Oklahoma reportedly decides on Parker Livingstone’s status for Week 1 vs. UTEP
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Oklahoma is set to play its Friday night season opener against UTEP, and it looks like the Sooners will have their new transfer wide receiver on the field for the 8 p.m. ET kickoff.
When 10th-ranked Oklahoma takes the field against the Miners in the game that will be on SEC Network+, Parker Livingstone should be good to go. According to a report by ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel on Friday afternoon, the Texas transfer has been cleared to play and “will be available” to make his much-anticipated OU debut.
Livingstone, who is now on the other side of the rivalry after spending his first 2 seasons at Texas, had been forced to miss some recent practice time because of a concussion. But according to Thamel’s report, the Texas product who stayed in-state to start his college career but has now moved across the border will make that Sooners debut under the lights in Norman.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Livingstone redshirted during his true freshman season in Austin in 2024, playing in only 4 games. Last season, as s redshirt freshman, Livingstone caught 29 passes for 516 yards and 6 touchdowns. He showed an ability so stretch the field, too, averaging 17.8 yards per catch.
But after putting up those numbers at Texas, Livingstone opted to move on, announcing in early January that he was transferring to Oklahoma.
Now, he appears to be ready to play his first game as a member of the program that Texas fans probably hate the most. He’ll be wearing Sooners colors as Oklahoma kicks off its 2026 campaign on Friday night.
Oklahoma will be kicking off its season on Friday night with the sole purpose of getting back to the College Football Playoff in 2026. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the Sooners’ chances to do just that after losing in the first round of the CFP last season:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
