The latest edition of the OUInsider Roundtable, featuring Bryan Clinton and Jesse Crittenden, discusses how the Sooners can replace Andrel Anthony, the possibility of a let down following the Texas win, Dillon Gabriel's Heisman buzz and what the team needs to do to beat UCF.

Let's jump in:

Jesse Crittenden: There's no way to sugarcoat it — losing Anthony really hurts. He was often Dillon Gabriel's No. 1 read through the first six weeks. However, the Sooners do have the depth to (hopefully) replace him, and there is one primary candidate for the job: Nic Anderson. The redshirt freshman leads the team in receiving touchdowns with six, and his 6-foot-4 frame lends him a versatility to the offense that the Sooners otherwise don't have. OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby typically likes having three main guys at receiver — for reference, Anthony (290 snaps) is third among wide receivers in playing time and has played nearly twice as much as Anderson (164 snaps) — so it stands to reason that he'll be looking for one main guy to replace Anthony. Plus, the argument could be made that Anderson deserved more playing time anyways. I don't expect the offense to change much, besides maybe utilizing more Gabriel-designed runs.

Bryan Clinton: Replacing your top receiver halfway through the season is never easy, no matter how good the depth might be behind Andrel Anthony. With that said, Oklahoma has several options to do just that, and this isn't your typical situation we're talking about. In many cases, losing an offense's top receiver means replacing the player with the most receptions, most yards, and many times, the most scores through the air. Anthony leads the team in receiving yards (429), but Drake Stoops leads the team in receptions (29), and Nic Anderson leads in receiving touchdowns (6). As much as Dillon Gabriel spreads the ball around in this offense, I don't expect there to be a ton of production lost with Anthony out, if there is any at all. His absence gives Anderson more opportunities while doing the same for guys like Jayden Gibson and Jaquaize Pettaway. I think the Sooners' offense will keep humming with Anthony gone, and the increased opportunities for the young guys will pay dividends in the near future.

Jesse: Historically, the Sooners have been at their best following the Texas game. Per my friend Eli Lederman at Sellout Crowd, the Sooners are 22-1 in their games following the Texas matchup since 1999. Plus after a disappointing season in 2022, this year's Sooners finally have expectations. The Sooners are ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll and are the only undefeated team remaining in the Big 12. The path to the conference championship game, and maybe the College Football Playoff, are there for the Sooners if they take care of business. I expect Brent Venables to have his squad ready to take care of a UCF team they are heavily favored to beat.

Bryan: The bye week couldn't have come at a better time for Oklahoma, as the win over Texas was not only an emotional one but a costly one as well. Several players left that game nicked up, and getting a week of rest is just what the doctor ordered for a lot of them. Plus, giving replacements for guys like Anderson and McKade Mettauer more time to get acquainted with their new roles will only help things look better once they hit the field for real. Under the past regime, we've seen the Sooners come out flat after a bye week or a big win, but I'd venture to say that is a thing of the past. With the way that Brent Venables approaches each week of preparation, I just can't see Team 129 coming out and laying an egg after what we've seen to this point. It would go against everything we've seen to this point, and despite it being a worry for some of the fan base, I think OU will put those worries to bed early in this weekend's game against UCF.

Jesse: The answer is simple: keep playing efficiently, and keep winning games. Gabriel ranks top-10 nationally in passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, passing efficiency and completion percentage. It's a big reason why the Sooners are 6-0. But Gabriel doesn't need to change anything he's doing. All he needs is to keep playing efficiently and mistake free, and the winning should follow. If the Sooners can finish the regular season as good as they've started it, he'll be in New York come December for the Heisman Trophy ceremony,

Bryan: Two things have to happen for Dillon Gabriel to stay near the top of the Heisman race. First, he needs to continue playing at the same level that we've seen from him in recent weeks. While the numbers in his first couple of games might have been better given the opponents he was facing, the last two games that Gabriel has put on field have been arguably his best performances as a Sooner. Against Iowa State, who is notorious for causing quarterbacks all kinds of issues, Gabriel led the offense up and down the field at will and turned in two rushing scores to help lead OU to 50 points, the most that Iowa State had given up since 2018. Then against Texas, he topped 100 yards rushing and took very good care of the football against a tough defense. To cap it off, his 75-yard touchdown drive cemented his legacy at OU forever. If he can build on that performance and stay lethal as a runner, there's no limit to what he can do in 2023. The second thing that has to happen in Oklahoma must keep winning games. The more wins they pile up, the more attention Gabriel's Heisman campaign will get. If OU gets through the regular season with an 11-1 or 12-0 record, Gabriel would be a virtual lock to end up in New York.

Jesse: The OU defense needs to limit UCF's rushing attack. If the Knights have done anything well, it's run the ball. The Knights rank third nationally in rushing offense, averaging over 246 rushing yards per game. John Rhys Plumlee's return is huge in that regard, as he's averaging over eight yards per carry. Meanwhile the Sooners have been really good at stopping the run, allowing just 113.7 yards per game, which ranks 28th nationally. If the Sooners can stop the UCF rushing attack, they should have no issues keeping the Knights from scoring.

Bryan: Build off a good performance against Texas and make more progress in developing their running game. The Sooner had 201 yards on 43 carries against Texas, averaging a season-high 4.7 yards per carry. If they can average that for the rest of the season, the offense will be even more dangerous than its been to this point. If there were a perfect time for them to gain some confidence in their run schemes and establish a dominant running game to support Gabriel and the passing attack, it's against UCF. The Knights are among the worst teams in the nation against the run, allowing 197.2 rushing yards per game and right at 5.0 yards per carry. In their last game, a 51-22 loss to Kansas, UCF gave up 399 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The Jayhawks were more physical and aggressive at the point of attack, and UCF folded up shop. It would be surprising if Oklahoma doesn't do the same thing on Saturday, and if they do, it should result in their biggest day on the ground so far.