OU Didn't Know?

Norman, OK – Oklahoma didn’t just beat Texas State on Saturday night in Norman — it reintroduced itself.

Wearing throwback uniforms meant to echo the glory years, the Sooners delivered a throwback performance to match, rolling past the Bobcats 49–14 in a game that felt less like a conference game and more like a public service announcement. From the opening snap, this one was never in doubt.

“We wanted to honor the past, but we weren’t out there playing history,” head coach Lovie Mahawg said afterward. “Those uniforms don’t mean a thing if you don’t play like Oklahoma is supposed to play.”

They did.

Fast Start, Old-School Feel

The Sooners struck immediately. Jake Wakefield wasted no time pushing the ball downfield, hitting Elijah Thomas for a 59-yard touchdown early in the first quarter before Taylor Tatum capped the opening frame with a 32-yard scoring run. The throwbacks weren’t nostalgia — they were a statement.

“We told the guys all week: if you’re going to wear that jersey, you better earn it,” Mahawg said. “That first quarter looked like guys who understood the assignment.”

By halftime, Oklahoma had piled up 21 points, controlled the line of scrimmage, and turned the game into exactly what Mahawg wanted: disciplined, physical, and relentlessly efficient.

Russell Takes Over

If there was any doubt about who owned the night, Braylen Russell erased it. The senior back was everywhere — on the ground, through the air, and in the end zone. Russell finished with 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns, adding 111 receiving yards and two more scores. Texas State simply ran out of answers.

“That’s a grown man playing football,” Mahawg said. “Braylen didn’t chase stats — he chased contact. That’s Oklahoma football.”

Wakefield was surgical behind him, throwing for 339 yards and four touchdowns while completing nearly 80 percent of his passes. The Sooners finished with over 600 yards of total offense and averaged more than 10 yards per play.

“We’re not trying to be flashy,” Mahawg said. “We’re trying to be precise. When we’re precise, it looks flashy.”

Defense Does Its Part

Texas State managed a couple of scoring drives, but never sustained momentum. Oklahoma’s defense consistently won first down, forced third-and-long, and shut the door before anything resembling drama could develop.

Brian Nelson II led the way in the secondary, while the front seven bottled up the Bobcats’ rushing attack, holding them to barely over a yard per carry for much of the night.

“That’s what complementary football looks like,” Mahawg said. “Offense scores, defense answers, special teams handles business. Nobody freelancing.”

Bigger Picture: CFP Still in Focus

With the win, Oklahoma remains unbeaten and firmly planted at the top of the updated College Football Playoff projection, once again slotted as the No. 1 seed. The path ahead is still demanding, but performances like this are why the Sooners remain the standard.

“We don’t talk about brackets in the locker room,” Mahawg said. “But we do talk about habits. If your habits are right in November, December usually takes care of itself.”

On a night built to honor Oklahoma’s past, the Sooners made one thing clear: the present looks just as intimidating — and the future is very much still theirs.