Mississippi State hosts Oklahoma after LSU shutout
The Bulldogs' quarterback and lead back had no stats at LSU, and Oklahoma brings the third-ranked pass defense against Power 4 teams to Starkville.
Third and Data
Written with AI and reviewed by our staff.
Kamario Taylor has thrown for 1,450 yards this season, the most on Mississippi State. In the Bulldogs' 31-0 loss at No. 22 LSU last time out, the quarterback had no stats. Neither did Fluff Bothwell, who leads Mississippi State with 403 rushing yards.
Mississippi State is 4-2 and 2-2 in SEC play, with two straight losses, 56-23 to No. 7 Alabama and 31-0 at LSU, after a 4-0 start capped by a 31-24 win over No. 19 Missouri. Oklahoma is 3-3 and 1-2 in conference play, and it lost 21-13 to No. 15 Kentucky a week after beating No. 1 Texas 27-24.
Oklahoma stops yards, Mississippi State trades them
Against Power 4 opponents, Mississippi State is -25 in point margin, 49th nationally and 13th in the SEC. Oklahoma is -40 in the same games, 63rd nationally and 14th in the SEC. Both teams have been outscored by good teams, the Sooners by more.
Oklahoma gains 292 yards a game, 71st nationally, and allows 295, eighth. Mississippi State gains 393, 33rd, and allows 400, 44th. One team plays low-yardage games, the other plays wide-open ones.
Both teams are on the wrong side of the turnover ledger against Power 4 opponents. Oklahoma is -6 in turnover margin, 84th nationally, and Mississippi State is -3, 70th. The Sooners are flagged for 57 yards a game, 46th nationally, against 69 for the Bulldogs, 72nd.
Where it's decided
When Mississippi State has the ball, it runs into the best pass defense in the SEC against Power 4 opponents. Oklahoma allows 177 passing yards a game, third nationally, and opponents convert 29.4% on third down, also third nationally and first in the SEC. Mississippi State throws for 250 yards a game, 30th nationally, and converts 46.3% on third down, 15th.
Taylor leads the SEC with 17 touchdown passes, against 4 interceptions, and completes 66.2% of his throws. Mississippi State's Anthony Evans III leads the SEC with 47 catches and ranks third in the conference with 614 receiving yards, with 5 touchdowns. Sanfrisco Magee is second on the team in receiving yards with 295, and he also has 5 touchdowns.
That passing game was rebuilt. Mississippi State returned 20% of its 2025 passing yards and 42% of its receiving yards, after Brenen Thompson took 1,054 receiving yards to the NFL.
On the ground, Mississippi State runs for 143 yards a game, and Oklahoma allows 119, 25th nationally. Kolin Wilson is second on the Bulldogs in rushing yards with 202. Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke leads the Sooners in tackles with 45, and defensive lineman Jake Kreul leads them in sacks with 3. Mississippi State scores on 81.3% of red zone trips, and Oklahoma allows scores on 80.0%.
When Oklahoma has the ball, the run game is the problem. The Sooners run for 81 yards a game against Power 4 teams, 73rd nationally and 16th in the SEC, and Mississippi State allows 110, 22nd nationally. Running back Lloyd Avant leads Oklahoma in rushing yards with 267 and 2 touchdowns, and he brought 417 rushing yards with him as a transfer.
The opening is through the air. Mississippi State allows 290 passing yards a game, 76th nationally and 15th in the SEC, and Oklahoma throws for 211. Quarterback John Mateer leads the Sooners in passing yards with 1,308, with 9 touchdowns, 7 interceptions and a 65.1 completion percentage. He is also second on the team in rushing yards with 79, and tight end Rocky Beers is second in receiving yards with 329.
Mississippi State's defense gives up a 44.9% third-down rate and a 90.5% red zone scoring rate, against an Oklahoma red zone offense at 75.0%. Linebacker Tyler Lockhart leads the Bulldogs in tackles with 38, and defensive lineman Will Whitson shares the team lead in sacks with 2.
Unranked a week after No. 16
Mississippi State was No. 16 last week and is unranked now. The Bulldogs come home without a number next to their name.
Oklahoma's points are scarce on the road
Oklahoma has scored 23 points in two road games, against 26 a game at home. Against Power 4 teams, the Sooners score 15.8 points a game, 16th in the SEC, and convert 26.3% on third down, also 16th. They are 1-3 against Power 4 opponents, the win coming against Texas, and 2-2 in one-score games.
Sategna is 16 yards from 2,000
Oklahoma receiver Isaiah Sategna III needs 16 receiving yards to reach 2,000 for his career. He leads the Sooners in catches with 33 and in receiving yards with 414, with 2 touchdowns. Oklahoma returned 43% of its 2025 receiving yards after Deion Burks and Jaren Kanak took 1,153 to the NFL.
Sooner kick returns, Bulldog kick coverage
Oklahoma averages 24.5 yards per kick return against Power 4 teams, 16th nationally. Mississippi State allows 27.8 yards per kick return, 16th in the SEC, and averages 17.5 on its own returns. Oklahoma's kick coverage allows 17.0, 20th nationally.
Three former Sooners in Starkville
Brent Venables coaches Oklahoma, and Jeff Lebby coaches Mississippi State.
Mississippi State safety Kendel Dolby played at Oklahoma in 2023-25, making 68 tackles with 5 pass breakups, and faces the Sooners for the first time since leaving. Receiver Zion Ragins caught 10 passes for 68 yards at Oklahoma in 2024-25 before joining the Bulldogs. Offensive lineman Isaiah Dent was on Oklahoma's roster in 2024-25 and also meets his old team for the first time.
Oklahoma had 7 players drafted, one each at edge, guard, defensive tackle, linebacker, safety, tight end and receiver, with 1 in the first two rounds. That was edge R Mason Thomas, taken 40th overall by Kansas City. Oklahoma returned 58% of its 2025 tackles, with Robert Spears-Jennings and Kendal Daniels among those who left for the NFL.
Mississippi State had 2 players drafted, a receiver and a tight end, neither in the first two rounds. Tight end Seydou Traore went 180th overall to Miami.
Oklahoma added 4-star transfer receivers Trell Harris from Virginia and Parker Livingstone from Texas, and Mississippi State added 4-star receiver Marquis Johnson from Missouri.
Availability
The availability report for this game is not out yet.
A first meeting, for programs and coaches
Oklahoma and Mississippi State have never met, in games on record since 1869. Venables has never faced Mississippi State in 5 seasons as an FBS head coach, and Lebby has never faced Oklahoma in 3.
The programs arrive from different places. Oklahoma went 10-3 last season, allowing 15.5 points a game, after a 6-7 finish in 2024. Mississippi State went 5-8 last season and 2-10 in 2024, when it allowed 34.1 points a game.
Three things to watch
Taylor and Bothwell after a game with no stats: Taylor ranks third in the SEC with 18 total touchdowns.
Oklahoma holding the ball: against Power 4 teams, the Sooners average 31:01 of possession, 27th nationally, to Mississippi State's 27:59, 62nd.
Punt returns: Mississippi State's coverage allows 1.0 yards a return, eighth nationally, against Oklahoma's 6.8-yard average.
Rankings vs Power 4
Rankings based on games vs Power 4 only, min 2.
Player stats vs Power 4
Games vs Power 4 only. Top 3 at each position.
Special teams vs Power 4
Games vs Power 4 only.
Advanced box
Season to date: where each offense attacks, against what the other defense has allowed.
Passing
Oklahoma attacking · vs what Mississippi State has allowed
6 games of offense · 6 against Mississippi State
Mississippi State attacking · vs what Oklahoma has allowed
6 games of offense · 6 against Oklahoma
Rushing
Oklahoma attacking · vs what Mississippi State has allowed
6 games of offense · 6 against Mississippi State
Mississippi State attacking · vs what Oklahoma has allowed
6 games of offense · 6 against Oklahoma
⚠ Both halves are 2026 to date. The defensive side is not a separate observation: it is what this team’s opponents have done to it, summed over the season.