Report Card: Grading OU's loss to Ole Miss
NORMAN — The Sooners fell to Ole Miss, 34-26, on Saturday at Owen Field.
And the game was filled with struggles in all three phases. The Sooners attempted to rally from a 12-point halftime deficit and even took a one-point lead late in the third quarter, but failed to sustain that momentum as the Rebels scored nine unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Here are OUInsider’s grades for every position group in the loss:
QUARTERBACK: D
John Mateer was on fire to start this game. He opened the game with a 39-yard completion to Isaiah Sategna, which featured arguably his best throw of the season. It was Mateer’s longest completion since Week 1 against Illinois State.
That seemed to be a sign of things to come. On the next drive, Mateer found Sategna for a 77-yard touchdown, marking OU’s longest play from scrimmage this season.
From that point on, Mateer struggled mightily. Mateer finished the game with 223 passing yards and one touchdown 17/32 passing (55% completion).
Not counting the two long passes to Sategna, Mateer had just 107 yards on 15 completions. In the second half, Mateer completed just 6/18 passes for 70 yards, and he failed to hit open receivers on several plays. His Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the game — the ball was on the 45-yard line — didn’t even reach the end zone.
He was also a non-factor in the running game, carrying the ball 13 times for 17 yards.
It was encouraging to see Mateer hit explosive plays early. But the reality is that the Sooners needed a lot more from Mateer, and it didn’t come to fruition.
RUNNING BACKS: B
The Sooners finished the game with 136 rushing yards on 28 carries, good for 4.9 yards per carry. A lot of that was Xavier Robinson.
The second-year running back saw just one touch in the first half before exploding in the second half, finishing with 109 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. He also chipped in two receptions for 27 yards. His 65-yard touchdown run was the Sooners’ longest since 2021 (Caleb Williams vs. Iowa State).
But Tory Blaylock seemingly suffered an injury on the first series and was limited to just 10 yards on six carries. OU went into halftime with 16 yards on nine carries. Robinson made sure the Sooners finished with a good day on the ground, though it’s fair to wonder why he didn’t play more.
Wide receivers/tight ends: C
Sategna had maybe the biggest blunder of the game on a punt-return fumble in the fourth quarter. But he was still far and away OU’s most explosive and impactful offensive player. He caught five passes for 122 yards and a score, and was the only consistent player in the passing game.
Deion Burks (4 receptions, 32 yards) was again a non-factor. Jaren Kanak (3 receptions, 30 yards) was held to 30 yards or fewer for the fourth-consecutive week. No other receiver or tight end finished with more than three yards.
It could’ve been a bigger day, had Mateer been more accurate in the second half.
Offensive line: C
It wasn’t a fantastic day for the offensive line. There were also a couple of crucial mistakes, particularly by Michael Fasusi, who was whistled for two holding penalties and an ineligible receiver penalty.
But the offensive line mostly held up fine, especially with true freshman Ryan Fodje starting at right tackle in place of Derek Simmons. Mateer was sacked three times, but one of those came late in obvious passing situations. The Rebels had just six tackles for loss, and the Sooners ran the ball really well in the second half.
Things still aren’t consistent enough on the offensive line. But more times than not, Mateer had time in the pocket, and the Sooners found success when Robinson ran the ball.
Defensive Line: C
It was a surprisingly inconsistent day for the defensive line, which has been elite all season. The defensive line contributed just 5.5 of the Sooners’ 14 tackles for loss. R Mason Thomas and Jayden Jackson were both called for crucial penalties, though Jackson’s flag was questionable at best.
Marvin Jones Jr. logged the Sooners’ only sack of the day.
Linebackers: B
Kip Lewis had arguably his best game of the season, leading the Sooners in tackles (12) to go with 1.5 tackles for loss. Owen Heinecke contributed eight tackles, two TFls and two pass break-ups. Kendal Daniels added six tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Even without Kobie McKinzie — who left the game early with an injury — it was a solid overall day for the linebackers.
Secondary: D+
Courtland Guillory got the start at cornerback in place of Gentry Williams, who missed with an injury. The Rebels targeted him early, and he held up well.
But the secondary as a whole struggled to contain Ole Miss’ receivers. The Rebels had seven passing plays of at least 20 yards, including a 40-yard and 43-yard gain. The Rebels consistently came up with explosive plays in the passing game, especially as OU’s defensive line struggled to get home on Trinidad Chambliss.
Robert Spears-Jennings led the group with 11 tackles. It was a particularly tough game for Peyton Bowen, who was pulled late in favor of Jaydan Hardy.
Special Teams: C
Tate Sandell continues to deliver for the Sooners. He made two more field goals in this one — both from 42 yards — to extend his streak to 14 consecutive field goals. Grayson Miller averaged nearly 51 yards per punt.
But the kickoff team gave up a 38-yard return after OU’s offense gave up a safety, which set up an Ole Miss field goal that gave the Rebels a 15-10 lead in the second quarter. Sategna’s punt-return fumble in the fourth quarter capped off a disastrous day for the team as a whole.