of Texas #HookEm
- Micah Rhodes (@themicahrhodes) October 8, 2026
Rhodes is rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 12 running back in the 2028 class and the No. 166 overall player. He’s also listed as the No. 20 prospect in Texas out of Klein Oak High School.
The numbers match the hype. As a sophomore last season, Rhodes ran for 1,309 yards and 21 touchdowns. He had already been recognized as a MaxPreps Freshman All-America selection in 2024, which put him firmly on the radar as one of the class’s top backs early on.
His path to Texas has been winding, but not exactly surprising. Rhodes was originally Oklahoma’s first commit in the 2028 class back in January, and he made a real production out of that decision. He appeared on Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson’s podcast, "Night Cap," to announce he was joining the Sooners.
Thank you for having me! #BoomerSooner https://t.co/vs3mkZX3uq
- Micah Rhodes (@themicahrhodes) January 30, 2026
That pledge didn’t last long. It held for only 62 days before his decommitment surfaced on April Fools’ Day, and by then the signs were already pointing elsewhere.
The biggest clue was DeMarco Murray. Rhodes had made it clear that Oklahoma’s former running backs coach was the main reason he wanted to be a Sooner, so once Murray left about a month later for the same job with the Kansas City Chiefs, the flip started to look inevitable. Rhodes reacted to Murray’s departure on social media soon after the news broke.
😔😔😔
- Micah Rhodes (@themicahrhodes) February 12, 2026
A spring visit to Austin pushed things even further toward Texas. Rhodes was in Austin the weekend before his decommitment became public, and two days after that, multiple reports said the Longhorns were the favorites. At that point, the only real question was how long it would take for the move to become official.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, has already moved on to the next target at the position. Deland McCullough replaced Murray and arrived with his own background, having spent a season with the Las Vegas Raiders and previously working at Notre Dame. He has already gone after other backs, including an offer to top 2028 running back Kevin Hartsfield about a month after Rhodes backed away from his pledge.
The Sooners still haven’t added a 2028 running back to replace Rhodes, but the clearest path appears to be another Texan. Rivals national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman logged a prediction in July that Jayshawn Mitchell would land with Oklahoma.
Mitchell, who plays at San Antonio Brennan High School, is ranked even higher than Rhodes: No. 8 among running backs, No. 113 overall, and No. 12 in Texas. He has Texas among his top options, and he’ll be in Austin next weekend. But Rhodes’ choice may have helped trim the Longhorns from Mitchell’s picture.
Mitchell is scheduled to be in Norman on Oct. 31, when Oklahoma hosts South Carolina. He already visited Georgia last weekend and is set to be at Ohio State on Saturday, which gives the Sooners the last shot to make their case.
Rhodes’ flip will sting in Norman for now, but Oklahoma may still end up with a different answer at running back. Just as the Sooners moved from Murray to McCullough, they could wind up upgrading their 2028 backfield plan, too.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Has A Chad Weiberg Problem It Still Wont Address
Oklahoma States recent run of good energy around its athletic programs has been interrupted by something far more awkward in Stillwater: uncertainty at the top of the department. Athletic director Chad Weiberg has become the subject of reports suggesting his future could be in jeopardy, with talk circulating around whether he could be fired or shifted into a different role. For a school trying to build on momentum, the silence around the situation has become almost as notable as the speculation itself.
What makes the matter linger is how little clarity has followed the initial reporting. Weiberg has not received any public statement of confidence or no-confidence from the university administration, leaving the question hanging in the open while the rumors continue to swirl. Until Oklahoma State decides to address it directly, the athletic department is left operating under a cloud that could eventually prove more disruptive than any on-field setback. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Just Got A Big Opening Against UCF
Fridays availability reports gave Oklahoma State a cleaner-looking path heading into Saturdays meeting with UCF. The Cowboys had two players moved up to probable, a small but useful sign as they head into a game where health could matter on both sides of the ball, while the Knights report pointed to a roster that may be stretched in some key spots.
UCFs list of unavailable players was long enough to raise real questions about depth, especially up front and at quarterback. For Oklahoma State, that kind of injury report can change the tone of a matchup quickly, because it suggests opportunities to pressure the line of scrimmage and force a team already dealing with personnel shortages to piece things together on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Is Starting To Look Different When Games Get Tight
Close games have started to look a little different around Boone Pickens Stadium, and Oklahoma State gave another example in its 42-28 win over UCF. The Cowboys and Knights traded momentum in a game full of lead changes, turnovers and missed field goals, the kind of messier fourth-quarter football that has often gone against Oklahoma State in recent seasons.
Drew Mestemaker was central to why this one tilted the Cowboys way, while UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins kept the Knights in it with four touchdown passes. For UCF, the loss stretched a road skid that has become a real burden away from home, while for Oklahoma State it offered another sign that when the game tightens, the finish is beginning to look more dependable. [Read more 🡒]