Happy Thursday, friends and fans!

Former Oklahoma Sooners QB Baker Mayfield and his Cleveland Browns are hosting a resurgent Pittsburgh Steelers team tonight in an important AFC North Division clash. It certainly figures to be a good one, but before it kicks-off, No. 6 will sit down with FOX Sports’ Erin Andrews in an exclusive interview feature airing at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Mayfield has taken a lot of criticism in his second year in Cleveland, as have the Browns in general. With so much hype surrounding the organization coming into the season, a 3-6 start was not on the to-do list. Still, there’s plenty left on the table to play for, and with a couple key breaks and bounces, the Dawg Pound just might find itself back in contention. Needless to say, it all has to start tonight with a crucial win against the Steelers. The party begins at 7:20 p.m. CT on FOX.

Now for today’s Hot Links! CeeDee Lamb is the best against the best, Lincoln Riley doesn’t agree with the weekly rankings system, Thanksgiving at the Rivers’ household is going to be mad awkward and more!

OU Links

• In keeping with the Browns and the Steelers game, Mayfield might be having Bedlam flashbacks since Mason Rudolph will be starting for Pittsburgh. The former Sooner and former Cowboy formed a unique bond during their college days, and now that bond is going through a revival at the next level, writes ESPN’s Jake Trotter.
• On Wednesday, Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts was named one of 16 semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien Award, an honor reserved for the nation’s top QB.

• The stats analysts over at Pro Football Focus have graded CeeDee Lamb as the nation’s top WR against Power Five competition. Translation: the bigger the stage, the brighter he shines.

• Joey Helmer from OU Insider wrote about how in Lincoln Riley’s ideal college football world, the top 25 rankings wouldn’t be released until after the final week of the season, when all regular season games and conference championships have been played out.
• Speaking of the end of the 2019 season, in Five Thirty Eight’s updated odds for reaching the College Football Playoff, Oklahoma has a 28% chance of cracking the top four going into Week 12, which is currently good for sixth-best of any team.
• Baylor’s run defense has played a major role in the Bears’ remarkable turnaround in 2019, but Matt Rhule knows his defensive group will have its hands full trying to limit Jalen Hurts and the Oklahoma ground game on Saturday.
• Senior forward Kristian Doolittle has gradually evolved into that dude for the OU men’s basketball team. Check out his averages over his last 11 games dating back to last season. It’s amazing production, and if he keeps it up over the next four months he’ll definitely be worthy of All-Big 12 honors. Boomer!

• Skip Johnson and his OU baseball program have signed the nation’s No. 7 recruiting class for the 2020 cycle according to Baseball America. Meanwhile, fellow Big 12 conference mate Texas landed the top class.

• Don’t forget to check out Allen and ‘The Skinny’ on this week’s episode of the Blatant Homerism Podcast. Once again, the guys dish on their gambling picks across college football, including Oklahoma’s mega-matchup at Baylor.

Around the Sports World

• Russell Westbrook may not play for the Oklahoma City Thunder any longer, but his feelings about Patrick Beverley have remained true. His teammate James Harden went off for 47 as the Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Clippers, and Russ made sure to call out Bev by name for that. Why not?

• Also from the Clippers-Rockets game was this incredible moment. You see, L.A.’s Doc Rivers was visibly upset, then his son, Austin Rivers, had a little fun ultimately at his pop’s expense. That’s as hilarious and awkward as it gets in the NBA. Like, truly right out of a scene in a sitcom.

• Memphis Tigers star freshman and potential No. 1 overall draft pick James Wiseman has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA, but will be able to continue practicing with the team while awaiting reinstatement.

• The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby has had surgery to correct a core muscle injury, and will be out for six weeks.

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