Oklahoma finally took its rightful place back in the College Football Playoff in 2025 after a breakout season. The Sooners returned to the postseason tournament for the first time since 2019, and first time under fourth-year coach Brent Venables during a 10-3 campaign. The season was much-needed proof of concept for Venables, who posted losing seasons in two of his first three seasons. The Sooners fielded one of the best defenses in college football for the second straight season and flipped close-game luck in their favor. They pulled off historic wins over No. 15 Michigan, No. 4 Alabama and No. 14 Tennessee — the latter two on the road. But like Oklahoma’s four appearances in the CFP under Lincoln Riley, the season ended without a win in the postseason tournament. The Sooners blew a three-score lead in a 34-24 loss No. 9 Alabama on their home field. And like those other runs, Oklahoma was held back by glaring limitations on one side of the ball. The arrival of Washington State transfer quarterback John Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle provided optimism as the Sooners hoped to grow from a bottom-tier SEC offense. But while there were signs of life, the offense ultimately remained a liability when competing on the national stage.
Oklahoma got off to a hot start, leading 17-0 after a few strong offensive drives. But after a stunning whiffed punt by Grayson Miller, the Sooners unraveled. Mateer threw a pick-six on the next drive and in fewer than six minutes of game time, Alabama tied the game. From there, Oklahoma put together one touchdown drive, and went three-and-out four times. The offensive issues have been a mainstay all season, even as the Sooners hired the well-respected Arbuckle. Oklahoma ranked No. 12 in the SEC in both total and scoring offense, despite often getting favorable field position and points from defense and special teams. The Sooners scored fewer than 17 points per contest in the final three games of the regular season. While they hit 24 on Friday, they scored just seven in the second half. Venables will have key questions to answer heading into the offseason, including where he wants to invest in the roster. But after reaching the playoff, it at least comes from a position of strength.
Mateer’s inconsistencyOklahoma invested heavily in Mateer over the offseason, making him one of the highest-paid players in college…
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2025-12-20 05:33:32
