Oklahoma football: Stacy McGee will miss Cotton Bowl; Jalen Saunders will play

Saunders transferred from Fresno State in May; the NCAA initially denied his waiver request for immediate eligibility, but reversed the decision on appeal just before Oklahoma's fifth game of the season, a 63-21 rout of archrival Texas on Oct. 13.

The 2011 All-WAC first-team receiver left Fresno State after a coach Pat Hill was fired, and after learning the school is located in an area making him susceptible to San Joaquin Valley Fever, which his father suffers from.

Since gaining his eligibility, Saunders has been one of the Sooners' most dynamic offensive weapons, catching 53 passes for 766 yards and three touchdowns.

In Oklahoma's Oct. 27 loss to current No. 1-ranked Notre Dame, Saunders caught a school-record eight passes in the first quarter alone. Over the Sooners' final three regular-season wins — at West Virginia, against Oklahoma State and at TCU — he hauled in 24 catches for 393 yards and three scores.

In OU's 51-48 Bedlam win, he also returned a punt for a touchdown.

Johnson, who joined to Oklahoma after playing his freshman season at Arizona, is sitting out this season due to NCAA transfer rules.