Steve Curtis - Oklahoma’s Offense Must Deliver Behind a Battered Line

Steve Curtis | October 23rd, 2026

Oklahoma’s offense doesn’t need another opponent to show that opportunities exist.

It needs to stop wasting them.

The Sooners followed their Red River victory with a 21-13 loss to Kentucky, scoring one offensive touchdown while John Mateer threw three interceptions. The protection regressed, the running game failed to produce an explosive gain and another afternoon of available offense ended without enough points.

Mississippi State presents places Oklahoma can attack.

That alone won’t make Saturday different.

Like Kentucky, Mississippi State has struggled to defend passes against its linebackers and limit yards after the catch. Oklahoma can attack those weaknesses with timely underneath throws instead of waiting for something to open downfield.

But the Sooners must give those plays time to develop and finish them before the opportunity disappears.

That begins with the protection.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) charged Oklahoma’s blockers with 17 pressures against Kentucky after the group allowed only five against Texas.

Ryan Fodje surrendered six, including two sacks, while Jake Maikkula allowed three pressures and two sacks.

Oklahoma offensive lineman Ryan Fodje (70) celebrates a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Texas, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, in Dallas. Oklahoma won 27-24 on a last-second field goal. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)

Fodje’s ankle injury compounded problems Oklahoma had already struggled to solve when healthy. Kentucky reached Mateer from outside and through the middle, preventing the Sooners from consistently providing the pocket they’d created a week earlier.

Now the line faces another uncertain combination.

Fodje and Eddy Pierre-Louis were listed as out on Thursday’s availability report. Michael Fasusi and Heath Ozaeta remained questionable, leaving Oklahoma with limited options to improve a group that hasn’t consistently held up.

Mississippi State doesn’t have to overwhelm the entire line to reproduce that problem.

Will Whitson generated five pressures and a sack against South Carolina. Amaree Williams gives the Bulldogs another threat outside, while Jaray Bledsoe and Dealyn Evans can challenge protection inside.

Oklahoma must handle them as a group.

Hayden Hansen can support a tackle. Rocky Beers can chip before releasing. Maikkula and the guards must identify additional rushers without opening a shorter path to Mateer.

There was individual work against Kentucky worth preserving.

Noah Best wasn’t charged with a pressure across 51 pass-blocking snaps. Oklahoma needs that dependability to extend across whichever combination takes the field Saturday.

Mateer must also use the protection when it holds.

Against Kentucky, he completed 70% of his attempts from clean pockets. Under pressure, he completed three of 10 and threw two interceptions.

Those results weren’t simply a matter of poor decisions. A defender hit his throwing arm on the first interception, and repeated breakdowns forced him to move within the pocket to keep plays alive.

Mateer still must recognize when the available completion is enough.

But Ben Arbuckle must give him timely options that fit the protection Oklahoma can provide. The Sooners can’t keep asking Mateer to wait for routes to develop behind a line that hasn’t consistently given him that time.

Mississippi State gives Arbuckle reason to build around those shorter throws.

Linebacker Tyler Lockhart allowed all nine passes thrown into his coverage to be completed for 88 yards against LSU. Fatt Forrest surrendered four catches on five targets.

Those are areas Arbuckle should make the Bulldogs defend again.

Beers can work from beside a tackle or release from the slot, forcing the linebackers to account for him before the rush arrives. Hansen can provide another receiving option when Oklahoma shows a formation that suggests additional protection or a handoff.

The opportunity depends on timing.

A throw delivered as Beers enters open space gives him room to turn upfield. A late decision allows the linebacker to recover and the pass rush to close.

Oklahoma needs to create those completions deliberately rather than depend on Mateer finding them after something deeper breaks down.

The backs can contribute to the same plan.

Jonathan Hatton Jr. caught both of his targets for 15 yards against Kentucky. Lloyd Avant provides another option from the backfield, along with Tory Blaylock if he’s available.

Oklahoma running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. (20) is pushed out of bounds by UTEP safety Xavier Smith (2) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Getting them involved would make Mississippi State’s linebackers defend more than the running game.

It would also give the backs a way to contribute when the blocking doesn’t produce dependable rushing room.

That problem remains unresolved.

Avant, Blaylock and Hatton combined for 67 yards on 18 carries against Kentucky. None had a run longer than seven yards.

The Sooners weren’t simply waiting for a back to turn one opening into a touchdown. They struggled to create the opening.

Mississippi State has defenders capable of extending that frustration.

Evans has provided resistance inside, while Bledsoe showed against Alabama that he can disrupt a running play before the back reaches the linebackers.

Oklahoma can’t assume a favorable coverage matchup will make the Bulldogs easy to run through.

The line and tight ends must sustain their blocks.

Hansen and Beers both earned run-blocking grades below 60 against Kentucky. Adding them to the formation won’t solve the problem unless they help create room.

Arbuckle still needs enough productive handoffs to prevent Mississippi State from treating every snap as a passing down.

That would make the underneath throws easier and give Isaiah Sategna more room to affect the game.

Sategna caught eight passes for 83 yards against Kentucky. Oklahoma should keep moving him into positions where Mateer can deliver the ball before the coverage settles around him.

But the Bulldogs have capable outside cornerbacks.

Jett Jefferson and Kelley Jones combined to allow only five catches on 15 targets against Missouri. Oklahoma shouldn’t ignore its receivers outside, but it doesn’t need to force those matchups when the linebackers offer a more accessible completion.

Manny Choice showed against Kentucky that another receiver can contribute, catching five passes for 98 yards.

Mateer must recognize those opportunities without deciding before the snap that every possession belongs to Sategna or Beers.

The pieces of a productive passing game remain available.

Saturday requires Oklahoma to connect them.

Protect long enough to deliver the throw. Give the backs useful opportunities. Make Mississippi State’s linebackers defend in space and keep the football when the larger play isn’t there.

The Sooners have already shown they can gain yards while losing control of a game.

Against Mississippi State, those opportunities must become finished possessions.