The Oklahoma Sooners have a tall task ahead on New Year's Day, as the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs have the defensive talent to give Baker Mayfield and company fits in the College Football Playoff semi-final. With that as the backdrop, Lincoln Riley and company may need a superhuman effort from Mayfield in order to pull off the (minor) Las Vegas upset but there could be a bit of concern brewing with the Heisman Trophy winner.
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Kyle Bonagura of ESPN brings word that Mayfield has missed three consecutive days of non-football activities with "what is believed to be a minor sickness" and Pete Thamel brings word that he is under the weather but practicing.
https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/946776165007503361
This isn't terribly out of the ordinary but, given that it is Mayfield in question, the microscope is on the situation and, apparently, Oklahoma's roster (and even their coaching staff) has been instructed to answer questions about the signal-caller in one particular way.
https://twitter.com/BryanDFischer/status/946776219080519680
https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/946778041295843328
Until there is real doubt that Mayfield would actually miss the game, there is little to actually fear in this spot for the Oklahoma faithful but the team's on-field leader being at less than 100 percent certainly is not ideal for a big stage like the College Football Playoff, and potentially Oklahoma's first title in almost two decades.
Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy over Louisville's Lamar Jackson and Stanford's Bryce Love after Mayfield put up absurd numbers this season. The veteran quarterback threw for 4,340 yards (71-percent completion) and 41 touchdowns in 13 games this year against only five interceptions.
Let the countdown to the Rose Bowl kick-off continue in earnest.
