Ole Miss at Oklahoma: Everything To Know About The Rebels' Next Opponent

At 3:15 CT, on Saturday, the Ole Miss Rebels will take on the Oklahoma Sooners in Gaylord Family Stadium.

Both the Rebels and Sooners have fallen short of their preseason goals so far this season, but a November SEC matchup is huge regardless.

Even though both teams are likely out of the College Football Playoff, a win in this matchup will help alleviate any lingering frustrations in the fanbase and generate momentum in recruiting and for next season.

Here is everything to know about the Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma's offense has struggled immensely

N/A — Nov 7, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) waits to snap the ball during the second half against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Sooners are led by quarterback John Mateer. Mateer has struggled at times this season, but coaches still believe in his talent. He has shown flashes of greatness, but has also thrown mind-boggling picks.

Last weekend, aided by new offensive playcaller Jason Witten, Mateer threw for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns. He is playing much better than at the start of the season and will be a challenge for the Rebels' defense.

Mateer's two main aerial targets are receiver Isaiah Sategna III and tight end Rocky Beers. Sategna has amassed 625 yards and 4 touchdowns so far this season. Beers, along with possessing a great name, has 518 yards and 4 touchdowns.

On the ground, the Sooners have struggled mightily. They rank dead last in the SEC in rushing yards. Mateer has the most rushing attempts on the team, but ranks second in total yards. Lloyd Avant leads the charge in that category with 394. Avant has two-thirds of the Oklahoma rushing touchdowns with 2. Yes, Oklahoma has scored a rushing touchdown only three times so far this year.

Witten's addition served the Sooners well against Florida. It will be interesting to see if his play-calling is successful again this week.

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Brent Venables' defense is still stout

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables looks on during the second half against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables made a name for himself as one of the best defensive minds in college football during his time as Clemson's defensive coordinator. In his time at Oklahoma, he has consistently put together good defensive squads.

This season is no different. The Sooners rank fourth in the SEC in total defense. They are exceptional in pass coverage, allowing only 153 passing yards per game.

Leading the Sooners are senior safety Peyton Bowen and senior linebacker Owen Heinecke. Bowen leads the team in interceptions with three, and Heinecke has 73 tackles to his name.

When asked about the Oklahoma defense in his monday press conference, Ole Miss coach Pete Golding had this to say.

"From a defensive standpoint, [Oklahoma] create[s] negative yardage plays, you know, very aggressive."

The aggression will resemble the Georgia defense that Ole Miss faced last weekend. The Rebels will have to learn from their mistakes last week in order to put up points on Saturday.

How has the Sooners' season gone?

Oklahoma has been extremely inconsistent this season. At their best, they defeated Texas in the Red River Rivalry on a thrilling walk-off field goal. At their worst, they lost to South Carolina by 17 at home.

The Sooners have faced a strength of schedule similar to Ole Miss's and have plenty of experience against strong teams. The Sooners beat Florida, a team that splattered Ole Miss, by three scores last weekend. They are not a team to take lightly.

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