Norman, Oklahoma USA

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Mike

Mike has 123 articles published.

Soonerguys Editor

Mike: Resignation in Sooner Nation

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John Mateer’s tipped pass fluttered endlessly in the air and the inevitability of an interception became a microcosm of the deflating Sooners season.

It was but one of the Oklahoma quarterback’s three interceptions in a 21-13 loss to Kentucky, which, ironically, was his best performance this season.

The statistics will show this as a game Mateer threw away. The reality is, his sharp passing and glimpses of a good rush offense (at least in the first half), kept the Sooners in the game, leading 10-7 at halftime and 13-7 after three quarters.

In fact, Oklahoma outgained Kentucky 346 to 230 in total yards and 270 to 158 in passing yards.

But in the second half things were different. And injury to Ryan Fodje caused another game of musical chairs among position shifting offensive linemen. Pass protection broke down. The run game was not as effective. And more importantly, the Sooners were not able to turn yardage into points. The turnovers let the No. 15 Wildcats to score 14 points in the fourth quarter.

The Sooners still had a chance in the waning minutes of the game, down only 14-10. But another one of Mateer’s interceptions with 1:24 left — returned for a touchdown by Kentucky DB Jordan Castell — and Oklahoma’s hopes of building on a surprising win over Texas the week before and moving to the top of SEC standings died.

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Sooner Magic kicks in right on time

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With five minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Sooners had narrowed the Texas lead to 17-10 on a 53-yard Tate Sandell field goal, and judging from the reaction of the crimson clad crowd that populated the south half of the Cotton Bowl, you would have thought Oklahoma was well on its way to defeating the No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns.

The Oklahoma fans were raucous. Texas fans were pensive.

The Sooners were in the game in the second half. And that’s not what any pundit, predictor, gambler or arm-chair quarterback in the country had predicted.

Momentum had shifted and any doubts about whether the Sooners had any chance for an upset were being supplanted by a measure of belief, or maybe we should say, blind faith, that maybe, just maybe, OU fans were going to witness the 2026 version of something called Sooner Magic.

Turns out, they did.

Sandell’s field goal was a precursor of what was to happen. Oklahoma would go on to outscore the 9 1/2-point favorite Texas 17-7 in the fourth quarter and win this year’s Red River Rivalry 27-24 with a walk off home run field goal by Sandell.

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Mike: Odds against the Sooners make for an opportunity

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The last time Oklahoma scored a touchdown in the Red River Rivalry was in 2023, when QB Dylan Gabriel’s pass found WR Nick Anderson alone in the back of the endzone in the last minute of the game. The Sooners won 34-30 on their way to a 10-win season.

Oklahoma hasn’t won this game since.

Breaking the drought doesn’t look likely, at least if you pay attention to how the Sooners have stubbed their toes this season with John Mateer’s critical turnovers and an offensive line that is riddled with injuries and inconsistent play.

Vegas makes Texas a 9 1/2 point favorite, although you wonder if the reason the oddsmakers put it that close is because we all know the usual norms of football don’t apply to this game.

There is too much emotion. And the team that best handles that, and manages to not turn the ball over, tends to win it, regardless of predictions or on-paper strengths.

But maybe this game really isn’t different from the norms of football. Bud Wilkinson always said that the key to victory in football rests with three factors: turnovers, field position and the kicking game.

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