COLUMN

Starkville is calling. Who’s going to answer for Oklahoma?

The Sooners’ defense, of course. Under Brent Venables, that has become OU’s one constant. The defense always answers.

But is it even remotely fair to ask Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke and David Stone and Jayden Jackson and Peyton Bowen and Taylor Wein and Omarion Robinson and Courtland Guillory and Reggie Powers and now Jake Kreul to keep showing up, keep doing their jobs, keep fighting, keep bleeding for every inch of grass?

All the while, the offense stumbles and bumbles through 60 minutes of a college football game?

While John Mateer can’t find open receivers or, alternatively, can’t quit giving the football to the other team? 

While Ben Arbuckle in two years has neither recruited nor developed literally any other quarterback he trusts to put in a game over a human turnover machine?

While Bill Bedenbaugh or Arbuckle or even Mateer, for his own sake, can’t see that for three crucial series in the second half last week against Kentucky that OU only has four usable linemen on the field when five is actually what’s required? 

And that third phase, special teams, who knows from week to week how they’re going to contribute? One game it’s knocking off No. 1 with a blocked punt and a walk-off field goal, the next it’s a hare-brained, momentum-sucking fake field goal attempt. 

For Saturday’s game at Mississippi State, Oklahoma simply needs to do one simple thing — albeit one big thing:

Get your act together.

You’ve heard the phrase, “complementary football?”

Use it. Seriously, give it a try. Just once. You might enjoy it.

Defense, Jeff Lebby and his 11-20 career record as a head coach want to welcome you to Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field to face the No. 22-ranked offense in the country. Sure, they were shut out last week because their quarterback didn’t play, but you know a thing or two about carrying the water when times are tough for the offense. It happens.

More on that later, but for now, just know this: you need to put together another grand defensive performance. No room for error. Sorry, them’s the rules at Oklahoma in 2026. (And 2024.)

Special teams? Just … tell you what. Don’t do anything stupid. Don’t take unnecessary risks when the reward isn’t all that great. Play it safe, play it conservative, and hit guys, kick field goals, don’t drop punts — not snaps or the kicks — just, don’t do anything to get your teammates beat.

OK. Now. The offense. Here’s what your fan base is gonna need from you today. You ready? You got your notebook and your pen? Juice box good to go? OK. Listen closely. And try to remember.

Show up.

Show the hell up. Do your damn job.

This defense has been dragging your little butt around like a crying, whining little brother, poopy pants, real tears and all, and he hasn’t slugged in the gut you yet. But it feels like he’s about to. He’s tired of dragging you everywhere, smelly and messy, inconsolable, incoherent, from one stadium to the next, while you contribute absolutely nothing.

It’s Mississippi State, boys. This is your time to shine.

These Bulldogs rank No. 111 in the nation in points allowed. That’s just barely ahead of where you rank in points scored (113th), which, let’s face it, you’ve gotten some real assists there from the dudes on your defense and special teams in the touchdown department. 

First downs allowed? Lebby’s squad ranks 107th. Passing yards allowed? They’re 127th. Total defense? Holding steady at No. 98. Turnover margin, they’re 103rd in the country (although, compared to you guys at 134th, that feels almost like the Top 40.

(The countdown rolls on…)

Mississippi State ranks 114th in the nation in sacks allowed. Although, there you are again, sticking out like a big red zit, ranked No. 121.

Is there anything you’re good at?

Third down offense — 115th. Red zone offense — 76th. Hey, things might be looking up.

Oh, rushing offense. 136th in the nation. That, as they say, is at the bottom looking up. Only California and Hawaii are below Oklahoma. (Insert political joke here; come on, the primaries  are right around the corner!)

In terms of rushing offense, Miss State sits at at No. 50 — proudly right smack in the middle of what used to feel like hopeless mediocrity, but now, with all these bad teams in FBS, comes with a sense of “Hey, at least we’re not in the bottom 88.”

So, that’s what this Saturday’s contest comes down to: who can run the football better.

Mississippi State? 

A program that in 127 seasons of football has posted an all-time record of nine games over .500? A program with such running back icons as Dennis Johnson, James Jones and Michael Haddix? A program with 228 players drafted all-time, exactly one (1) national award winner in its history (DB Jonathan Banks in 2012 won the Thorpe Award), exactly one (1) week at No. 1 in any of the two million college football polls in American history, and exactly one (1) conference championship, way back in 1941?

Or Oklahoma?

College football’s winningest program — 719 and counting, 25 more than No. 2 Alabama — during these past eight decades since the boys came home from war? A program with immortals like Adrian Peterson, Billy Sims, Joe Washington and even if only for one, burning hot year, Marcus Dupree — and about six dozen other running backs down through the ages who could plow worry lines into Bill Belichick’s stone facade? The program with 426 players taken in the NFL Draft, 93 national award winners (seven Heismans), 101 weeks ranked No. 1 and a nation-leading 50 conference championships?

Oh, and seven national championships?

That seems like a no-brainer. Who wins in a three-round heavyweight fight? Butterbean? Or Superman?

Only, this Oklahoma offense isn’t Superman. Hasn’t even been Jimmy Olsen. 

Even Jimmy Olsen showed up every day and did his damn job.

That's the task ahead for this Oklahoma football team: 3-3, but good enough on defense to slay any dragon, good enough to topple the No. 1 team in the land, only to find out that dragon was made of paper and now there are real dragons still out there.

Saturday in Starkville, it's the OU offense that must finally answer the call.