The Sooners started its 2026 campaign with three first quarter touchdowns and never looked back in a dominate 51-0 win over UTEP on a rare Friday night game in Norman.
Isaiah Sategna’s first quarter touchdown catch and 88-yard punt return for a touchdown had fans happy. That and returning QB John Mateer’s efficient management of the game and a suffocating Sooner defense were the highlights of the game.
But Coach Brent Venables’ immediate post-game comment was: “Plenty to clean up.”
He is right. Early in the game, UTEP had surprising success scrambling their quarterback. Coach Brent Venables said there was some sloppy tackling. That doesn’t bode well for game two of the season, when the Sooners travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolves and their dynamic athlete at quarterback Bryce Underwood.
But let’s not get too doom and gloom. Oklahoma won by 51 and got their first shut out since 44-0 defeat of Kent State last year.
There was a lot to be happy about. First was the opening drive, which appeared to prove offensive coordinator … Arbuckle was listening to the sports talk callers all off season who complained about the anemic rush game Oklahoma had last year.
The opening drive was primarily Mateer handing the ball off to Colorado State transfer RB Avant, who proved new running backs coach Deland McCullough was right in giving him the starting nod. Avant finished with 15 carries for 80 yards. In fact all the running backs looked strong, even though there were still some issues with the Big Men blocking up front.
Santegna finished with 191 all purpose yards. Trell Harris had two catches for 61 yards.
Transfer tight end Rocky Beers (how can you not like that name?) caught two catches for 43 yards and one touchdown capped by a remarkable hurdle at the goal line.
Oklahoma ran the ball for only 170 yards. As an excuse for the mediocre rushing status (after the initial possession) may be the absence of Ryan Fodje, who was moved to center in the depth chart after the preseason injury to Maikulla, but who was injured in practice earlier this week.
Fodje did not suit up. Oklahoma started true freshman Noah Best at Center, then later moved guard Eddy Pierre-Louis to center in the second half. Best was the first Sooner freshman to start a season opener since J.R. Conrad in 1992. On top of that, Best later played left guard and right guard later in the game when Pierre-Louis took over the snap chores.
Mateer was 11 of 17 225 yards and three touchdowns (no interceptions). A shining star was transfer Rocky Beers, who caught a Mateer pass, leaped over a UTEP defender and plowed into the end zone for a first quarter touchdown.
Texas transfer WR Parker Livingstone, who was cleared from a concussion protocol set during pre-season, took the field, but caught only one Mateer pass for six yards.
Defensively the Sooners played 32 different players. They sacked the quarterback four times, held the Miners to only 2 of 13 third down conversions and kept UTEP from scoring on their two red zone incursions.
Peyton Bowen posted four total tackles, a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and forced a fumble. He also caused a UTEP fumble that was recovered by defensive end Taylor Wein. Defensive end Wyatt Gilmore also played well.
Photo credit: Paxson Haws/Norman Transcript
Report Card
Passing game: A (Nothing flashy, but steady)
Rushing game: B- (Liked to see more, but only ran 39 times)
Run defense: B+ (Slow start, but later dominated)
Pass defense: A (Not threatened much)
Kicking game: A (Sategna’s TD was spectacular)
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