Oklahoma Sooners Football Hot Links: Texas Tech Pump-Up Edition

Hey Sooner fans, it’s been a while since the last game day in Norman, but we finally made it to Homecoming. It’s kind of a weird feeling because the bad taste from the ISU loss is still sort of lingering, even after two weekends of gritty, edge-of-your-seat wins. Now the Oklahoma Sooners are hosting the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first home night game of the 2017 campaign. The atmosphere should be an upgrade from the typical day game because all week long the coaching staff has not-so-subtly pushed for fans to #BeTheDifference:

After you take that trip down memory lane, get yourself ready for tonight with this week’s Scene Setter with Toby Rowland, the voice of OU football:

Now onto the links! Where you’ll find the coolest mural in Norman, the First Lady of OU Football, an OU commit running wild, Mayfield’s final dance with the Red Raiders and more!

OU Links:

• It’s Homecoming Week at OU, so check out these 5 Homecoming traditions you won’t want to miss this year or any other. One of those traditions is a parade before the game, where Bob and Carol Stoops are serving as parade marshals.
• As for the game itself, here are three storylines you’ll want to make a mental note of as you prepare for the festivities.
• One of those notes is about the big man on campus himself, Baker Mayfield. Tonight will be Mayfield’s final game against the Red Raiders, his former team. Every week Mayfield plays with passion, but tonight could be extra special.
• I’m just going to expect Lincoln Riley to post amazing videos every week now because the media team we’ve got at OU is top notch. Well done, everybody.

• There’s been murmurs about Lincoln Riley’s halftime speech during the Kansas State game. I would have given my left shoe to have been in that room that evening, because by all accounts it may have been exactly what the team needed. Now the guys have to harness that fire and keep this playoff push going.
• I can’t wait to see Baker play in the league. The chip on his shoulder has to be the size of Mt. Everest by now:

• Mayfield’s collegiate journey is one for the ages, but when you put it all on a timeline it does seem rather wacky. I’m just glad the story will end with Mayfield on this side of things and not the other way around. Sorry not sorry, Tech fans.
• Ever since his days at East Carolina, Lincoln Riley has had only two primary starting QBs. Shane Carden started 37 consecutive games for the Pirates, while Mayfield will be making his 34th consecutive start tonight. Talk about great fortune.
• This mural was painted on Campus Corner. It’ll definitely be a popular place for taking pictures, and I think it’ll resonate with Sooner fans of all crowds which is awesome.

• We all have gotten to know Lincoln Riley better since he was named head coach, but now it’s time we learn more about Caitlin Riley, OU Football’s First Lady.
• In case you missed it, Jack detailed how huge this weekend is for the Sooners on the recruiting front. Oklahoma is hosting some of the nation’s top high school talent, so an electric atmosphere and a dominating performance could pay tremendous dividends down the road.
• Speaking of recruiting, current 2018 Oklahoma RB commit Tavion Thomas had a monster night last night, and Joe Mixon extended some praise his way. How big was his night? Try seven touchdowns and over 300 yards on the ground.
• Three players from the OU men’s basketball team are from the Houston area, and all of them are ready to give back after the devastation from Hurricane Harvey. There’s an exhibition game against UT-Arlington today at 1 pm and all proceeds will be used for hurricane relief efforts.

National Links:

• On the other side of the field tonight, Texas Tech Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury could be on the hot seat if there is not a dramatic shift in a positive direction to close this season.
• The Houston Astros took Game 3 of the World Series and now lead 2-1 over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Meanwhile, elsewhere in Houston, Texans owner Bob McNair made a terrible mistake by comparing players to prison inmates. He has since apologized, but not before several players left practice. Most have returned, but the damage is done.
• Texas QB Sam Ehlinger and starting center Zach Shackelford did not make the trip to Waco for the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Baylor Bears. If Baylor gets its first win of the season against Texas, Austin will not be so friendly to Tom Herman.
• The big game nationally tonight is Penn State at Ohio State. Penn State has a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in Saquon Barkley while Ohio State has been feasting on lesser opponents ever since their home loss to Oklahoma. The storylines in this game go way beyond what’s happening this season, however.

‘Stick to Sports!’:

• Two mariners were rescued after being lost at sea for two months. It’s great that they are safe and accounted for, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this in movie form down the road. What an incredible story.

Follow Crimson & Cream Machine on Twitter!