The Oklahoma Sooners kick off their 2026 college football season on Friday night at home against the UTEP Miners, facing critical early-season depth questions on the offensive line and at wide receiver following late-camp injuries.
Offensive Line Shuffling Forces Caleb Nitta Into Starting Center Role
The Oklahoma Sooners begin their season with a home matchup against the UTEP Miners, but head coach Brent Venables’ squad enters the contest managing a suddenly depleted front five. Projected starting center Jake Maikkula sustained an injury late in fall camp, setting off a cascading series of adjustments across the offensive line. While Maikkula’s injury is not expected to sideline him long-term, the absence forced projected starting right guard Ryan Fodje to slide over to center, and a competition to take over his spot remained ongoing between Heath Ozaeta and Noah Best.
That temporary fix hit another roadblock earlier in the week when Fodje also went down with an injury. Although his status is likewise not considered a long-term concern, Fodje will not play this week. Consequently, Caleb Nitta is slated to draw the start at center against the Miners, with Ozaeta and Best also serving as options there. While it might fly this week against UTEP, the Sooners need Maikkula and Fodje to get healthy up front soon, as the schedule toughens up significantly from here.
Wide Receiver Depth Tested by Concussion Protocol
The offensive uncertainty extends to the perimeter. While the Sooners have figured out their starting wideouts in the slot and an one of the outside positions, there was one spot that was still up for grabs on the outside. Now, with Texas transfer Parker Livingstone reportedly in the concussion protocol after an injury earlier this week, it could be Elijah Thomas earning the first start of his collegiate career this week.
Thomas was buried on the depth chart last year, and he played on special teams. However, he showed the coaching staff enough in fall camp to be named a co-starter with Livingstone heading into the week. Livingstone’s status is currently unknown, so Thomas could very well be a big part of the offense on Friday night.
Defensive Adjustments at the Cheetah Position
Defensively, the cheetah position looks a bit different this season in Norman, but Reggie Powers III is one of the few returning players in the mix from last year. Powers was the backup in 2025, but he’ll start at this spot in 2026. While a lot of different players are in the mix at cheetah, it’ll be Powers who is expected to get most of the reps at the most versatile position on Brent Venables’ defense.
Venables will look to do a lot of different things with the Cheetah position, which requires different types of players. However, Powers has by far the most cheetah reps in-game on the Oklahoma roster. He’s a new starter on an OU defense that doesn’t have many, but he’s already been a key member of this unit.
Cole Sullivan’s role at Oklahoma has changed multiple times since he got to Norman. First, he was projected to be the starting middle linebacker for the Sooners, but once Owen Heinecke came back, Sullivan was relegated to the backup at that position. Then, he began taking more reps at the Cheetah position, especially after the spring ball injury to Taylor Heim, who was projected to factor into that position’s rotation.
Venables said this week that he considers Powers and Sullivan co-starters on OU’s defense, listing Powers as the starting Cheetah and Sullivan as the starting strongside linebacker, though it’s essentially the same position.
Broader Big 12 Week 1 Landscape
Across the wider conference, the opening weekend features several notable matchups and score predictions as teams test their rosters. Scott Frost’s Knights went just 5-7 in 2025, but will they fare better in 2026? UCF will start the season with a big win over Bethune-Cookman, predicted at a final score of UCF 33, Bethune-Cookman 13. Elsewhere in the conference, programs such as Houston, West Virginia, and Kansas prepare for their opening tests.
For the Sooners, Friday night’s opener against UTEP serves as a crucial early tune-up. With a trip to the road to take on Michigan next week, resolving the offensive line rotation and evaluating depth pieces like Nitta and Thomas remain immediate priorities before the schedule toughens up significantly from here.
