Atrás
The Oklahoma Sooners will face one of college football's most unique offenses on Saturday. Jeff Lebby's Mississippi State Bulldogs run a veer-and-shoot, or wide-choice, offense.
The Bulldogs like to spread you out wide and play a numbers game in the box. If the numbers are in their favor, they will run the football. If they aren't, the run-pass option (RPO) becomes a big part of the offensive attack. Mississippi State also goes turbo on offense, making it imperative that defenses stay disciplined with their eyes and assignments. These offenses are known for explosive passing plays.
Teddy Lehman said that while these offenses do a great job with the deep passes, this offense is predicated on the run game.
"You think because of all the deep ball stuff, like this is an air raid offense," Lehman said on the 'Oklahoma Breakdown with Ikard and Lehman.' "It is a running offense. They want to run the ball... That's what you have to do to hit the home runs."
That distinction makes Oklahoma's up-front responsibility especially important. The Sooners must account for Mississippi State's numbers-based approach without letting the Bulldogs dictate each snap. If the defensive front holds its ground and limits the run game's effectiveness, Oklahoma can make the offense less predictable and force quarterback Kamario Taylor to work through tougher situations. Discipline will be just as important in the secondary, where one missed assignment can quickly turn into a big play.
The Bulldogs' tempo adds another layer of challenge, requiring Oklahoma to communicate clearly and get aligned before the snap. The Sooners have the defensive talent to make life difficult for Mississippi State, but they will need to execute consistently against an offense designed to punish small mistakes. Controlling the run game while staying alert to the deep ball could help Oklahoma's defense dictate the matchup.