Game Primer: OU vs. LSU

Saturday, November 29

Norman

2:30 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

LSU

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Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

Photo by: Brendall Vargas/University of Oklahoma

November 28, 2025 | Football

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#8 Oklahoma

LSU

Saturday, Nov. 29 / 2:30 p.m. CT / Owen Field

ABC / Radio / Live Stats / Game Notes

OPENING KICK

• No. 8/8/8 Oklahoma (9-2, 5-2 SEC) closes the regular season when it hosts LSU (7-3, 3-3) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised by ABC with Mark Jones, Roddy Jones and Quint Kessenich announcing.

• Saturday's contest will mark the first between OU and LSU in Norman, and just the second between the programs on a college campus (the Tigers beat OU 37-17 in last year's regular season finale in Baton Rouge). The series' first three meetings were in bowl games.

• Oklahoma has won its final home game of the season each of the last 10 years and in 22 of the last 23. The only defeat in that stretch came to Oklahoma State in 2014 (38-35 in overtime).

• OU has won 47 of its last 50 November home games going back to the start of the 1998 season. The .960 winning percentage is the best nationally during the stretch (Oregon is second at .863; 46-7 record).

• An Oklahoma victory Saturday would result in the program's 43rd 10-win season and 20th since 2000. Only Alabama (43) has more 10-win campaigns than OU's 42.

• The Sooners were No. 8 in last week's College Football Playoff rankings and are looking to make their fifth CFP appearance. Only Alabama (eight), Clemson (seven) and Ohio State (six) have made more appearances (Georgia has also made four).

• OU has played a school-record-tying seven opponents this season ranked in the AP or coaches polls at the time of competition. The 1973 Sooners are the only other team to do it (went 6-0-1 vs. ranked teams under first-year head coach Barry Switzer and finished 10-0-1).

• The 2025 season marks the 131st in OU football history. The Sooners lead the nation with their 50 all-time conference titles, 27 11-plus-win seasons (tied), 33 AP top-five finishes and five No. 1 overall NFL Draft picks (tied). They rank second with their seven Heisman Trophy winners (tied), third with seven AP national championships, their 101 weeks as the AP's No. 1 team and 432 total weeks in the AP Top 5, fourth with their 419 NFL Draft picks and fifth with their 58 bowl appearances.

• Saturday's contest will mark the 1,363rd in OU history. The Sooners rank fifth nationally with their .723 all-time winning percentage (959-350-53 record), trailing Ohio State (.737), Alabama (.734), Michigan (.733) and Notre Dame (.733). Since the end of World War II (1946 season to present), OU leads all programs with 715 wins (28 more than Alabama, the program with the next most).

• This week's AP poll features a nation-leading eight SEC teams, including six of the top 12: No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Georgia, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 10 Alabama, No. 12 Vanderbilt, No. 16 Texas and No. 18 Tennessee. The Big Ten and ACC rank second with five AP top-25 teams each, while the Big 12 has three, the American two and Sun Belt one.

NORMAN, OK - September 20, 2025 - Oklahoma Wide Receiver Isaiah Sategna (#5) during the game between the Auburn Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK. Photo By Morgan Givens/University of Oklahoma

FOR THE FANS

• Approximately two hours and 15 minutes before each home game (12:30 p.m. this Saturday), OU players and coaches will arrive at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium via team buses and walk to their stadium entrance while being cheered by fans. This year's "Walk of Champions" path again originates from the Jenkins Ave./Brooks St. intersection just northeast of the stadium (view map here). The team will be led by the Sooner Schooner and OU Spirit.

• Twenty-five OU senior football players will be honored on Owen Field, starting with approximately 26 minutes left on the pregame countdown clock.

• New this fall, free, public tailgating is open on the historic North Oval. For the first time in university history, fans have the opportunity to set up their tailgates on one of the most recognizable places on campus, creating an electric atmosphere just steps away from Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Fans can claim spaces on the North Oval beginning at 6 p.m. on the Friday before a home game. More tailgating information, policies and a map, click here.

• Once again, "Party at the Palace, Presented by Allstate" will be held on the lawn immediately north of Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for fans of all ages, this week running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Highlights include food trucks, giveaways, music, interactive games, inflatables and more. Additionally, 107.7 The Franchise, the flagship station of the Sooner Sports Radio Network, originates the start of its pregame show live from Party at the Palace beginning three hours prior to kickoff.

• OU Athletics and Sooner Sports Properties are producing limited-edition collectible game programs in high-quality print for home football contests against Auburn, Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU – OU's four 2025 SEC home opponents – plus Big Ten foe Michigan. Souvenir 96-page game programs are available for preorder for $20 each, and the 220-page 2025 OU Football Media Guide can be purchased for $40 (limited stock). Click here for details.

• The University of Oklahoma and the Southeastern Conference have zero-tolerance policies regarding fan field intrusions and throwing debris on the field. Starting in 2025, the SEC will issue member schools a $500,000 fine for violating the field-intrusion policy (paid to the opposing school for conference games) and a $250,000 fine for throwing debris on the field. Violations of these policies could also result in prosecution.

• A reminder that umbrellas are not permitted inside Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. For a full list of OU game day policies, procedures and additional fan information, click here.

KEY STORYLINES

• Oklahoma is coming off three straight wins over AP-ranked opponents for the first time since the last four games of the 2016 season (won 45-24 vs. No. 25 Baylor, 56-28 at No. 10 West Virginia, 38-20 vs. No. 11 Oklahoma State and 35-19 vs. No. 17 Auburn in the Sugar Bowl).

• Oklahoma is the only team this season with at least five wins against opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of competition. Only one team (Alabama) has four such victories. The last time OU won five or more regular season games against AP-ranked teams was 2015.

• Saturday's game will pit an Oklahoma squad that has converted all 32 of its red-zone opportunities into points this season (Eastern Michigan is the only other team with a 100% conversion rate) against an LSU team that ranks fourth nationally by allowing opponents to score just 69% of the time once they reach the red zone. OU has 23 touchdowns and nine field goals in its 32 red-zone trips.

• The Sooners have held seven opponents (five of seven foes in SEC play) to 80 or fewer rushing yards, including Missouri on Saturday. Mizzou was the nation's sixth-ranked rushing team at 241.7 yards per contest before OU held it to a season-low 70 yards on 35 carries (2.0 average).

• Statistically, Oklahoma's defensive unit is one of the best in the country, and maybe the best in the SEC. The Sooners rank sixth nationally in scoring defense (14.0 ppg), 11th in total defense (280.5 ypg), third in rushing defense (81.1 ypg) and 40th in passing defense (199.4 ypg). OU also ranks first nationally in tackles for loss per game (10.0; next most is 8.5 by Texas A&M) and sacks per game (3.7), No. 3 in touchdowns allowed (15), No. 6 in opponent yards per play (4.3) and passing TDs allowed (8), No. 7 in rushing TDs allowed (6) and No. 9 in opponent third-down conversion percentage (30.2).

• Forty-one percent of OU's opponents' offensive plays this season (298 of 728) have gone for zero or negative yards. An additional 43 plays have resulted in a one-yard gain, meaning 47% of opponent plays have yielded one or fewer yards.

• OU had no takeaways over its first four games but has 12 over the last seven (eight over the last three).

• Since the start of the 2023 season, OU is 18-0 when it wins the turnover battle (5-0 this year) and 6-10 when it loses it (4-2).

• Despite starting just six of OU's 11 games, redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Taylor Wein ranks fourth in the SEC with his 14.0 tackles for loss. Five Sooners rank in the top 17 of the 16-team SEC in TFLs. Joining Wein are senior lineman R Mason Thomas (10th; 9.5), redshirt senior linebacker Kendal Daniels and redshirt junior linebacker Owen Heinecke (13th; 9.0 each) and redshirt junior linebacker Kip Lewis (17th; 8.5). Missouri (three) is the only other team with more than two in the top 17. OU sophomore lineman David Stone ranks 27th (7.0) and redshirt senior lineman Gracen Halton ranks 39th (6.0).

• After totaling six catches for 60 yards over OU's first two games, redshirt junior wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III has amassed 50 receptions for 767 yards and six TDs over the last nine contests. His career highs entering the season were 37 catches and 491 yards last year at Arkansas, but has 52 grabs for 801 yards for the Sooners in 2025.

• Redshirt junior kicker and Lou Groza Award finalist Tate Sandell, who is in his first year with the Sooners after transferring from UTSA, leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally by converting 96% of his field goal attempts (22 for 23). The lefty missed his first field goal try of the season but has been perfect since. His streak of 22 conversions is the longest in program history and second-longest in SEC history (longest in league single-season history). Fifteen of his makes have been from at least 40 yards, obliterating the previous OU single-season record of nine such conversions. His seven makes from 50-plus yards (all in the last seven games; he is 7 for 7) are the most in an OU career and the most nationally this season (next most is four). He has booted four from 55 yards, also the most in school history for a career and tied for the most nationally in a season over the last 30 years. And his average-make distance of 42.0 yards leads the nation among kickers with at least 18 conversions (next highest is 38.7 by Iowa's Drew Stevens).

OU-LSU SERIES HISTORY

• Oklahoma trails the head-to-head series with LSU 3-1, with each of the first three contests coming in bowl games. The first matchup came in front of 82,000 fans at the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, 1950, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. In a contest that featured only 18 combined first downs (10 by OU), Bud Wilkinson's No. 2 Sooners outgained the ninth-ranked Tigers 360-159 in total yardage in a 35-0 win to finish with an 11-0 record and register its fifth shutout of the season. It still stands as the largest margin of victory in a bowl game in school history. Fullback Leon "Mule Train" Heath rushed 15 times for 170 yards, including a bowl-program-record 86-yard touchdown. Heath also scored on a 34-yard run. Running back George Thomas scored OU's first two touchdowns, catching a 34-yard pass from halfback Lindell Pearson and rushing for a 5-yard score, both in the second quarter. The game was marred by an early week incident in which a former LSU player was caught spying on OU practice. It was the only time in Wilkinson's OU career he publicly blasted an opponent. The outcome marked the Sooners' 21st straight victory. They won their first national title the following season.

• The programs' second meeting again came in the Sugar Bowl, this time at the Louisiana Superdome and serving as the BCS National Championship Game to cap the 2003 season. Bob Stoops' Oklahoma squad, which was No. 1 in the BCS rankings, entered the game as the nation's top-scoring offense. It managed just two touchdowns, though, in a 21-14 loss to Nick Saban's No. 2 Tigers. OU's defense was also strong, surrendering just 312 yards on the night (64 came on a non-scoring play on LSU's first snap). Tiger defensive end Marcus Spears returned an interception 20 yards for a TD on the first series of the second half for a 21-7 lead before the Sooners made a charge. Kejuan Jones scored on his second 1-yard rush of the night to make it 21-14, and OU later drove to the LSU 12 before missing on four straight pass attempts, the last one with 2:46 left. The crowd was the largest in Superdome history at the time.

• No. 1 LSU controlled the 2019 College Football Playoff Semifinal matchup at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, downing fourth-ranked OU 63-28. Behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrows, the Tigers jumped out to 35-7 lead and outgained the Sooners 692 yards to 322. Burrows completed 29 of 39 passes for 493 yards and seven touchdowns. OU QB Jalen Hurts passed for 217 yards and rushed for 43, including two TDs. LSU went on to win the national title by beating second-ranked Clemson in the title game, 42-25. Current OU head coach Brent Venables was Clemson's defensive coordinator.

• In the first campus meeting last year, LSU posted a 37-17 win in Baton Rouge in the regular season finale for both teams. OU led 14-10 in the second quarter but was outscored 27-3 over the final two-and-a-half periods. The Sooners tied the game 7-7 in the first quarter when defensive lineman R Mason Thomas returned a fumble nine yards for a TD following a strip-sack by Gracen Halton. Xavier Robinson's 2-yard TD run put OU up 14-10 with 7:22 left in the second quarter, but Aaron Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards to put the Tigers back in front. After the Sooners knotted the game at 17 late in the first half, LSU scored the final 20 points.

HOME IS WHERE THE 'W' IS

• Oklahoma is 150-16 (.904) at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium since the start of the 1999 season (Bob Stoops' first year as head coach), giving it just two more home losses than conference titles during the period. It is the second-best home winning percentage in the country over the stretch (Boise State [.905] is first and Ohio State [.899] third). OU has outscored its foes by an average of 42-18 in those games.

• The Oklahoma-LSU game is sold out, running OU's sellout streak of originally scheduled home contests to 166 games (dating back to the start of the 1999 season). Only Nebraska has a longer current streak.

• Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium celebrated its 100th season in 2024. The 100th anniversary of the first game played in the stadium was Oct. 17. On that day in 1925, the first contest was played in front of the new 16,000-seat west stands, a 7-0 victory over Drake.

• The first game played at the current stadium site, called Owen Field and named after former head coach and athletics director Bennie Owen (a charter member of the College Football Hall of Fame), took place in 1923, before stadium construction got underway.

• OU owns a sparkling 428-89-15 (.819) all-time record at the "Palace on the Prairie" and has faced 100 opponents there (LSU will be the 101st).

NORMAN, OK - November 22, 2025 - Oklahoma Defensive Lineman Taylor Wein (#44) during the game between the Missouri Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK. Photo By Asia Purnell/University of Oklahoma

SECOND-STRING STANDOUTS

• Four of OU's top eight tacklers, as well as its tackles-for-loss leader, have largely played in non-starter roles. Redshirt junior linebacker Owen Heinecke (three starts) ranks second on the team in tackles (60), junior linebacker Sammy Omosigho (no starts) ranks fourth (42; tied), sophomore defensive lineman David Stone (two starts) ranks sixth (40) and redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Taylor Wein (six starts) ranks eighth (35; tied). Wein paces the team and ranks fourth in the SEC with his 14.0 TFLs.

MORE ON THE OFFENSE

• Redshirt junior quarterback John Mateer, who transferred from Washington State in January, has completed 198 of 318 pass attempts (62%) for 2,260 yards (226.0 average) and 10 touchdowns through his 10 games (he missed the Kent State contest following right hand surgery). He is also OU's third-leading rusher with 389 yards and has a team-high seven TDs on the ground.

• Sophomore running back Xavier Robinson rushed for over 100 yards in two of the last four games (career highs of 109 vs. Ole Miss and 115 at Tennessee). Over the last five outings, Robinson has carried 59 times for 358 yards (6.1 per rush) and four TDs. Prior to the stretch, he had 16 carries for 50 yards (3.1 average) on the year. He leads the team with 408 rushing yards on the season (5.5 yards per rush).

• True freshman running back Tory Blaylock ranks second on the team with 402 rushing yards on the year and has registered two 100-yard performances (100 and two TDs at Temple; 101 and one TD at South Carolina). Against Temple, he became the first OU freshman (true or redshirt) running back to register a 100-yard rushing effort in at least one of his first three games since current running backs coach DeMarco Murray did the same in 2007 (100 in third game).

• Redshirt junior receiver Isaiah Sategna III leads OU with 56 receptions while redshirt senior Deion Burks ranks second with 46. Sategna III, a first-year Sooner who transferred from Arkansas, paces the squad with 827 receiving yards (75.2 per game; ranks fifth in SEC), and over the past nine contests has racked up 50 catches for 767 yards and six TDs.

• Burks, who spent three years at Purdue and is in his second at Oklahoma, caught seven passes and one TD in each of the first two games this season and has 452 receiving yards. His 88 yards vs. Illinois State and 101 vs. Michigan represent his two highest totals at OU.

• Senior tight end Jaren Kanak played linebacker his first three years (started nine games in 2023 and one last season) before converting to tight end in the spring. The former high school receiver and quarterback has 34 catches for 457 yards (13.4 yards per reception) through 11 games. The 457 yards are more than the combined receiving yards amassed by OU tight ends last season (455).

• Redshirt senior receiver Keontez Lewis has 20 receptions for 238 yards on the season and caught two TD passes in the opener against Illinois State. His nine catches vs. the Redbirds were a career high (he finished with 119 receiving yards). He missed three straight games due to injury before returning to action two weeks ago at Alabama.

• Oklahoma has started true freshman left and right tackles (Michael Fasusi at left and Ryan Fodje at right) in each of the last four games. Prior to the Oct. 25 Ole Miss contest, no true freshman offensive tackle duo had started in a game in OU history. Fasusi has started seven games this season and Fodje three. In a win over No. 15 Michigan, Fasusi became the first OU freshman to start at left tackle in his first career game.

• The last three games against Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri, the Sooners also started redshirt freshman Eddy Pierre-Louis at left guard (now has four career starts). Prior to those contests, the last time OU started three freshman offensive linemen was in 1997 in a 35-14 win vs. Louisville: Scott Kempenich (LT), Adam Carpenter (LG) and Jason Bronson (RG). All three were redshirt freshmen.

• Redshirt senior and Burlsworth Trophy finalist Febechi Nwaiwu is the only OU offensive lineman to start all 11 games this season. He has started all 11 contests at right guard (also started all 13 games there last year).

MORE ON THE DEFENSE

• Oklahoma has allowed just 154 points and 15 touchdowns this season, its fewest through 11 games since 2003 (133 points) and 1987 (seven touchdowns). OU's 892 rushing yards allowed are its fewest since 1986 (668) and its six rushing touchdowns are the fewest allowed since 2001 (five).

• In its nine wins, Oklahoma has held opponents to a 24.0% third-down conversion rate (30 for 125). In OU's two losses, opponents have combined for a 50.0% rate (19 for 38). Texas was 10 for 17 (58.8%) and Ole Miss was 9 for 21 (42.9%).

• Of OU's opponents' 126 possessions this season, 47 of them (37%) have resulted in a 3-and-out (no points).

• The strength of the Sooners' defense very well could be its line, with 117 career starts between its tackles and ends (74 by the tackles [48 by Damonic Williams, 16 by Jayden Jackson, eight by Gracen Halton and two by David Stone]) and 43 by the ends [19 by R Mason Thomas, 18 by Marvin Jones Jr. and six by Taylor Wein]). Including junior end Adepoju Adebawore, the eight players have combined for 54.5 tackles for loss and 25.5 sacks this season. Phil Steele ranked OU's defensive line as the best in the country this summer, and ESPN/SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic said in May the Sooners have the league's best defensive line, "... and it ain't even close."

• Stone has blossomed this season, earning first-team midseason All-America honors from CBS Sports and second-team acclaim from the Associated Press. Most of his production has come in non-starts (he has only started vs. Kent State and at South Carolina). The former consensus five-star recruit, who was ranked as the nation's top defensive tackle by ESPN and Rivals, ranks sixth on the team (first among tackles) with 40 tackles. He also leads OU's tackles with 7.0 tackles for loss. As a freshman last year, Stone played in all 13 games but logged just six tackles (2.0 for loss).

• Four linebackers rank in the top five on the team in tackles. Redshirt junior Kip Lewis leads OU with 68 stops, redshirt junior Owen Heinecke is second (60), and junior Sammy Omosigho and redshirt senior Kendal Daniels each rank fourth (42). They have combined for 30.5 tackles for loss and 13 pass breakups.

• OU registered defensive touchdowns of longer than 70 yards in wins at Alabama and Tennessee to start November (a 71-yard fumble return by R Mason Thomas at Tennessee and an 87-yard interception return by Eli Bowen at Alabama). It is the only team to record a 70-plus-yard defensive TD in consecutive SEC road games since at least 1995.

• Against Illinois State, Courtland Guillory became only the second OU true freshman to start at cornerback in a season opener (the other was P.J. Mbanasor in 2015). Guillory has 35 tackles, a team-high-tying six pass breakups and a QB hurry in his 11 games (started first five games and each of the last four).

A LOOK AT SPECIAL TEAMS

• Lou Groza Award finalist and two-time SEC Special Teams Player of the Week Tate Sandell has handled placekicking and kickoff duties all season. The redshirt junior and first-year Sooner leads the SEC with his 96% field-goal conversion rate (22 for 23; made his last 22), which includes a make from 51 yards, two from 52 yards and four from 55 yards. He is 10 for 10 on attempts from 45-plus yards and has made all 30 of his PAT tries. OU's long snapper is redshirt junior Ben Anderson (a 2025 Mannelly Award semifinalist and a 2024 third-team All-SEC performer) and its holder is redshirt sophomore Jacob Ulrich (first-team All-Conference USA as a punter last season at Kennesaw State).

• Oklahoma ranks 12th nationally with its 46.5 yards per punt. Redshirt junior Grayson Miller, who has punted the last 10 games, was a Sports Illustrated second-team midseason All-American and the Oct. 28 Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week. The transfer from NCAA Division II Central Oklahoma ranks ninth nationally with his 46.6-yard average and has booted 21 of his 47 punts over 50 yards (long of 66), with 22 downed inside the 20 and only five touchbacks. He has earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors following his performances against Auburn and Missouri.

• The Sooners rank 13th nationally by allowing just 16.3 yards per kickoff return.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S BEST

• During the modern era of college football (since the end of World War II), the Sooners are the nation's No. 1 team with more wins (715) than any other program (next most is 687 by Alabama).

• Oklahoma has finished in the top 5 of the AP poll a nation-leading 33 times (Ohio State is second with 31).

• OU leads all FBS programs with 50 all-time conference championships. The rest of the top five includes Nebraska (46), Michigan (45), Ohio State (39) and USC (37). The Sooners' 14 league titles since 2000 are the most among Power Five programs (Ohio State ranks second with 11).

• No program has more all-time 11-win seasons than Oklahoma's 27 (Alabama also has 27).

• Since the start of the 2000 season, OU ranks second with 18 seasons of at least 10 wins and ranks second with 270 victories.

• Since former head coach Bob Stoops arrived in Norman in 1999, OU leads the country with its 13,390 points scored. Boise State (13,034) is second and Oregon (12,810) third.

• Oklahoma's 81 consensus All-Americans since 1950 lead the nation (Alabama and Ohio State rank second; 77). Since 2000, OU has produced 31 consensus All-Americans, tied with Ohio State behind only Alabama.

EXTRA POINTS

• Oklahoma is 31-5-2 all-time as the No. 8-ranked team in the AP poll (11-1 at home). The Sooners were also ranked eighth last week in their 17-6 home win over No. 23 Missouri. Prior to last week, OU was last ranked eighth in the AP poll in 2020 for its 55-20 Cotton Bowl victory over No. 10 Florida. Its only home loss when ranked No. 8 in the AP poll was in 2012 (30-13 to No. 5 Notre Dame).

• An OU win vs. LSU would mark the 13th occasion since the start of the 2000 campaign for the Sooners to win at least their last four games of the regular season. It would be the seventh time to accomplish the feat in the last 11 seasons.

• The Sooners have won their last 88 games when holding opponents to under 21 points. Their last loss under the circumstance came at Nebraska in 2009 (10-3).

• Oklahoma leads all SEC programs with its 919 all-time AP poll appearances. Alabama ranks second (904) and Texas third (803).

• OU is 4-0 in true road games this season, downing Temple 42-3, South Carolina 26-7, No. 14 Tennessee 33-27 and No. 4 Alabama 23-21. In those contests, the Sooners held opponents to an average of 297.5 yards (4.3 per play) and 55.8 rushing yards (1.7 per carry).

• In their 25 wins since the start of the 2023 season, the Sooners have outscored opponents 219-42 off turnovers. In their 12 losses during the same span, they have been outscored 108-27 off turnovers.

• Since the start of the 2014 season, OU ranks fifth nationally (fourth in Power Four) with its 5.2 yards per rush and seventh (fourth in Power Four) with its 365 rushing TDs.