Which Under the Radar Sooners Could Help Pull an Upset Over the Gators?

WR Jacob Jordan

Maybe this is the week that John Mateer sees things more clearly and distributes the football to open receivers. Or maybe this is the week that the offensive coordinator chooses to bench Mateer for not seeing them. In any case, Jacob Jordan is a good candidate to deliver clutch catches in key situations, or perhaps even enjoy a true breakout game — a la Ivan Carreon last week against South Carolina. Jordan has 34 career catches for 315 yards and a touchdown, but almost all of that came during his freshman season, when he walked on and caught 27 balls for 234 yards and his lone score. Last year he had just two grabs for 43 yards, and this year he’s put up five receptions for 38 yards. This week, he’s due.

— John Hoover

TE Hayden Hansen

Surely Jason Witten's position group will see an uptick in production in his first contest as interim offensive coordinator. Add in that Hayden Hansen is returning back to take on his old team, and he's a candidate for a big day. First, it's easy to imagine he'll play a big role in the Sooners' run game. Plus, Hansen's big frame makes him a red zone target, even if that hasn't come to fruition yet this year. Add in that Rocky Beers' status for the contest is in doubt, and even more snaps could go his direction come Saturday night.

— Ryan Chapman

WR Ivan Carreon

Junior wide receiver Ivan Carreon was one of the only silver linings from OU’s 42-25 loss to South Carolina on Saturday. Carreon caught five passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns; he didn’t log a single reception in the Sooners’ first seven games. Carreon entered the transfer portal after the 2025 season but ultimately decided to return to Oklahoma. His performance against the Gamecocks begs questions about why he hasn’t gotten more playing time this year. And while Carreon is a receiver and not a tight end, it’s possible that the Sooners call the 6-foot-6, 238-pound wideout’s number several times against Florida as tight ends coach Jason Witten takes control of the offense.

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— Carson Field

LB Kip Lewis

It's strange to say it about a game where Lewis returned an interception for a touchdown — tying an Oklahoma career record in the process — but the South Carolina game might've been one of Lewis' worst of his career. He missed an eye-popping six tackles against the Gamecocks, twice as many as anyone else on the team. If the Sooners are to win, the defense is going to need to set the tone and carry the day. Florida's offensive line has been a mess, and Oklahoma's front seven figures to have plenty of chances to get after expected starter Tramell Jones Jr. Lewis has been very good for large chunks of the season and if he is back to that type of player, the Sooners' chances are greatly enhanced.

— Ryan Aber

DE Danny Okoye

We all expect the defense to have a bounce-back performance. Will the defense be able to sustain a good showing should the offense continue to free-fall following the firing of Ben Arbuckle? A good pass rush against a backup quarterback in Tramell Jones Jr. would do the trick. Taylor Wein and PJ Adebawore will be bolded names on the Gator scouting report, which opens the door for Danny Okoye to have a great performance. Okoye struggled against LeNorris Sellers last weekend, missing him on a few occasions for a sack.

— Brady Trantham

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