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gameday

November 23, 2024

G3, The View | G4, Gameday Info | G5, Stutsman’s Last Ride

G6, Previewing | G7, Player Spotlight | G8, What to Watch

Gameday

1.Preheat oven to 350°. Without separating rolls, cut rolls in half horizontally; arrange bottom halves in a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Top with half the cheese slices.

2. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink and onion is tender, 6-8 minutes, crumbling beef; drain. Stir in sloppy joe sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce and pepper. Cook and stir until combined, 1-2 minutes. Spoon beef mixture evenly over rolls; top with the remaining cheese. Replace top halves of rolls.

3. For the glaze, stir together butter, brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce and garlic powder. Brush over rolls; sprinkle with sesame seeds and minced onion. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden and the cheese is melted. If desired, top with pickle slices.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sloppy-joe-slider-bake/#RecipeCard

Ingredients

1 package (18 ounces) Hawaiian sweet rolls

12 slices cheddar cheese

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can (15-1/2 ounces) sloppy joe sauce

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3/4 teaspoon pepper

GLAZE:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

Dill pickle slices, optiona

Ascrazyasitseems,playingwellstillanoption

It is hard to listen to Brent Venables.

Not frustrating, really. It shouldn’t make anybody angry.

But it’s hard.

This past week, Venables spent a moment reflecting on the challenges of modern college football and what it requires from him and his staff, none of which is easy or fun.

Venables was speaking of getting his roster down to 105 players with an eye toward next season, an approaching signing day, the inevitable comings and goings of the transfer portal and a certain amount of ruthlessness his regime must employ between this season and next to make the most of the process.

“That means you’re going to have to tell several players that they don’t have a spot … But I”m not here complaining,” he said. “My job is to make the best decisions for our program and try to help people through the carnage

…

“I’ve been telling guys for over 12 months, everything’s getting ready to change. There will be more of a business type approach that we will operate under.”

Oklahoma vs. Alabama

When: Saturday, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Gaylord Family —

Though he may not have addressed roster shedding and building just so in the past, he’s nonetheless addressed myriad things with a similar tone.

Be it how hard his team continues to work, or how the buy-in of individuals remains top notch. Or how, even as the team’s fallen way, way, way short of the program standard, improvement really is occurring.

It’s sort of all under the umbrella of Venables, his staff, the players, the program, everybody, is doing what must be done, no matter how difficult, to be the team Oklahoma ought to be.

It’s hard because the message is valiant, on point, all he can really say and might well be true.

It’s hard because all of that, and when he says it, all

you can think is: great, but you didn’t just get here, this is your third season; great, but the landscape didn’t just arrive, it was already here and, oh, yeah, this is your third season; great, but everybody’s abiding by the same rules (or lack of them) and, anyway, this is your third season.

Is it possible the last true believer is the head coach, while others, though still around, have retreated? OU could improve and still it’s likely to lose to Alabama today, LSU in a week and finish the season 5-7 with a single conference victory, one that required a heavy dose of Sooner Magic

Paxson Haws | The Transcript Oklahoma coach Brent Venables during the Oklahoma Sooners game against the Missouri Tigers Nov. 9.

OU FOOTBALL NUMERICAL ROSTER

23 Emeka Megwa RB 6-0 211 R-Jr.

24 Samuel Omosigho LB 6-2 236 So.

25 Andy Bass RB 5-11 208 Fr.

25 Michael Boganowski DB 6-2 211 Fr.

26 Kani Walker DB 6-2 205 R-Jr.

27 Jayden Rowe DB 6-2 223 R-So.

27 Gavin Sawchuk RB 5-11 200 R-So.

28 KJ Daniels WR 5-9 152 Fr.

28 Danny Stutsman LB 6-4 241 Sr.

29 Casen Calmus DB 5-10 196 R-Fr.

29 Gabe Sawchuk RB 5-10 185 Fr.

30 Trace Ford DL 6-2 246 R-Sr.

31 Cale Fugate DB 5-10 190 R-Fr.

31 Ashton Logan P 6-2 217 R-So.

32 R Mason Thomas DL 6-2 240 Jr.

33 Phil Picciotti LB 6-3 239 R-Fr.

34 Adepoju Adebawore DL 6-4 251 So.

34 Zach Schmit K/P 5-10 196 R-Sr.

35 Liam Evans K 5-7 181 Fr.

35 Jakeb Snyder DB 5-8 180 R-Fr.

36 Josh Plaster K/P 6-0 187 R-Sr.

38 Owen Heinecke LB 6-2 227 R-So.

39 Peter Schuh DB 5-8 184 R-So.

40 Ethan Downs DL 6-4 265 Sr.

41 Emmett Jones III DB 6-0 182 R-Fr.

42 Wyatt Gilmore DL 6-4 245 Fr.

44 Taylor Wein DL 6-4 267 R-Fr.

45 Hampton Fay TE 6-5 245 R-Jr.

45 Mykel Patterson-McDonald DB 5-10 172 Fr.

46 Dax Noles DB 6-0 192 Fr.

47 James Nesta LB 6-3 216 Fr.

48 Luke Elzinga P 6-4 229 R-Sr.

48 Jocelyn Malaska DB 6-1 186 R-So.

50 Ben Anderson LS 6-5 240 R-So.

51 Branson Hickman OL 6-2 301 R-Sr.

52 Troy Everett OL 6-3 308 R-Jr.

52 Damonic Williams DL 6-1 319 Jr.

54 Febechi Nwaiwu OL 6-4 339 R-Jr.

55 Eddy Pierre-Louis OL 6-3 305 Fr.

WR Jayden Gibson — Out

WR Nic Anderson — Out

WR Andrel Anthony — Out

DB Gentry Williams — Out

DB Kendel Dolby — Out

OL Geirean Hatchett — Out

OL Jacob Sexton — Out

OL Jake Taylor — Out

WR Deion Burks — Doubtful

RB Jovantae Barnes — Questionable

OL Joshua Bates — Questionable

55 Ashton Sanders DL 6-1 295 R-Fr.

56 Eugene Brooks OL 6-3 336 Fr.

56 Gracen Halton DL 6-2 291 Jr.

57 Gunnar Allen OL 6-0 297 R-So.

58 Spencer Brown OL 6-6 321 R-Sr.

58 Ethan Lane LS 5-11 230 R-Sr.

61 Kenneth Wermy OL 6-5 305 R-Fr.

64 Joshua Bates OL 6-3 309 R-Fr.

65 Jayden Jackson DL 6-2 300 Fr.

65 Ty Kubicek OL 6-2 294 R-Fr.

66 Geirean Hatchett OL 6-5 312 R-Sr.

70 Michael Tarquin OL 6-6 317 R-Sr.

71 Logan Howland OL 6-6 317 R-Fr.

72 Josh Aisosa OL 6-3 323 Fr.

73 Isaiah Autry-Dent OL 6-6 310 Fr.

74 Evan McClure OL 6-4 275 Fr.

75 Daniel Akinkunmi OL 6-6 321 Fr.

76 Jacob Sexton OL 6-6 322 Jr.

77 Heath Ozaeta OL 6-5 318 R-Fr.

79 Jake Taylor OL 6-6 309 R-So.

80 Josh Fanuiel TE 6-3 250 R-Jr.

80 Bergin Kysar DL 6-3 245 Fr.

81 Zion Ragins WR 5-8 145 Fr.

82 Ivan Carreon WR 6-6 223 Fr.

83 Major Melson WR 5-10 187 R-Sr.

84 Davon Mitchell TE 6-3 250 Fr.

85 Trey Brown WR 5-9 181 R-Fr.

87 Jake Roberts TE 6-4 252 Sr.

88 Jacob Jordan WR 5-9 182 Fr.

89 Eli Merck WR 6-0 206 R-Fr.

90 Caiden

OU Two-Deep Roster

ALABAMA

DB Keon Sabb — Out

WR Cole Adams — Out

LB Quandarrius Robinson — Out

As of Wednesday’s availability report

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

‘I

have no regrets’

Danny Stutsman recognizes unique legacy he’ll leave at Oklahoma

TARIK MASRI TRANSCRIPT SPORTS EDITOR

Senior linebacker Danny Stutsman has been vocal about his desire to leave a legacy at the school where he began his college career.

It was one of the reasons Stutsman returned to Oklahoma this spring for his senior season instead of entering the NFL Draft. This season though, like much of Stutsman’s prolific career with the Sooners, hasn’t gone exactly how he might have planned.

The Florida native doesn’t look back on his career with regret.

“We’ve had the highest high’s and the lowest low’s but I have no regrets with how my career has gone,” he said before his final home game at Oklahoma.

Stutsman has been one of the few consistencies in the program during its most turbulent stretch in over 25 years.

Sarah Warnock | Associated Press

Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman (28) and defensive back Woodi Washington (5) tackle Mississippi running back Ulysses Bentley IV (24) during the ﬁrst half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Oxford, Miss.

After the Sooners’ 30-23 loss to Missouri, a game in which Stutsman made a career-high 19 tackles, he and safety Billy Bowman reminisced on their careers with just two games remaining.

“No one’s been at Oklahoma who’s had a career like us,” he said to Bowman.

On Saturday the Sooners will celebrate senior day ahead of their game against Alabama at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.

When Stutsman committed to the program in 2020, the Sooners had been to three straight College Football Play-

offs and had won the last six Big 12 Championships.

After his freshman season, head coach Lincoln Riley went to USC along with defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and linebacker coach Brian Odom. A product of Windermere, Florida, Stutsman had no prior allegiance to OU and could’ve followed his coaches or likely gone many other schools if he wanted.

He chose to stay and eventually became the foundation for implementing head coach Brent Venables’ new defensive scheme.

“Every time I step on that field I leave it all out there,” Stutsman said. “I just got to take advantage of the opportunity and take it all in one last time.”

Stustman started all 13 games as a sophomore and led the Big 12 in tackles (125) and was 18th nationally in tackles per game (9.6). That season he made double-digit tackles in eight games while the Sooners struggled to a 6-7 record.

Still, there were reasons to be optimistic about the direction of the defense and the inside linebacker was a big part of that.

Last year, he was a thirdteam AP All-American as a junior and a first-team AllBig 12 selection. Meanwhile the Sooners went 10-3 and entered their first season in the SEC with one of their top defenses in over a decade, anchored by Stutsman.

He’s currently second in the SEC in tackles with 96 and he’s currently 10th on the school’s career tackles list with 363. With 1.5 more tackles for loss over the last two games Stutsman would move into the top four in the school’s record book.

Meanwhile, OU’s defense

OU Career TFL Leaders

(Inside Linebackers)

1. Rocky Calmus (199801) — 59.0

2. Teddy Lehman (2000-03) — 48.5

3. Brian Bosworth (1984-86) — 39.0

4. Kenneth Murray (2017-19) — 37.0

5. Rufus Alexander (2003-06) — 36.0

Torrance Marshall (1999-00) — 36.0

7. Danny Stutsman (2021-24) — 35.5

8. Travis Lewis (200811) — 31.0

Lance Mitchell (200204) — 31.0

10. Tyrell Peters (199396) — 29.0

has allowed just 319 yards per game this season, which would be the fewest in program history in a season since 2009.

“What a great legacy that all of them have left … to pour into the program and to make the most of their opportunities, squeeze all the juice out of it that you can,” Venables said about the seniors.

Still, certain team achievements have eluded him in a way that few other Sooner greats have ever experienced.

Over his four seasons, Stut-

OU Career Tackle Leaders

1. Daryl Hunt LB (197578) — 530

2. Jackie Shipp LB (1980-83) — 489

3. Travis Lewis LB (2008-11) — 446

4. George Cumby LB (1975-79) — 437

5. Rocky Calmus LB (1998-01) — 431

6. Rod Shoate LB (1972-74) — 426

7. Brian Bosworth LB (1984-86) — 413

8. Tyrell Peters LB (1993-96) — 380

9. Ricky Bryan DL (1980-83) — 365

10. Danny Stutsman LB (2021-24) — 363

sman never got to experience a conference title game or a College Football Playoff. The Sooners went 11-2 his freshman season and 10-3 during his junior season. Over four seasons and with two games remaining this senior class is 32-17. They’ve also experienced an unexpected head coaching change and the school’s first venture into the toughest conference in college football. Stutsman said he doesn’t have any regrets about how his career has gone.

Scouting the opponent: Alabama Crimson Tide

DAVIS CORDOVA CNHI SPORTS OKLAHOMA

Alabama has not been as dominant as year;s past, but is still one of the best teams Oklahoma will play all season.

OU football will host No. 7 Alabama Saturday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium at 6:30 p.m. and the Crimson Tide have had an eerie season, but are still in contention for a CFP spot.

Alabama beat top-ranked Georgia in one of the best games of the season to become the best team in the SEC — but a loss to Vanderbilt the next week was near the start of this chaotic college football season.

The Crimson Tide had a rough three-week stretch starting with the loss in Nashville. The Crimson Tide struggled, and almost lost to, South Carolina, winning by two points. Then Alabama lost to top-ranked Tennessee on the road.

It’s been an up-and-down season for Alabama, but they’ve steamrolled the past two SEC opponents — Missouri, winning 34-0 and LSU, beating the Tigers 42-13.

Alabama, in its first season with coach Kalen DeBoer, is firmly in control of its own destiny for a CFP spot, just as

Past Meetings

OU leads series 3-2-1

2018 (Orange Bowl) — Bama, 45-34

2014 (Sugar Bowl) — OU, 45-31

2003 (Tuscaloosa) — OU, 20-13

2002 (Norman) — OU, 37-27

1970 (Bluebonnet Bowl) — T, 24-24

1963 (Orange Bowl) — Bama, 17-0

long as the Crimson Tide win their final two games.

With a high-powered offense and an elite defense, the Crimson Tide enter the matchup against the Sooners Saturday as one of the best teams in the country.

Here is a breakdown of the Crimson Tide on each side of the ball.

OFFENSE

The Crimson Tide’s offense is led by one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (wears No. 4) is among the best in college football with 2,232 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns and six interceptions.

Milroe is 13th in quar-

Gerald Herbert | Associated Press Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) celebrates a touchdown run in the second half of a game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Nov. 9, 2024.

terback efficiency and is a projected first-round draft pick in May’s NFL Draft.

Milroe, though, does the most-critical damage in a defense with his legs. He has 608 rushing yards, which is 11th among quarterbacks in FBS, and has 17 rushing touchdowns, seventh-best in the country.

Milroe’s running ability will be key for the Crimson Tide as the Sooners have

struggled against scramblefriendly quarterbacks this season.

Along with Milroe, the Crimson Tide has a weapon on the outside that can change a game.

Freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams (wears No. 2) leads the team with 767 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Williams became a national-sensation when his game-winning

touchdown with less than three minutes left went viral after Alabama’s win over Georgia.

For Alabama, the Crimson Tide go as far as their quarterback goes, especially with Milroe relying on his ground game for a lot of his production.

OU coach Brent Venables said the Alabama offense is a highly-potent offense that will be a challenge to contain

“Blue” Bloods

Saturday.

“Incredibly explosive, and they have great playmakers everywhere,” Venables said. “Certainly, it starts, everything goes through the quarterback. But they have an offensive line playing, they’re really good up front. They know what they’re doing, they’re making everything work. And then the running backs are fantastic.”

DEFENSE

Alabama’s defense has seen a spike in improvement the past three weeks and will look to feast on the struggling OU offense.

Alabama’s defense ranks 10th in the country in scoring defense, giving up 16.9 points per game. The past

WoodiWashingtonbelievesprogramisinabetterplacemovingforward

Sixth-year senior has seen a lot of change as Sooners’ longest-tenured player

DAVIS CORDOVA

CNHI SPORTS OKLAHOMA

It’s rare for a player to play six seasons of college football — it’s extremely rare for all six years to be with one school.

Oklahoma football’s Woodi Washington will be playing in his final home game Saturday when the Sooners host No. 7 Alabama at 6:30 p.m. Washington has been with the Sooners since 2019, the longest-tenured Sooner. He’s seen a lot of change — the Sooners going from Big 12 Champions and College Football Playoff contenders to OU’s current state of staying afloat in the SEC. Washington can remember back to his freshman season, when the Sooners were conference champions and were playing in the Peach Bowl, but he also remembers who he faced that day — two of the NFL’s best wide receivers.

In Oklahoma’s 63-28 blowout loss to eventual national champion LSU, Washington played most of the game and had the task of matching up with LSU wide receivers

Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, with Jefferson finishing the game with 14 receptions, 228 yards and four touchdowns.

Washington said that experience, especially defending some of the best receivers in the game, allowed him to elevate his game and learn through those experiences.

“I didn’t play much that year, but I kinda got thrown into the fire and it was a stepping stone for me,” Washington said. “It was hard, especially being a freshman and didn’t get to see the field much that year, so I didn’t really experience what college feels like, but going against Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and some of those guys was definitely the hardest task I’ve ever been a part of.”

Many things have changed since Washington arrived in 2019, but the biggest change has been coaches.

OU coach Brent Venables took over after the 2021 season and hasn’t had the traditional success at OU,

The Transcript File Photo

OU’s Woodi Washington pulls down LSU’s Derrick Dillon during the Sooners’ game against LSU, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, during the Chick-ﬁl-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

TO WATCH

No.5Indiana’slong-awaitedbigtestcomesatNo.2OhioState

ERIC OLSON AP COLLEGE FOOTBALL WRITER

College football fans will be treated to a fifth top-five matchup this season when Indiana visits Ohio State for the ultimate measuring-stick game.

Just how good are these unbeaten Hoosiers? We’ll find out Saturday.

No one would have predicted in August that AP No. 5 Indiana (No. 5 CFP) would be a participant in what will be one of the most-watched games of the year. The magic worked by first-year coach Curt Cignetti has resulted in the program’s first 10-win season, and the Hoosiers don’t plan to stop there.

But their schedule has been one of the weakest in the country. This game against the No. 2 Buckeyes (No. 2) will show if they’re real or a mirage.

Like Indiana, No. 18 Army (No. 19) will get its first major test when it plays No. 6 Notre Dame (No. 6) at Yankee Stadium. They meet when both are ranked for the first time since 1958. The last Army team coached by College Football Hall of Famer Red Blaik beat the Irish 14-2 in South Bend. Army has lost

Top 25 Matchups

No. 5 Indiana at No. 2 Ohio State

No. 14 BYU at No. 21 Arizona State

No. 19 Army at No. 6 Notre Dame

major obstacle to reaching the Big Ten championship game. If the Buckeyes win in a blowout, Indiana’s College Football Playoff hopes take a huge hit.

Indiana’s defense is one of the nation’s best, but offense is the team’s calling card. The Hoosiers have been held under 31 points just once and average 44 per game. Ohio State’s defense has allowed two touchdowns over the last four games (a third TD was a Penn State pick six).

played 132 snaps against Utah last week and had five catches for 55 yards and a 5-yard rushing touchdown. He became the first player in either the NFL or FBS to have 50 receiving yards, a rushing touchdown and interception in the same game in the past 24 years since Champ Bailey did it in the NFL for Washington.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

3 — Teams for which Marquez Cooper has rushed for 1,000 yards. He reached the milestone this year at San Diego State, last year at Ball State and in 2021 and ‘22 at Kent State.

6 — Oregon State sacks, 30 fewer than it had through 10 games in 2023.

18 — Consecutive games Texas has forced at least one turnover.

all 15 meetings since.

Big 12 leaders BYU and Colorado go on the road to face a couple of hot teams.

The No. 14 Cougars (No. 14), who had their unbeaten season end last week against Kansas, face a No. 21 Arizona State team that’s won three in a row and five of six.

The No. 16 Buffaloes (No. 16) go to Arrowhead Stadium to

play Kansas, a four-win team that has knocked off back-toback Top 25 opponents.

In the ACC, No. 13 SMU (No. 13) is assured of making the conference championship game if it wins at Virginia. The big SEC games are No. 7 Alabama (No. 7) at Oklahoma, No. 9 Mississippi (No. 9) at Florida and No. 15 Texas A&M (No. 15) at Auburn.

BEST GAME

No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten, No. 5 CFP) at No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 6-1, No. 2), Saturday, noon ET (Fox) Skeptics will get their answer about whether the Hoosiers deserve to be considered among the nation’s elite. Ohio State is their first ranked opponent — and last

Ohio State is a 12 1/2-point favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

HEISMAN WATCH

Colorado’s Travis Hunter is the front-runner in most Heisman Trophy polls, and he’ll get maximum exposure when his team plays Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium on a Fox national telecast. Hunter

133 — Florida State’s point total, fewest by an FBS team through 10 games in a nonpandemic season since Akron scored 106 in 2019.

373 — Passing yards Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart needs to break Eli Manning’s career school record of 10,119.

UNDER THE RADAR

Colorado State (7-3, 5-0

AJ Mast | Associated Press

Indiana players celebrate after defeating Michigan in an NCAA college football game in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.

WEEK 13: WHAT

he’s talked about outside of football, making sure they are good once they leave this place.”

but has had a great impact on players like Washington, who elected to stay once Venables was hired.

Washington has seen the process of switching conferences to switching coaches and he said the program is in a good place going forward.

“I think it’s been great,” Washington said. “I think that coach (Venables) has transformed this place on a good note, not a bad note at all, despite the records. The way coach V runs this program is great. Everything he talks about is like the sole mission and things

This season, Washington hasn’t had the same impact on the field as he’s had in year’s past. Washington has started four of the 10 games for OU this season, but has started the past two games and also has 15 total tackles.

The past two seasons, Washington started all 26 games and had a combined 115 total tackles.

Washington, though, has had a large presence off the field with the younger guys in the locker room. Venables said Washington’s leadership has been valuable for the program’s future.

College Football Playoff Rankings

1. Oregon 11-0

2. Ohio State 9-1

3. Texas 9-1

4. Penn State 9-1

5. Indiana 10-0

6. Notre Dame 9-1

7. Alabama 8-2

8. Miami 9-1

9. Mississippi 8-2

10. Georgia 8-2

11. Tennessee 8-2

12. Boise State 9-1

13. SMU 9-1

14. BYU 9-1

15. Texas A&M 8-2

16. Colorado 8-2

17. Clemson 8-2

18. South Carolina 8-3

19. Army 9-0

20. Tulane 9-2

21. Arizona State 8-2

22. Iowa State 8-2

23. Missouri 7-3

24. UNLV 8-2

25. Illinois 7-3

The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded Nos. 1-4 and receive a first-round bye. Seeds 5-12 will play each other in the first round. The higher-seeded teams will play host in their first round games.

“He’s just as loyal as they come,” Venables said. “He cares deeply about this place and his opportunity, his teammates. We don’t have a better leader, a guy that pours into his teammates more than Woodi. Great humility. He’s been a guy that’s plugged into a lot of different spots for us, has always been ready, great competitor, great example for the younger players of what leading looks like and again, to me, great leaders are ones that can reproduce it, and that’s what he’s intentionally tried to do and has done. He’s brought the best out of the young players around him, his teammates, and been a great, great example for others.”

Mountain West) at Fresno State (5-5, 3-3), Saturday, 9:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)

The Rams’ rise has gone largely unnoticed outside the Mountain West. Coach Jay Norvell was 8-16 in his first two years and entered this season feeling heat. CSU has secured its first winning season and first bowl bid since 2017 and now has its sights set on playing for its first conference championship since 2002.

A road win against Fresno and home win over Utah State would put the Rams in the MWC title game, likely against Boise State. If the Rams split their next two games, they would need UNLV to drop one of its next two. The Rams missed Boise State and UNLV in the regular season. If they take care of business, they eliminate the possibility of the MWC’s computer-ranking system determining the matchup for the championship.

HOT SEAT

Neal Brown is perpetually on the hot seat at West Vir-

ginia. He was brought back in 2023 following back-toback losing seasons and responded with a 9-4 campaign ending with three straight wins. Now Brown’s Mountaineers sit at 5-5 after losing 49-35 to Baylor at home, where they are 2-4. A home game against UCF on Saturday and road game at Texas Tech next week loom large. Brown in the offseason signed a one-year contract extension, through 2027, that included a $400,000 pay cut over the next three seasons.

Paxson Haws | The Transcript

OU defensive back Woodi Washington during the game against Tulane Sept. 14.

ALABAMA

CONTINUED FROM G6

three games though, the Crimson Tide have allowed just 20 points combined. Alabama, for the most part, has shut down offenses like Missouri, LSU and South Carolina — a few teams that have beaten OU.

Alabama’s defense has a bevy of key players, but one of its best is linebacker Jihaad Campbell (wears No. 11), who has 87 total tackles and five sacks along with an interception and two forced fumbles. Campbell, once committed to Venables at Clemson, will help lead a pass rush attack that can capitalize on OU’s worst sta-

tistic this season.

The Sooners allow 4.1 sacks per game, which is the worst in the country out of 133 teams, and although the Crimson Tide gets to the quarterback 2.15 times per game, the Sooners’ offensive line has given up a recordamount of sacks this season in multiple games.

Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell (11) chases Mercer quarterback Whitt Newbauer (8) Nov. 16, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Haws | The Transcript

Oklahoma defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. runs to the end zone after recovering the ball from Missouri during the Oklahoma Sooners game against the Missouri Tigers Nov. 9.

HORNING

CONTINUED FROM G3

— Kip Lewis’ pick six — just to get.

Jackson Arnold could offer growth, returning receivers could catch a few balls, the offensive line could produce a 100-yard back and offer better pass protection, but does that stuff even matter when you’ve produced a worse conference season than even John Blake ever produced?

Perhaps a big game from Xavier Robinson might be fun no matter the outcome. He’s sort of the only offensive player on the roster not tarnished by the horrendous season.

Perhaps that.

But there’s also this: It sounds crazy, but OU could beat Alabama. It sounds even crazier, but the Sooners could beat the Tide and the Tigers, too. Or they could just play great games, take them to the wire, offer serious improvement and give their fans enough to want them to reach a bowl game because, hey, a team like that, who wouldn’t want to see it play again?

It sounds ridiculous, of course; impossible given all that’s come before. And maybe that’s the hardest part of all.

The only way to save the season after so much failure, would be to watch OU become the team it ought

to be every season and certainly three years into any head coach’s tenure.

A good team.

A competitive team.

A team that offers hope.

A team you want to root for.

Every Sooner squad since ’98 has at least been that and it’s not a high bar. Venables sounds like a coach who, every week is telling you, despite all you’ve seen, required steps are being taken and will be taken.

It would be so much easier if, instead, his team just played well, an opportunity it will be given twice more. It’s not much to ask. In year three.

Paxson

Vasha Hunt | Associated Press