Happy Monday, friends and fans!

With the Oklahoma Sooners having the past weekend off due to a rise in COVID-19 cases and contact tracing, Lincoln Riley noted on Monday that the status of his team is currently unknown as far as the upcoming game against the Baylor Bears is concerned. For now, the fourth year head coach believes that there is still ‘a shot’ the season’s final home game will be played this Saturday, despite not having seen his own players in nearly a week.

Fortunately, OU players and the coaching staff has been allowed back into the football facility following Monday morning’s tests.

Coming down this final two-week stretch before the Big 12 Championship Game takes place is proving to be a perilous path to navigate, but if Oklahoma can weather the storm and field a team up to its own standards, it will have the opportunity to defend its five consecutive conference titles.

Now onto this week’s Monday edition of Hot Links! Kick-off times for Oklahoma’s final two regular season contests have been updated, some big name recruits could be attending OU’s game unofficially this weekend, Vandy parts ways with Derek Mason and more!

OU Links

• If all goes according to plan, Oklahoma will host Baylor this Saturday night at 7 p.m. CT on FOX.

• In other news related to OU kick-off times, the Sooners’ road game against West Virginia on Dec. 12 will either start at 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

• Although the Sooners now control their own destiny in regards to the Big 12 Championship race, the Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel writes about an existing scenario that could come down to teams’ margin of victory.
• 2021 five-star QB commit Caleb Williams has recently stated that he could be joined by several high-profile recruits this weekend for Oklahoma’s final home game of the season. SI Sooners’ Parker Thune has more.
• 2021 five-star OT Tristan Leigh out of Fairfax, Virginia has set Jan. 2 as the date he will be announcing his commitment. The highly-rated offensive lineman is expected to choose between OU, LSU and Ohio State.

• Baker Mayfield said the words, and BreakingT put them on a t-shirt. After Oklahoma annihilated OSU last Saturday, little brother was indeed put back in his place. Now, all you Sooners fans can let him know about it this holiday season with this exclusive tee from the fine folks at BreakingT. It’s worth a lot more than a year of bragging rights, so place your order as soon as possible and let the world know which side of Bedlam you stand on.

• Looking for a second shirt? We’ve got you covered!

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Around the Sports World

• Texas Longhorns senior left tackle Samuel Cosmi has announced his decision to forgo the remainder of the 2020 season in order to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. The veteran OL is projected to go in the first or second round.
• After more than six seasons, the Vanderbilt Commodores have fired head coach Derek Mason. Since 2014 under his leadership, Vandy has gone 27-55, including 0-2 in bowl games.
• Indiana Hoosiers redshirt sophomore QB Michael Penix Jr. will reportedly miss the remainder of the 2020 season after suffering a lower leg injury in Saturday’s win over the Maryland Terrapins.
• LSU Tigers junior WR Terrace Marshall Jr. has announced his decision to opt out of the remainder of the 2020 season and has declared for the 2021 NFL Draft.
• This weekend’s game between the Washington State Cougars and USC Trojans has been moved from Friday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 6 due to a rise in COVID-19 related issues within the Trojans’ program.

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