2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game - Alabama v Oklahoma
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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 inconsistency

Oklahoma invested heavily in Mateer over the offseason, making him one of the highest-paid players in college football. His arrival did make a meaningful difference as the Sooners improved from No. 16 to 9 in passing offense. He made big plays in wins over Michigan and Tennessee, but also was stifled against Texas and in the second half of the loss to Alabama. 

Mateer underwent surgery for a hand injury in September, and his recovery certainly played a role in his inconsistency. However, he finished the year with 14 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, including two separate games with three picks. 

Top targets Deion Burks, Keontez Lewis and tight end Jaren Kanak are all out of eligibility after the season. Top receiver Isaiah Sategna could also look to the NFL after nearing the 1,000-yard plateau. Even if Mateer returns as expected, the Oklahoma passing game will look much different in 2026. 

Is the run game coming along?

Since joining the SEC in 2024, Oklahoma's running game has been perhaps its most glaring issue. The Sooners averaged only 3.7 yards per carry over the past two seasons, and finished No. 13 in the SEC with only 123.8 yards rushing per game. 

There's been multiple factors that have led to the Sooners' struggles on the ground, including inconsistent running back identification and development. No running back on the roster posted more than 109 carries in the regular season, even after the Sooners invested heavily in California transfer Jaydn Ott over the offseason. The inconsistent personnel remains a major issue for running backs coach DeMarco Murray. 

But more than anything else, the offensive line has been a consistent issue since joining the SEC. The Sooners cycled through linemen in 2024 while fielding perhaps the SEC's worst unit. Late in the year, the unit has settled down and leaned heavily on a handful of underclassmen. The good news? Those young players appear to be the right ones. 

Left tackle Michael Fasusi is a rising star and Jake Maikkula (who missed the Alabama game while recovering from an infection) has been one of the top graded players at center. Freshmen Eddy Piere-Louis and Ryan Fodje have also played major roles, including starting the playoff game. All four players are expected back in 2026. If they can take steps, Oklahoma should finally have a Sooner-level offensive line. 

The defense will remain electric

When Venables was defensive coordinator at Clemson, his units were defined by constantly rotating bodies. After four years at Oklahoma, he's finally brought the Sooners' depth to that elite level. 

Heading into Friday, 20 different players recorded at least 200 defensive snaps. Fifteen cleared the 300-snap mark. Even though stars like safety Peyton Bowen and edge rusher R. Mason Thomas could head to the NFL, there's a whole new wave of playmakers waiting in the wings. 

Sophomore defensive tackles David Stone and Jayden Jackson should emerge among the best in the sport, while defensive end Taylor Wein really came on across the season. Linebacker Owen Heinecke had a strong game, and cornerback Eli Bowen has another year of eligibility remaining. 

Last season, Oklahoma lost All-American safety Billy Bowman and linebacker Danny Stutsman to the NFL. The unit responded by taking yet another step forward. It's time to classify Venables' Oklahoma defenses as permanently good, regardless of personnel turnover. 

The final prognosis

By any measure, the Venables era at Oklahoma started off on the wrong foot with two losing seasons in three years. After posting a 10-win season and reaching the College Football Playoff, Venables is cemented as the long-term coach of the Sooners. From here, it's simply tweaking the formula. 

The Sooners have recruited at an incredibly high level, and welcome in a top-15 signing class in 2026. They're positioned to break into the national elite in the 247Sports Talent Composite, and development on defense has been a mainstay. 

However, the glaring problem at Oklahoma remains the same as when it entered the season: Can Venables figure out the offense? There were steps in the right direction, but the Sooners are still far away from fielding a championship-level unit.