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MIAMI(AP) Mike Balogun's unusual journey to Oklahoma could take another unexpected turn in the injury-ravaged Sooners' linebacking corps.

The 25-year-old, the oldest Oklahoma player in 40 years, could be the most unlikely starter on a defense that's been scrutinized heavily leading up to Thursday night's title game against No. 1 Florida (12-1).

Balogun didn't play football the last two years of high school and he got a job as a construction worker for a few years before he enrolled at a Pennsylvania junior college to get back in the game.

He became a junior college All-American and transferred to Oklahoma, but found himself on the short end of a competition to replace NFL first-round pick Curtis Lofton at middle linebacker.

Now because starter Ryan Reynolds is out with a season-ending knee injury and backup Austin Box is still working his way back from a banged-up knee, Balogun could log significant minutes trying to keep Tim Tebow and the Gators in check.

That could be a scary situation for the second-ranked Sooners (12-1), who suffered their only loss when Texas scored on four straight possessions after Reynolds tore a knee ligament in the second half. As Oklahoma's defense crumbled, the Longhorns eliminated an eight-point deficit and won 45-35.

Defensive coordinator Brent Venables said Reynolds, who had been the team's only experienced linebacker at the start of the season, was "the guy you couldn't lose."

When Reynolds got hurt, neither Balogun nor Box were considered ready to go. Brandon Crow replaced Reynolds for the rest of the game, and a week later it was safety Nic Harris who played middle linebacker against Kansas.

Venables said Balogun had "checked out mentally" after failing to win the middle linebacker job at the start of the season, and it took some time to get him back in the mix. Box moved from outside linebacker to take over in the second half of the season, but then he was injured, too.

That meant Balogun was forced into action.

"When you jump into the season, you don't have time to be a psychiatrist and everything else. A guy's got to want to do it, too," Venables said. "I think as the season progressed, we had a few talks and he became more and more attentive and attempted to know what he was doing.

"That's everything. You can't just go out and play."

Venables now says he'd be "surprised" if Balogun or Box, who have been splitting time in practice, were overwhelmed by the Gators. Coach Bob Stoops said he doesn't see the need for an individual pep talk for the former third-stringer, either.

"Those guys will do well. I'm counting on them to play really, really well," Venables said. "I'm looking forward to seeing them go out and turn it loose, and I'm confident in what they'll do."