OU soccer vs Illinois State stay updates: Sooners-Redbirds Week 1 rating, highlights – The Oklahoman

NORMAN — A pivotal OU football season opens Saturday when the Sooners host FCS Illinois State at Gaylord Household — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
The sport would be the debut for John Mateer at quarterback for the Sooners, in addition to Ben Arbuckle‘s first recreation as OU’s offensive coordinator.
For the Sooners’ protection, the opener will function Brent Venables‘ return to calling the performs.
Comply with alongside for stay updates from the Sooners-Redbirds recreation under:
Freshman cornerback Courtland Guillory has been seeing loads of motion early.
Whereas the returns are nonetheless blended, Guillory made an enormous open-field sort out on third right down to power the Redbirds into one other punt.
The sort out got here shortly after Guillory was a shade early at making a play on Daniel Sobwowicz’s catch on third-and-6, resulting in a defensive holding penalty.
However then Guillory made up for his mistake, timing up the hit on third down excellent to cease Illinois State nicely wanting the marker.
The Sooners will begin at their very own 23 after the punt.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
After the primary quarter, OU is outgaining Illinois State 129-58.
The Sooners held the Redbirds to simply 9 passing yards within the opening body regardless of Tommy Rittenhouse finishing 4 of 6 passes.
Deion Burks has two catches for 32 yards whereas tight finish Jaren Kanak has two catches for twenty-four yards — though he misplaced a fumble on the second of these catches.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
John Mateer ran a lot at Washington State final season.
And on the Sooners’ third drive of the sport, Mateer confirmed off these legs.
Mateer had a pair of runs for 11 yards complete earlier within the drive earlier than his 7-yard landing run put OU on the board.
Mateer accomplished a 28-yard move to Deion Burks down the sideline on the primary play of the drive, transferring the Sooners out of the shadow of their very own finish zone.
He instantly adopted with a 14-yard move to Keontez Lewis.
Jacob Jordan’s 27-yard catch over the center gave the Sooners the ball on the Illinois State 2, however Lewis was known as for a false begin to push the ball again to the 7.
Mateer is 8 of 9 for 99 yards by means of the air up to now.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
OU left sort out Jacob Sexton headed to the harm tent with an obvious left knee harm late within the first quarter.
Sexton was changed by Stanford switch Luke Baklenko.
These two, plus freshman Michael Fasusi, have been all listed as choices to start out at left sort out within the preliminary depth chart.
Fasusi is dressed out however in accordance with OU’s radio broadcast just isn’t accessible as a result of harm.
Sexton, a senior, has struggled with accidents all through his Sooners’ profession.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
Whereas OU’s protection has been lower than inspiring by means of two drives, the Sooners’ protection has been strong — even when they as soon as once more allowed an enormous play.
After a fumble gave the Redbirds the ball, Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse broke off a 23-yard acquire to place the Redbirds into OU territory.
However the Sooners buckled down from there, with Gentry Williams and Courtland Guillory making solo tackles on second and third right down to power a punt.
OU will begin its third drive at its personal 6.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
Jaren Kanak made his second catch of the sport, and it was an enormous one, a 20-yard acquire on third-and-8. 
However Kanak couldn’t hold onto it.
The transformed linebacker fumbled on the finish of the play after a bit from Jack Dwyer, and Tye Niekamp was there to get well it on the Illinois State 41.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
Illinois State’s first drive was a bit longer than OU’s, however not by a lot.
The Redbirds transformed a third-and-13 on a 24-yard run by Wenkers Wright, however then the Sooners’ protection buckled down.
Peyton Bowen had the large play on the drive, hitting Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse within the backfield on second right down to power an incomplete move, resulting in an extended third-down strive that resulted in an incompletion.
Isaiah Sategna returned the following punt 21 yards to the OU 37.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
John Mateer’s first OU drive was a fast one — and never in a great way.
Mateer hit Deion Burks for a four-yard acquire on the sport’s first play, however then the drive stalled.
Jovantae Barnes was stopped for no acquire earlier than tight finish Jaren Kanak was stopped three yards quick.
Jacob Ulrich then booted a 54-yard punt to pin Illinois State contained in the 15.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
The entire gamers on OU’s depth chart are dressed out for Saturday’s season opener vs. Illinois State (5 p.m., SEC Community Plus).
It doesn’t seem as if junior cornerback Jacobe Johnson will play, although.
Johnson is dressed out however instantly went to the aspect to face with a number of different Sooners gamers who’re out with harm.
If Johnson is out, freshman Courtland Guillory figures to be the starter reverse Gentry Williams within the secondary.
It seems as if Logan Howland (RT), Febechi Nwaiwu (RG), Troy Everett (C), Eddy Pierre-Louis (LG) and Jacob Sexton (LT) would be the starters on the offensive line at the very least based mostly on early pregame warmups.
Huge receiver Javonnie Gibson, who suffered an harm within the spring and has missed most of camp, is dressed out however it’s unclear whether or not he’ll play within the recreation.
Operating again Taylor Tatum, who just isn’t on the depth chart, can also be dressed out and went by means of warmups. Sooners coach Brent Venables mentioned earlier within the week that Tatum could be unavailable as a result of harm.
OU’s radio broadcast mentioned the Sooners could be with no trio of offensive linemen for the sport — Heath Ozaeta, Michael Fasusi and Derek Simmons.
—Ryan Aber, Employees author
Kickoff is about an hour away.
As was previously reported Friday, ESPN’s “School GameDay” will go to Norman subsequent Saturday.
Cannot go flawed with this look.
Oklahoma vs Illinois State shall be streamed on SEC Community Plus in Week 1 of the 2025 faculty soccer season. Richard Cross (play-by-play) and Tyoka Jackson (analyst) will name the sport from the sales space at Gaylord Household — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium whereas Madison Hock would be the sideline reporter.
The Oklahoma vs Illinois recreation begins at 5 p.m. from Gaylord Household — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday morning:
OU 54, Illinois State 7: With John Mateer being well-versed in Ben Arbuckle’s offense, and a a lot deeper cache of weapons at huge receiver, the Sooners should not have a lot downside placing up factors in opposition to an FCS opponent. The Sooners’ defensive entrance exhibits off its depth in addition to OU runs away pretty early and turns its attentions to subsequent week’s matchup with Michigan. See the remainder of our employees predictions here.
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