Oklahoma beat Mississippi State 23-15, per Sports Illustrated
Oklahoma defeated Mississippi State 23-15 at Davis Wade Stadium, improving to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in SEC play behind 469 total yards of offense and a stifling defensive performance, according to Sports Illustrated.
Brent Venables Defense Halts Mississippi State Offense
The Oklahoma defense limited Mississippi State to just 126 yards of total offense in the first half. Bulldog quarterback Kamario Taylor left the game in the second quarter after dealing with early pressure from the Sooners, and backup Parker Puckett struggled to spark the offense.
Mississippi State converted just 1-of-11 third downs and went 2-of-5 on fourth down. Brent Venables’ unit recorded four sacks, led by defensive end Adepoju Adebawore, alongside six tackles for loss. An Owen Heinecke forced fumble on first-and-goal also snuffed out the most productive drive the Bulldogs mounted before halftime.
John Mateer and Offense Capitalize on Ground Support
Left tackle Michael Fasusi started for the first time since the season-opener, anchoring an offensive line that generated the Sooners’ highest yardage total of 2026. Just before halftime, quarterback John Mateer capped a 14-play, 96-yard drive by scrambling to find Isaiah Sategna for a 36-yard touchdown.
The Sooners needed only one play after halftime when Tory Blaylock broke away for a 47-yard run, marking the team’s longest rushing play of the year. Mateer then lofted a touchdown pass to an open Rocky Beers to extend the lead. Despite subsequent fumbles from Beers that gave Mississippi State short fields, Oklahoma protected its advantage.
Tate Sandell Navigates Kicking Struggles in Starkville
Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell finished 3-for-6 on field goal attempts, missing all three of his unsuccessful kicks at the south end of Davis Wade Stadium. The misses included a 45-yard attempt in the first half, another 45-yard try at the start of the fourth quarter, and a 41-yard attempt following an illegal formation penalty.
Sandell has now missed six field goal attempts through the 2026 season, matching his total of eight misses across his prior three collegiate seasons. Despite the recent kicking slump, Venables continued deploying his left-footed kicker, who previously secured victories with clutch kicks in the Cotton Bowl and the Red River Rivalry against Texas.
Oklahoma holds a 4-3 record with five games remaining on the 2026 schedule.