WHAT IS UP, SOONER NATION?!
I’m Casey Mallon, and you are officially locked into a SOONER STATE OF MIND.

We are five days away from Oklahoma playoff football, and the hype is REAL. In this must-listen episode, we set the table for a massive College Football Playoff first-round showdown as the #8 Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) host the #9 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-3) on Friday, December 19th in Norman. The Tide may be slight favorites, but don’t forget — OU already walked into Tuscaloosa in Red November and walked out with a 23–21 win, snapping Alabama’s 17-game home winning streak.

Before we dive headfirst into OU vs Bama, we take care of some big-time Sooner business:

• “Tate the Great” Sandell brings home the Lou Groza Award, capping one of the greatest kicking seasons in Oklahoma history

• A look at Sandell’s clutch kicks vs Michigan, Tennessee, and Alabama — distance and moment matter

• Brent Venables calling Sandell the MVP of the Tennessee win — and he wasn’t wrong

We also touch on the wider college football landscape:

• The increasingly tragic Michigan situation and what it means for the program, the portal, and Bryce Underwood’s future

• Fernando Mendoza wins the Heisman Trophy, becoming Indiana’s first-ever winner and leading the Hoosiers to the CFP as the No. 1 seed

• Could Oklahoma see Mendoza and Indiana in Pasadena? One step at a time…

Then it’s full focus on Oklahoma vs Alabama:

• Why Alabama’s recent play (Georgia loss, offensive struggles) matters — but why you can never sleep on the Tide

• Ty Simpson’s numbers since the OU game and why yards don’t win games — points do

• Brent Venables is 4–0 in same-season rematches as a defensive play-caller, including the legendary Clemson vs Notre Dame shutdown in 2020

• As OU head coach, BV is 2–0 vs Alabama, outscoring them 47–24 with six turnovers and two pick-sixes

We break down the injury report and what it means:

• Gentry Williams and Kendel Dolby out

• Jayden Jackson questionable

• R Mason Thomas still uncertain — and why getting him back would be a massive boost

On the offensive side, we get real:

• The national slander of OU’s offense vs the reality of winning football

• What we liked from the LSU game

• Why Mateer’s footwork is everything

• The importance of establishing any run-game consistency

• Why Kanak needs more targets and why checkdowns are free money

Plus:

• A bold idea for a “Best of the Rest” postseason tournament

• Why the expanded playoff still isn’t perfect

• And why this season still has national championship potential

This episode is about belief, data, defense, and the Sooners doing things the hard way — and doing them right.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. The moment couldn’t be bigger. The vibes couldn’t be stronger.
Sooner Nation, it’s time to lock in.

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Because you already know…

My name is Casey Mallon — and I’m in a SOONER STATE OF MIND.

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