Mississippi State

 We stink. That's really the crux of it. Defense is quite good, but we are never going to win games with any sort of consistency with this putrid offense. They can't sustain drives, they can't manage the clock, they have nothing they can go to when they need a play. It's all just cute fakes, qb sneaks and nonsense that never moves the ball. So, without the ability to score points on offense, it's nearly impossible to win. I'm increasingly convinced that Ben Arbuckle is the problem here. Mateer has not been good, but he's not exactly set up for success. Anyway, that kentucky game was a total debacle. I'm about 95% checked out on this team at this point. It's just brutal.

Offense

I don't know what else to say here. I'll go with Lloyd Avant. Again. For no reason. Again.

Defense

I'll go with Jake Kruel. Mostly out of a hope he continues to develop. He certainly looks the part of our next star on that unit. I think he really stands out today in a limited roll and continues to press for more playing time.

Score

Mississippi State is perpetually overrated. But, we are also awful. Just to keep my streak going of idiotic optimism. I think Sooners win this one today. 17-14. Why not?

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

Oklahoma Sooner vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs

 Happy Saturday, Sooner fans. The Sooners are fresh off a disappointing loss to Kentucky. A loss in which the Sooners were, yet again, their own worst nightmare. Now, a stretch of winnable games looks like a week-to-week potential disaster. The most fascinating aspect of which is that the Sooners coaching staff are defiant in their belief that everything is fine and there is literally nothing more that can be done, except execute.

As each week passes, however, the pressure gets tighter and tighter. John Mateer is obviously gone after this season. Ben Arbuckle is, presumably, a dead man walking. Will these two take down Brent Venables on their way out? It's certainly possible.

Anyway, that's the most intriguing thing about this season at this point, because there isn't anything to indicate dramatic improvment or change is on the horizon.

OFFENSE

Ben Arbuckle insists that John Mateer gives the Sooners their best chance to win. He turns the ball over multiple times a game. Can anyone do worse? We may never know. I think Arbuckle is probably right. But if the Sooners continue to lose with Mateer and they don't become bowl eligible, don't you have to see what's in the stable for next year? That's a question for a few more losses down the road. 

I'm not picking an OPOG this game. Ben Arbuckle ensures that no one stands out. 

Oh, and also, the damning indictment of the week is that yet another offensive lineman went down in practice. This time a backup who had to go to the hospital. 

DEFENSE

I feel so bad for these guys. They'll hold the Bulldogs under 24 and it won't be enough. I'll take that freshman, number 98, Jake Kreul for my DPOG. I don't know from under which rock the Sooners had him squirreled away, but he's a menace at defensive end, leading the team in sacks with three.

THE SCORE

I mean, for shits and giggles let's say Sooners 27, Bulldogs 24. But my heart isn't in it. I think Jeff Lebby will run it up if he gets the chance. We know Mateer is capable of fucking anything up. Ben Arbuckle is inept. I haven't been this disappointed since the late 90's.

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner. 

Kentucky Wildcats vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Happy Saturday, Sooner fans. Everyone should have a little extra bounce in their step this week after the Sooners pulled off one of the most exciting victories in recent memory last week. After an abysmal first half for the offense, the Sooner defense and special teams played well enough to keep things close and then the offense and, John Mateer in particular, managed the game, the defense had a chance to make some big plays, which they did, and Tate Sandell brought it home with a winning field goal as time expired.

This week Kentucky comes to Norman, themselves fresh off a big home win against LSU. The angle on this one, to me, seems to be who can avoid the letdown. 

OFFENSE

The Sooners found something in the second half last week, particularly with Lloyd Avant in the running game. More importantly, John Mateer demonstrated the importance of taking care of the ball. He didn't turn the ball over and made some big throws when it mattered. Hopefully that helps the entire offense coming into this week. 

It also appears the Sooners could be getting some offensive lineman back this week, another big plus. These Sooners are at their best playing a methodical, pro style offense. They went back to Mateer under center, traditional formations and they did a good job of working the ball downfield. 

They need more of it today and I will ride the hot hand of Lloyd Avant for my OPOG, although if the line can take another step forward this week, I think Jonathan Hatton is about to have a bust out performance.

DEFENSE

The Kentucky offense might be the most dynamic the Sooners have faced so far this year. Will Stein is obviously missed at Oregon. This will be a big test for the Sooner D.

However, there is no doubt this will be the toughest test for the Wildcats as well. And at home, fresh off the big win, the Sooners should be confident and flying to the football.

I'm going to go with a wild card here and take Reggie Powers for my DPOG. If there is one thing you can count on with a Brent Venables defense, it's a well timed blitz at a big moment and, to my mind, Reggie Powers is as good as anyone at getting to the QB when it matters.

THE SCORE

One team comes off a legendary win against an arch rival, the other a field storming home win to celebrate the start of a new chapter in an inglorious football tradition.

I think OU will be the one ready to meet the moment today, although Kentucky will be tough. 

I'll take the Sooners 31, Kentucky 27

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Kentucky

 I still can't believe we beat texas last week. We certainly had no business doing it. But I laid out a script in my post, not to pat my own back, and they basically followed it. Which is to say, they miracled a win with special teams and defensive touchdowns. The offense was as limp dicked as it's been all year. But this defense, it's pretty damn good. Solid coverage in the secondary, made to look better by a dominant D line, and a LB corps that is damn good top to bottom. If only our QB and OC weren't completely useless, this team would be legit. Alas, they are not and we aren't. Regardless, that was a fun one last week and if you're going to beat anyone via miracles, it couldn't be against a better team than texas.

Kentucky comes to town this week and I know exactly nothing about them. Well, I know they have one loss and are ranked 15th, but that's about it. Allegedly they have a good offensive line so it should be a strength on strength matchup on that side of the ball. I don't know anything about their defense, but if they have 11 conscious college athletes out there they shouldn't have any trouble shutting us down.

Offense

I'll go with Rocky Beers today. Absolutely no reason or thought applied to this pick whatsoever.

Defense

I'm going to go with Owen Heinecke today. He's always solid if not flashy. I think today we see him flying around out there racking up about a dozen tackles. With the D line occupying their front, I think he's free to make tackles in bulk.

Score

Last week was a complete joke as far as our doing the right things on offense. As I said before, we had no business winning. However, I think Kentucky is a bit overrated (this is based on pure hypothesis) and we have a little wind at our backs after the texas miracle. I think our Sooners continue to play great defense and the home crowd gives us enough on offense to pull off another upset. Sooners win this 20-16. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

texas longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners - The Red River Rivalry

Happy Saturday, Sooner fans. Our Sooners, 2-2 overall and 11th in the SEC are fresh off a bye week and an exasperating loss at Georgia two weeks ago. The Sooners were hoisted by their own petard yet again as John Mateer turned the ball over 3 times in the resulting blowout.

The bye gave the Sooners the opportunity to make any number of changes to try and get the season back on track. Brent Venables instead made no personnel changes and is pinning his hopes on his offense, his coordinator and his quarterback miraculously improving.

The only material change for the Sooners was the length of the injury report, which one might have expected to get shorter. But no, not only are key players like offensive lineman Michael Fasusi and Eddy Pierre-Louis still likely out, but the Sooners lost Eli Bowen to an "ankle" on Wednesday. 

I know I said this last year and possibly the year before, but losing players to injury in practice is not bad luck. It's bad coaching, and with this team, it's systemic and really needs to be challenged.

OFFENSE

There is a non-zero chance the Sooners and John Mateer in particular, can hang onto the ball and perhaps put together something resembling a competent offense that is designed to create and exploit weaknesses against the longhorn defense.

There is a much higher probability that Ben Arbuckle will stick to what he is most comfortable with in hopes that John Mateer won't shit the bed. 

Best case scenario for the Sooners is they have some early success moving the ball and can, at minimum, flip the field and give the defense a fighting chance to force a punt. 

If the Sooners can get a little confidence and energize the team and the crowd, anything can happen in this one. But so help me if the first couple of drives result in 3rd and long situations, 3 and outs, and short fields for the longhorns. 

Undoubtedly the Sooners will look for ways to get Isaiah Sategna the ball, most likely with predictable jet sweeps. But I stand in solidarity with Natey and refuse to pick Mateer for my OPOG, so I'll go with Sategna, the most electric of anyone on the offense. And maybe he does something big on special teams. 

DEFENSE

You know these guys will do the best they can with what their dealt. I just hope for their sake that they find themselves with a fighting chance, meaning a one score game, in the 4th quarter. I would love to see them at their most hyped, with a chance to finish the longhorns off. They deserve a good result.

Eli Bowen out is a major blow to the secondary though, and you better believe Steve Sarkisian is going to let Arch Manning take shots over the top early and often to see if the next man up can handle Cam Coleman.

This is a matchup between the best offensive play caller in college football against the best defensive play caller. If the Sooners offense could hold up their end, this could be a thriller.

I've got to go with my man David Stone in this one for DPOG. I want to see him pissed, fired up and blowing people up. I want him to get Arch throwing off his back foot. 

These guys are going to have to overcome the Sooners offense and hang in there. They cannot commit stupid penalties to extend drives. Courtland Guillory cannot have more than one pass interference. 

THE SCORE

I'm going full reverse jinx for the second week in a row. I am resigned to the idea that Brent Venables and the entire offense, coaches and players, have learned nothing in the last two weeks. They are who they are. They do what they do. QB draws out of empty backfield shotguns. Jet sweeps. Two yard runs off tackle.

I think the Sooners can score. I think the D will play lights out. But the Sooners offense is just too inept and stubborn to do enough. And god do I hope I'm wrong. 

Sooners 13, texas 24

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner. 

texas

 Buckle up Sooner nation, this one could get ugly in a hurry. Two weeks after getting our pubes shaved off and fed to us at the 50 yard line by Georgia, we face texas who happen to be ranked higher than said pube feeders. It has been a long time since this game looked so lopsided on paper. At least with us being the bitch bois to the top ranked horns. I'm probably just flexing my old man brain (read: forgetting several obvious things) but my mind goes back to the fall of 1996 when mitch and I were just fresh faced pups at OU enduring a rather intense pledgeship and fully into our beloved Sooners even though they really stunk. We made the trip down to Dallas and with no money and a mouthful of braces admirably fending off any female advances, I found myself in a hotel room watching our, at that point, winless Sooners taking on Ricky Williams and the top ranked Longhorns. Hopes were low, but we stepped up as those pesky underdog rivals are known to do and ended up winning that game against all odds. 

While I don't expect a repeat of that miracle, my point is that these things can happen. The Sooners have been absolutely atrocious on offense this year. I don't expect that to change, but if they can get some big stops and hang around, stranger things have happened.

Offense

Whew, this is really becoming a demoralizing area to pick. The offense is just so inept in all phases. Mateer is a disaster. He looks completely lost when trying to read a progression, his accuracy sucks and apparently he just fumbles unprovoked now. Anyway, I'll go with the X man, Xavier Robinson for no good reason. 

Defense

I gotta go with my guy Taylor Wein. He's a monster. He's our best defender and we will need everything from him if there is any chance of an upset. 

Score

I have no idea how it can happen. But that's usually how things go when a rivalry game gets weird. I think we hang around and get texas tightened up enough that they make some mistakes. Manning is a great player, but I think he gets a little "chokey" at times when momentum swings away from him. Sooners turn the tables on texas  this year, 24-23. Long live the ghost of James Allen!!

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

Georgia

 Hello Sooner fan(s)! Coming off an, ahem, uninspiring win against New Mexico where our Sooners mustered up a staggering 14 points, the crimson and cream go on the road today where the gauntlet begins at UGA. Georgia is one of the best teams in the country, and we are, well, not. Ben Arbuckle's seat is nuclear reactor core at this point. Venables towed the company line in supporting him, blah blah blah, but I'll be surprised if Arbuckle is our OC at the end of this season. The defense has been good enough, no question, but they can't do it alone. If only we could combine our teams from 2015-2021 or so, we'd have an undefeated team and a winless team. Alas...

Offense

I'll be surprised if we score 10 points on offense today. We just execute poorly designed plays shittily, it's a bad combo. But, I have to pick someone and that someone is Rocky Beers, for no real reason. 

Defense

The defense is going to need to make some huge plays to prevent this game from being a laugher. The front is where it starts but the secondary needs to get a pick or two and my man to get one today is Courtland Guillory. I think he makes a pick and some key pass breakups today.

Score

Last I looked, the line is -13.5 for Georgia. That is both embarrasingly long for a conference game between two supposedly good programs and also shockingly low for a Sooners team that couldn't score against New Mexico. The only way we hang around with a shot in this thing is defense and special teams scores. I'll borrow Mitchy's glasses today and say we get it done in the upsettiest upset that ever upsetted, Sooners win this thing 17-14. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner.

Oklahoma Sooner vs. Georgia Bulldogs

 Good Saturday, Sooner fans. The weather in OKC this morning was rainy and gloomy, a perfect match to the current outlook of this Sooners football team. The Sooners are coming off a, shall we diplomatically say, uninspiring win against the New Mexico Lobos.

Confidence is not high. John Mateer turned the ball over. The offensive line had no push. The offense is a disaster. The Sooners now take the show on the road to perennial power Georgia. The question is, can the Sooners make enough improvement to keep it close? I don't think so.

OFFENSE

14 points against the New Mexico Lobos is just unbelievable after an off-putting performance against Michigan. What can the Sooners do? Ben Arbuckle has to go. I will be shocked if he's still calling plays by the Kentucky game.

Alas, today I think the Sooners best bet is to utilize multiple tight end sets. Go big with extra blockers and run a lot of play action with some boots for John Mateer. He runs for his life anyways. He can't go through a progression. Get him in situations where Georgia defenders have to choose between spying on the running QB or defending a RB or TE in that second level. 

I'll take Rocky Beers today because he has been a bright spot. Fire Arbuckle on the spot if he runs an empty backfield shotgun QB draw or jet sweep on a 3rd down.

DEFENSE

The problem today for this defense is not getting off the field or having the personnel to match up with Georgia. It's whether or not they can win turnover margin. Unfortunately, Mateer puts them in a real bind that's tough to overcome. The next three weeks are going to be brutal for these guys.

Today, I bet Owen Heinecke continues to do his thing. 25 tackles through three games is pretty tough.

THE SCORE

Look, I'm not suggesting the Sooners are going to wave the white flag against Georgia today and Texas in two weeks. It would be a season changer to go 1-1. But I do fear Arbuckle just isn't a guy who is going to do anything other than continue to try to jam a square peg through a round hole.

It's too much to expect the playcalling to become competent, the offensive line to suddenly own the line of scrimmage and your quarterback to be able to work through progressions and not make at least two dumb passess per game. That's just what we have. 

Best case, Arbuckle's headset is turned off and someone else is running the show behind the scenes. We get through the next two game and cut Arbuckle loose and try to make something of the rest of the season.

Georgia 28, Sooners 6

Prove all us haters wrong, boys.

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner. 

New Mexico

 What a mess last week was. Our Sooners looked absolutely impotent on the offensive side of the ball. And the D softened just enough to let the sad Michigan offense get some points. It helps when Mateerrible throws an absolutely brutal pick in a tie game that led to an easy 6. This is year two of the Arbuckle Mateer experiment and so far it's been bad. The play calls generally range from unimaginative to completely head scratching. And aside from the first three or four games last year Mateer has looked, well, like ass. His accuracy is mostly terrible and he's caught the same virus that Jackson Arnold and Landry Jones had where the QB is absolutely unable to look anywhere beyond his first read. In short, he stinks. NM comes in to town and I know really nothing about them. But honestly, and I really hope I'm wrong, the season looks like a lost cause already. We have a murderers row of conference games and the fact that we couldn't win the non-conference "test" against a clearly bad Michigan team does not bode well. We basically can afford (maybe) to lose one more game. I don't see that happening. On to the optimism!

Offense

Mateer is officially in my doghouse and I refuse to pick him again. Granted I will at times pick receivers which he is directly involved with, but not him. Today I will go with Lloyd Avant. He's been very good when given an opportunity. Unfortunately, he's been the victim of Arbuckle's "if it ain't broke, let's go ahead and fuck around with it a bit". Maybe today he'll get a more extended opportunity. 

Defense

Taylor Wein is awfully hard not to pick. Dude is just a great player. But I really like David Stone today. He's been extremly solid up front and I think he gets to the QB today.

Score

I didn't bother looking at the spread but this feels like a game where we look good enough that everyone has some since of hope going into Athens next week, where we will get smashed. Sooners win this one in convincing fashion 27-7. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

New Mexico Lobos vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Happy Saturday, Sooner Nation. The Sooners are fresh off a disappointing 17-10 loss up in Ann Arbor. It was a game decided in the trenches for the Sooner offense. The offensive line was dominated and the Sooners lost the turnover battle 2-0. One turnover resulted in a red zone offense opportunity that the Wolverines capitalized on.

Is it the end of the world? No. But most disheartening was the play of the offensive line and the lackluster offensive game plan in general. 

OFFENSE

In week 1, the Sooners put John Mateer under center, they used a fullback in the eye formation and they often times used 2 or 3 tight end sets. Against Michigan, the offense regressed to their comfort zone. QB shotgun draws  with 0 tight ends or backs for extra blocking. They completely bungled an opportunity to try and get some points before halftime, albeit a long field goal attempt. 

On one hand, we should expect the Sooners to rebound against what is presumably an overmatched Lobos defense. I expect to see a crisply executed, competent game plan. On the other, it will be maddening to watch knowing that they could have done the same thing in Ann Arbor.

I think I'm over Ben Arbuckle and Bill Bedenbaugh. Arbuckle in particular demonstrates a complete lack of grasp of in game management. He seems to be unable to adjust on the fly and is hell bent on calling plays he enjoys running. He's completely predictable. Bedenbaugh hasn't been able to keep his guys healthy or establish any real depth for the entirety of the Brent Venables era. It's inexcusable.

Anyway, I don't see anyone really busting out today. I guess I'll say Mateer, simply because he needs to get some confidence before heading to Athens next week.

DEFENSE

These guys played competently enough to win the game last week, but they have some room to improve as well. If the offense is going to be hapless, these guys have to force some turnovers. They missed on two opportunities in Ann Arbor. 

I expect them to be steady and to set the tone today. However, I worry that they will start to get frustrated by the offense. 

Today I'll go Jayden Jackson for my DPOG. He seems to be lost in the mix of all the hype surrounding the players around him. He's a stud and I think he plays lights out today. 

THE SCORE

There is no way in hell the Sooners can put up more than 50, but they damn sure better put up 35. I'll take the Sooners 42, Lobos 10 

Oklahoma Sooners vs. Michigan Wolverines

 The Sooners (1-0, 0-0) head north this week to The Big House in Ann Arbor Michigan to take on the Wolverines (1*-0). The earlier in a pair of blue blood matchups this Saturday, the other being Ohio State and Texas. 

Michigan is fresh off an undeserving win against Western Michigan that had the Wolverines gifted an extra down to throw a hail mary which was caught for a winning score. The Wolverine co-eds then, embarassingly, stormed the field as if they had just punched their ticket to the playoffs. To reiterate, the Michigan Wolverine fanbase stormed the field after a last second victory against Western Michigan. 

Anyhow, you can say the Wolverines were looking ahead. You can say they now have their heads snapped on straight. But you can also say that the Oklahoma Sooners come in having handled their business against UTEP in a 51-0 shellacking and they were not looking ahead. You can also claim that the Sooners have an advantage with continuity in the system across the board. Whereas Michigan has a new coach and, regardless how esteemed he might be, cannot have his unit fully dialed in to this point.

OFFENSE

The Sooners did some really encouraging things last week. Multiple tight end formations, John Mateer under center, the use of a fullback. All fantastic. They also were able to run the ball. The Colorado State transfer, Lloyd Avant, looked outstanding. He has outstanding acceleration through the hole (that's what she said). 

John Mateer made some really nice throws. Isaiah Sategna had a punt return and a TD reception. A total beast.

The souls of the Michigan players will be seen visibly leaving their bodies and fogging the lights of the Big House if the Sooners meet with early success running the ball. The Sooners also put some things on tape that will really make Michigan have to work on play action and with the tight ends out in coverage. 

For my OPOG, I think it'd be easy to take Sategna as he is clearly one of the best players on every field he steps on. However, I'm going to ride the hot running back hand this week and go with Avant. I am really excited about his game.

DEFENSE

UTEP missed three field goals in the shutout loss last week, so it maars what looks like an otherwise perfect report from the D. It was still a great game by the Sooners. They were locked in througout. UTEP threw every play in the book at them. What jumped out at me was in the 2nd half how the Sooners just had fresh body after fresh body to throw out there. It was relentless and overwhelming.

Michigan is a completely different challenge, but the point is the depth. Bryce Underwood has not done much after having been so balleyhooed out of high school. He's a fine player. But he is going to make some mistakes with having so much, so intensely thrown at him for the entire game.

In fact, this will be what gets the Sooners through the gauntlet this entire season. This has the chance to be an amazing defense and you can tell Sooner Nation is here for it. 

For my DPOG I'm going Taylor Wein. We need a DE to get home a couple times in this one. His size really jumps out at you on TV. 

THE SCORE

I think the Sooners have good reason to feel very confident going into this one. I'm interested to see how Michigan reacts after last week. Were they looking ahead? Are they still getting their sea legs under them?

The Sooners are the better team today so I'm not sure it matters. Still, I think it'll be real tough to win in Ann Arbor.

Sooners 27, Michigan 21

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Michigan

 One week (and a day) after dispatching UTEP in expected fashion, the Sooners travel to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines in one of college football's most storied venues. Coming in to the season, this looked like a massive non-conference road game. While that still holds true, Michigan's miracle (questionable?) win over lowly Western Michigan (gasp, a directional school--hat tip Tory Jay) has sent the Wolverines out of the top 25 and provided far more questions than answers. This week should offer a few more, and hopefully the answer is that we kicked their ass. The Sooners D was looking vicious last week against an overmatched UTEP team. They need to bring that heat again and dominate a good, if underperforming Michigan club that finds itself with an all-world recruit QB on a very short leash.

Offense

This game should provide a much bigger test for the offense. The Michigan D played well, as expected, last week. They sport a significant upgrade in talent at all 3 levels than the Sooners faced last week. In big road games, it's the stars that have to step up and make plays. I think John Mateer does that both with his arm and with his legs in this one. I like the QB for OPG this week.

Defense

Bryce Underwood struggled mightily last week after a promising opening possession. The Sooners D is solid and the front is not to be fucked with. I think they get after the young QB early and often. I like Taylor Wein this week to get off for a couple of sacks and generally wreak havoc. Don't be surprised if we learn a bit about the Michigan back up in the second half (or more) of this one. 

Score

Michigan did not look great, to say the least, last week. But this is that point in the season where things are still shaking out. But, OU has a defense I believe in and even though the offense is still a question mark in my mind I think they get it done on the road. Spread is -4.5 for OU as of this posting, I think we ride the defense to cover city, Sooners win 27-13.  Let’s get it.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin’ Sooner 

UTEP vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Hello Sooner Nation and welcome to another installment of Sooner football and the Steamroller. I'm thrilled to be here and back with you to provide contextless commentary and uninformed opinions based on nothing more than gut feel and hope. It's the new American way after all.

The 2026 Sooners, fresh off a playoff appearance have high hopes and for good reason. They return a ton of starters on defense, plus it's year 2 of Ben Arbuckle and John Mateer. They do, however, have to run the gauntlet of what might be the toughest schedule in all of college football. Georgia, texas, Ole Miss, Michigan, and Texas A&M are all preseason top 20 teams.

First things first, it's a not top 20 foe in UTEP. The Miners will hopefully come into Norman, find themselves on the wrong end of a lopsided ass beating, collect a paycheck and head back to that fabled west Texas town of El Paso.

OFFENSE

You want optimism? The Sooners offensive line might be the most improved unit year over year. They have Mateer and a stable of running backs. Isaiah Sategna returns at receiver and Joe Jon Finley is out as TE coach, replaced no less a personage than future first ballot hall of famer Jason Witten. Oh yes, optimism is high.

All we need to see in this one is an injury free performance. The line I just spoke of has been "dinged up" at Center. No more injuries. Apart from that, how about some commitment to the run game. How about working the TE game and how about spreading the ball around to these new receivers to see what Mateer might have to work with going forward.

For my OPOG I'm going Mateer. He says the thumb is fully recovered. "They" say he's been working on his mechanics. "They" say he's been hitting the weight room. Let's see all that hard work pay off, my guy. I like him for 300 yards, 4 total TD's. 3 passing, 1 running.

DEFENSE

The Sooners have an embarrassment of riches here with continuity to boot. David Stone and Jayden Jackson shore up the front. Kip Lewis and Owen Heineke are back at linebacker. Eli Bowen, the better of the two Bowen brothers, is back at CB. I could go on, but I can't remember all the names and I'm not interested in looking it up. Just trust me when I say this unit is full of Dawgs and they are hungry.

I'll take Kip Lewis as my DPOG. I think he goes Ham this year and sets himself up for a nice NFL payday. He's good for a sack, about 12 tackles and, hell why not, a forced fumble.

SCORE

We're getting 2026 off with a bang under the Friday Night Lights in Norman. I like the Sooners big here.

Sooners 56, UTEP 0

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

UTEP

 As the fall of 2026 is upon us, I am pleased to be starting our 17th season of "publishing" the Steamroller. Yes, it's bad, yes, it's hastily thrown together most weeks but it's a damned tradition. So here we go again. The Sooners probably exceeded expectations last season making the college football playoff for the first time under Brent Venables. It's taken him a few years, but he finally delivered on bringing that top defense to Norman that has been missing since probably 2003ish. Sadly, the offense was still a work in progress (the irony!) so what was probably a championship level defense wasn't enough. I'll take a good D, bad O combo any day over the opposite though, so it was a welcome change at least. The Sooners return a lot of really good player and have a healthy Mateer back at QB. Let's hope the two sides of the ball can get cooking at the same time and something exciting can happen this year. 

The injury problems this fall has been somewhat of a bummer. First the starting center went down early in camp with an MCL strain that is expected to keep him out until Michigan at the earliest, and possibly for 2 more weeks after that. Then, this week we learned that the backup has also injured his knee and will miss at least the UTEP game. So third string it is! It's a little alarming that the original "backup" C was actually a G/T that moved over and hadn't really played C much except for a few snaps in high school. This doesn't give me a ton of confidence in the lad, although hopefully he can hold his own against what should be an overmatched UTEP squad. Additionally Parker Livingston (that's right, only skill position players names are worth my time) is in the concussion protocol as of this week. He's not officially out, but definitely in doubt at this point. All this to say, let's get past UTEP without anyone else getting knocked out, and try to get healthy for that big road test in Michigan the following week.

Offense

While I love a healthy John Mateer and am very excited to see if he can put his late season decision making behind him, I'm going another direction for OPG. Mateer will obviously have to start making good decisions, hitting open guys, and throwing the ball away when nothing is there. Injured hand or not, those things should be (desperately need to be) improved upon. But against UTEP I hope he isn't playing after halftime. Not to overlook anyone, but if this team expects to be playing in the CFP again, this game should be a tune up. I'm expecting a ground and pound game and I'm going with Xavier Robinson as my OPG.

Defense

While no doubt this unit had some significant departures, they still return a great group of players. Taylor Wein really blew up last year and I'm expecting a huge season from him. Likewise David Stone is just an absolute monster up front. Our Cheetah returns and basically the entire secondary is back. There is a lot to like on this side of the ball. I do think UTEP will try to stay away from Wein and Stone on directional play calling and that's why I'm going with Jayden Jackson for my DPG. Dude is a beast and will get tested a lot this year as a result of the talent around him.

Score

Our Sooners are a relatively modest 41.5 favorites against a better-than-your-usual-cupcake UTEP team. I think the offense stays vanilla and I think the defense clamps down. Vegas knows, as usual, but I don't think the Sooners quite cover here but it's never in doubt really, Sooners roll 41-6. Let's fucking go.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

Alabama CFP Edition

An exciting time is upon Sooner nation. Our beloved Crimson-clad football team finds itself in the college football playoff for the first time in its current iteration. I made a remark before the LSU game to Mitch that I simply wanted the Sooners in, everything else is gravy. Which are the words of a fan expecting little going into the season and at the time on the cusp of the postseason. But that was then, now I of course want more. 

After beating the aforementioned LSU tigers and all but sealing a trip to the postseason, in my head I mostly decided I just didn’t want to play anyone we’d played before, specifically Alabama. And in spite of my wish of them losing to Georgia coming true, they somehow got in with 3 losses. This is called Horseshit, if you’re groping for the technical term. 

In the first meeting, as sweet as it was, all but the most delusional Sooner fan I think would agree that OU got lucky. The D was excellent, the O was dreadful and the turnover battle was the difference. A pick six and 2 other turnovers were the difference. Assuming the offense and play-calling are still dreadful (no real reason to think otherwise given the total lack of adjustment during the season), it would almost require replicating that same performance. This seems, um, unlikely. 

Offense

What a disaster this part of the team has been. And what irony that when the Sooners finally put together a really good defense, they can’t score. Mateer has mostly been bad all year. I won’t dig into my opinions as to why, but it’s maddening at the end of the day. And yet, the scoring lives and dies with him. I’ve tried to pick RBs but none of them have done much in the sparing opportunities they’ve had. So I am going with Mateer. I think/hope the extra time has allowed him to reset, rest and get his head right. I think he plays well, limits turnovers and puts some points on the board. 

Defense

So many good players on this side of the ball. The front is going to have to really dominate this game for the Sooners to have a chance. Ty Simpson needs to get acquainted with the turf early and often. But I think that while the front is tying up the Alabama line, Owen Heinecke is flying around and making plays. I like him for a ton of tackles and one takeaway. 

Score

If you can’t tell, I’m nervous. Alabama has the advantage of a chip on their shoulder and the confidence knowing they should’ve won the first time. Yet the Sooners faithful will be out in force and making it a tough road environment. Additionally, the fact that they beat the Tide on the road and are still home dogs has to be lighting a fire. This all put together with a little vintage Sooner Magic has the good guys winning. Sooners escape, 24-23. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin’ Sooner 

Louisiana State Tigers vs. Oklahoma Sooners

 Greetings, Sooner fans and welcome to the final Saturday of the regular season. The Sooners find themselves in the proverbial drivers seat with regards to a playoff spot. Yessir, it's win and quite likely in. Standing in the Sooners way in Norman, however, is a dangerous LSU Tiger squad. A disappointing bunch, at best, with nothing to lose and an opportunity to play spoiler. Much like last week against Mizzou, the Sooners are fortunate to be at home with a friendly crowd.

Speaking of last week, the Sooners shut down the Mizzou running attack and won the turnover battle. That proved to be a winning formula, go figure. The Sooners will need to replicate that plan again today because, let's be real, the Ben Arbuckle led Sooners offense is suspect at best. 

OFFENSE

Speaking of suspect offenses, we've watched this season as the offensive line has struggled both on and off the field before settling into a solid rotation the last month or so. We've seen John Mateer come out like gangbusters before breaking his hand and then watched as he's thrown all balls with the same trajectory and velocity. He has, however, reduced his turnovers. That leaves Ben Arbuckle who seems hell bent on calling the game he dreams of in his mind versus what he has available from a personnel standpoint and by what the defense gives him.

Today, and for the rest of the season, the Sooners need to play ball control football. Get first downs, hang onto the ball. Own field possession. Use Tate Sandell as needed and score a couple touchdowns. You do that by running the ball. They need a running back in the backfield to at least make the defense think someone besides Mateer might run in it in obivious Mateer running situations.

So again, I'm picking Xavier Robinson for OPOG. Not because I think he'll have a big day so much as I am trying to will into existence the commitment to a running attack.

DEFENSE

What's left to say? These boys have carried the load. I think today, where the wind is whipping and the game could get ugly, these guys are going to be hungry. There is no way they are letting LSU control the action with it all on the line. 

Today I'm going Kendal Daniels for my DPOG. He's been getting some pub this week. He's a Senior, it's Senior Day. He's ready to let it rip.

SCORE

I can't believe the Sooners are 10+ point favorites, but I haven't watched a lot of LSU football and they do have some guys dinged up. The season has been a disaster, obviously, for them.

I feel like it's our new stock in trade to score about 24 points and give up potentially about 17. 

24-17 Sooners 

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

LSU

 Here we are my friends, the last game of the season and it’s a big one. After a bleak middle of the season sitting at 2 losses and facing a run of 3 very good, ranked conference teams, including on the road at (then) #4 Alabama, our beloved Sooners have done what they haven’t in so long, TCB. Yet with 1 regular season game remaining, a loss in said game would dash all hopes of a meaningful postseason and a win, well, dare I say?

The obnoxious LSU tigers come to Norman this week for their first ever appearance there. No fan base has done more with less as it pertains to arrogance relative to actual success (except maybe Ole Miss). Make no mistake, they are a very good team and this will be a very tough test to close the season out. But after living in New Orleans for a few years, one gets rather tired of hearing about LSU football. There is plenty on the line here for the Sooners, but that added layer especially has me anxious for this one. Nothing would make me happier than an OU postseason game(s), but if it comes at the expense of an LSU team, all the better. 

Offense

Let’s start with this, Ben Arbuckle is an atrocious play caller. He seems to have no awareness of game situations for down and distance or series to series, let alone in the broad perspective of the entire game. The OU offense isn’t good, but he definitely doesn’t do them any favors. My prediction of them running the ball last week couldn’t have been farther off. So what am I doing? Doubling down of course. I think that Xavier does it this week and maintains the type of ball country so sorely needed with a good defense. 

Defense

Speaking of this Unit (that is with a capital U); where do I start. Missouri is definitely one dimensional, and that QB was horrendous, but man they really shut them down. Zero second half rushing yards allowed against what is easily the best run game in the country. For this week, I’m going to say David Stone. Dude is an absolute beast, I think he makes his presence “felt”.

Score

The line as of me writing this is OU -10.5. That feels absurdly high. LSU has a good defense and see above regarding our offense. The only way I could even remotely see us covering is 12-0 with four FGs. So no. I think that LSU comes out with something to prove and nothing to lose, this is a dangerous combo for a team with their talent. But I think the OU D does enough. Sooners hang on 17-14. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin Sooner

Missouri

 What a week last week was. Beating the might Crimson Tide on the road in a primetime matchup. It felt like 2001 again (wow I am old). I savored that for a few days this week, no question. But, back to the present and a sneaky good Missouri team coming to town. This has all the makings of a letdown week. Mizzou is tough, they have a  great run game (you may have heard) and they have nothing to lose. I'm sure nothing would please them more than to come in to our house and ruin our playoff hopes, and ergo, season by my calculations. I think this will be hard fought, and if OU can escape with win I will consider ourselves lucky.

Offense

The OU offense has been mostly abysmal. They were no better last week, let's be honest. The defense and special teams are the only reason we stole a W in tuscaloosa. Matteer has been, um, not good. Let's leave it at that. He, and by extension the offense, simply has to be much better if we want to continue this run. As has been oft mentioned, Missouri comes in with one of the best running games in the country. I think we counter today with our own running game and the X man. Xavier Robinson has a big day after Arbuckle takes two hits of LSD this morning and hallucinates his way to actually handing the ball off regularly.

Defense

It all starts on this side of the ball. Unlike last week, the key will be stopping the run game. It's an interesting flip of the script in terms of defensive focus. I think the guys adjust and I think Owen Heinecke is in the thick of it all day long. I like him for approximately one shitload of tackles today and a no doubt DPG.

Score

This is going to be a grind. I think Mizzou hangs around the whole way making for a very uncomfortable day. In the end I think OU does enough to survive this wake-up call. Sooners eke it out 22-21. Let's keep it going.

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner

Missouri Tigers vs. Oklahoma Sooners

Happy Saturday, Sooner fans. The Sooners, fresh off a massive win in Tuscaloosa, host the Missouri Tigers and find themselves in the thick of the college football playoff hunt. The Sooners need only to win out to get in. That's easier said than done, however, as the Tigers are a pretty dangerous football team and the Sooners, if they aren't careful, could be ripe for a letdown and upset. If you've read the blog for any appreciable amount of time, you'll know there's no room for such gloom and doom around here though. We see the world through crimson colored glasses so on we go.

OFFENSE

John Mateer continues to do enough to win and last week, crucially, he didn't turn the ball over. Alabama did and that was the difference in the game. Pretty simple. Taking care of the ball, along with some cohesion along the offensive line, is the best thing that can be happening to this offense right now. The freshman trio of Michael Fasusi, Ryan Fodje and Eddie Pierre-Louis are going to be anchors for the next couple of years.

The Sooners need to take a long view, without overlooking anybody, and approach this game as the next step in the evolution and establishment of what this offense really is and needs to be for a playoff run which means taking care of the football, staying ahead of the chains and having 3rd and shorts. 

Today I think the Sooners will try to pound the ball against Missouri and they'll definitely take some shots to Isaiah Sategna. In fact, I think I'll pick Sategna as my OPOG. He about gives me a heart attack with his ball control, but he's a star in the making.

DEFENSE

Missouri's running game is elite. Ahmed Hardy is the nations leading rusher. Fortunately, the Sooner defense matches up well to this style of play. While you can say every game it all starts with stopping the run, today you can definitely say it starts with stopping the run. 

The Sooners depth up front and physicality should be enough to keep the Tigers in check. However, if the Tigers meet with some success, it could result in some time consuming drives that turn this game into an ugly slog.

I don't know that Mizzou has a good answer if the Sooners turn them into one dimensional passers. I'm certainly not scared of their personnel.

Today I'll take Owen Heinecke for my DPOG. He's been a maniac lately and should rack up double digit tackles today.

THE SCORE

I'm glad the Sooners are back home and can have the crowd help prevent a let down after a big win last week. The work is still ahead of them, but the Sooners are in prime position to make the playoff.

If they take care of business today, I can see them handling the Tigers by a couple of scores.

Sooners 27, Tigers 17

Boomer to the motherfuckin Sooner

Alabama

 Our beloved Sooners find themselves traveling to the hostile environs of Tuscaloosa today with everything they wanted still on the line. OU is currently 11th but squeezed out of the playoffs if they were to start today due to other conference bids superseding their ranking. Alabama, after a season opening loss, hasn't bothered to lose again and are all the way up to 4th in the country. A win on the road would certainly move the Sooners up a few spots in the rankings, and deservedly so. A loss, well, that would have us curious which mid-december fast food/lawn care/autoparts bowl we'd be heading to. In short, everything is on the line here.

After a surprising and ultimately meaningless (to the Sooners) win at home against Alabama last season, the Crimson Tide are no doubt anxious to avenge us. They sport a gaudy record in spite of having a mediocre offense and by extension offense. Their D however is excellent. This sounds a lot like a texas team we lost to earlier. I'm nervous.

Offense

I just did a quick google search and it turns out that you can't win games if you don't score. So, this side of the ball is important. Mateer started off the year looking like a heisman winner. After breaking his hand in the Auburn game, he's looked like a participation ribbon winner. This can't stand if we are to make the playoff. As much as Xavier Robinson and the run game are critical to the success of the offense today (and every day), I'm saying Mateer has a great game today. I think he makes some mistakes but comes up in the clutch. I like him for OPG. 

Defense

R. Mason Thomas is doubtful to play today. Normally this fact would have escaped me and I would have picked him right off. Maybe it's a bad sign that I'm not. The defensive line will be the crux of things on this side of the ball, if they don't step up, this is over before kickoff. I think they do and as a result, I think they force Ty Simpson to make some bad plays. I like Courtland Guillory to be the benefactor of this. I think the true freshman gets a pick today, and does a great job against a very tough alabama WR room.

Score

Whew brother, this is going to be a ball buster. I almost hate that we beat them last year even though it was fun. We have everything to play for and so do they. This game is huge on both sides with the added revenge factor and home field for Bama. But, we have the nobody-thinks-we-can-do-this factor and I'm a homer. I think the Sooners pull the big upset, 24-17. 

Boomer to the Motherfuckin' Sooner