NORMAN, Okla. (AP) 鈥� Oklahoma鈥檚 status is clear heading into its regular-season finale against LSU 鈥� win and it’s in the College Football Playoff.
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables, who often leans on the one-game-at-a-time mantra, finally felt comfortable addressing the possibilities. The eighth-ranked Sooners (9-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference, No. 8 CFP) also have a good chance of hosting a first-round playoff game with a victory on Saturday, while a loss almost certainly would eliminate them.
鈥淕oing into our last regular-season game here at home, we all know what鈥檚 on the line this weekend,鈥� he said.
Oklahoma has been winning ugly 鈥� the Sooners have been outgained in their past three games but still beat ranked opponents , and . The formula has been an opportunistic defense and gritty, if not spectacular, play by quarterback John Mateer.
Because Oklahoma won those contests by a combined 19 points, it would appear the Sooners have little margin for error. And LSU (7-4, 3-4) has its usual stable of elite athletes to deal with.
鈥淕ot a very talented 鈥� as talented of a roster as we鈥檝e faced this season in LSU, from the lines of scrimmage to the skill players, both sides of the ball,鈥� Venables said.
For LSU to pull off the upset, the Tigers will need to overcome an Oklahoma defense that leads the nation with 3.7 sacks per game and ranks sixth nationally in points allowed (14.0 per game) and third against the run (81.1 yards per game).
LSU interim coach Frank Wilson said he’ll need a little extra from his players to succeed this week.
鈥淵our ability to win your one-on-ones, to break a tackle, to put yourself in position to go score, it鈥檚 the charge,” he said. 鈥淲e just have to be able to create matchups where we win our one-on-ones.鈥�
Under center
It was unclear this week whether injured LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier would be ready to return for what is expected to be his final regular-season college game.
Nussmeier has not played since Nov. 8, when he aggravated a nagging abdominal injury against Alabama.
If Nussmeier is unable to play, Michael Van Buren, a sophomore transfer from Mississippi State, would start for the third straight game.
Van Buren has passed for 423 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in close victories over Arkansas and Western Kentucky.
In nine games, Nussmeier has passed for 1,927 yards and 12 TDs with five interceptions 鈥� a sharp decline from his 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns (with 12 interceptions) in 2024.
However, he has been playing through knee and abdomen injuries since August camp.
Coming home
While Oklahoma City native Caden Durham has been LSU鈥檚 No. 1 running back this season, his status for the Tigers鈥� visit to his home state was left unclear by an injury against WKU last week.
Durham was not concussed as initially feared, though he did hurt his neck, Wilson said.
The plan this week was for Durham to practice on a limited basis and without contact to see if he could be ready to play Saturday.
鈥淗e鈥檚 hopeful,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淚 think he鈥檒l be ready to go.鈥�
Durham鈥檚 463 yards rushing and three TDs leads LSU in both categories, but freshman Harlem Berry has emerged in recent weeks as one of the Tigers鈥� most effective ball carriers.
Regaining form
Starting LSU linebacker Whit Weeks, a preseason AP All American, is expected to play against the Sooners after returning last week from a four-game absence because of a right leg injury. Weeks played limited first-half snaps against WKU and spent the second half out of uniform.
鈥淲hit came out of the game feeling good,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淲e wanted to limit his opportunities so he could be at his best鈥� at Oklahoma.
Golden toe
Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell is one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award given to the nation’s best kicker.
Sandell has made his last 22 field goals 鈥� a school record 鈥� after missing his first this season. He has connected on 15 of at least 40 yards and seven of at least 50. He is one of just two kickers nationally since at least 1995 to make at least seven field goals of 50-plus yards without a miss.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a huge part of our success this year,鈥� Venables said. 鈥淧roud of him, how he鈥檚 handled his success.鈥�
Georgia Tech鈥檚 Aidan Birr and Hawaii鈥檚 Kansei Matsuzawa are the other finalists.
Bruised backs
Oklahoma might have some help for running back Xavier Robinson this week.
Robinson played last week’s game against Missouri with a sprained knee and gutted out 42 yards on 12 carries. He played nearly every snap, despite running backs Jaydn Ott and Taylor Tatum being healthy.
Venables said Ott and Tatum could be used this week. Ott, a highly touted transfer, has barely played this season. Tatum, who started three games as a freshman last season, has one carry and has been injured for much of the season.
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AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.
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