Blown 17-point CFP lead vs. Alabama is the swing storyline
Oklahoma has shown both ceiling and a capacity to unravel with a lead — a live "protect the lead" angle for anyone backing OU as a favorite in 2026.
SEC FOOTBALL COMPANION GUIDE • ALPHABETICAL 10 OF 16
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
2026 Season Snapshot • Norman, Oklahoma
10-3 (6-2 SEC)
SEC
2026 Schedule
Live schedule, lines and results for Oklahoma.
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HEAD COACH
HANDICAPPING PROFILEHEAD COACH
Brent Venables — 5th season at Oklahoma
LIFETIME COACHING RECORD
32–20 at Oklahoma
Entered 2025 on the hot seat before a 10-3 season (6-2 SEC) with a CFP berth restored his standing. Longtime elite defensive coordinator (Oklahoma, Clemson) before becoming a head coach; his defenses have consistently ranked among the nation's best regardless of the offense's struggles.
OKLAHOMA ATS RECORD
No single published career ATS figure
2025 finished 10-3 (6-2 SEC), including a CFP First Round loss to Alabama after blowing a 17-point lead. That collapse is the swing storyline heading into 2026 — a team capable of both big wins and a bad-beat blown lead.
HEAD COACH SALARY (2026)
$8.5M
TEAM NIL VALUATION (EST.)
Not disclosed
PRIMARY NIL COLLECTIVE
Crimson and Cream
Coach salary per Wikipedia infobox (other reports place it as low as $8.15M depending on the reporting period). Oklahoma has not disclosed a team NIL figure.
HANDICAPPING NOTES
- Blown 17-point CFP lead vs. Alabama is the swing storyline: Oklahoma has shown both ceiling and a capacity to unravel with a lead — a live "protect the lead" angle for anyone backing OU as a favorite in 2026.
- Elite, proven defense returns most of its pieces: 4th in SP+, top-10 nationally in scoring/total/rush defense in 2025 with 9 projected starters back — arguably the safest, most predictable unit in this guide.
- Offense still finding itself under Arbuckle: Oklahoma ranked 92nd nationally in total offense in 2025 despite the good record — a "defense wins, offense along for the ride" profile that plays differently against elite competition (see: Alabama collapse).
COORDINATORS & SCHEME
OFFENSE / DEFENSEOFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Ben Arbuckle — 2nd season • Air raid
Followed QB John Mateer from Washington State. 2025 offense was inconsistent (92nd nationally) despite a winning record; both Mateer and the staff are healthier and more experienced entering year two together, with transfer WRs Trell Harris (Virginia) and Parker Livingstone (Texas) added to boost the passing game.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Todd Bates — 5th season • Multiple 4-2-5
Co-DC Jay Valai also returns. The strength of the program: OU ranked 4th in SP+ defense, 7th in scoring D, 3rd in rush D, and 6th in total D in 2025, and returns the bulk of that production — David Stone, Jayden Jackson, Taylor Wein and Kip Lewis all back as projected starters.
2025 SEASON RECAP
RECORD & VENUE NOTES2025 RECORD
10–3 (6–2 SEC)
CFP First Round: L 24-34 vs. Alabama after leading by 17 — the defining moment of Venables's tenure to date, for better or worse depending how 2026 plays out.
HOME FIELD
Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Natural grass, Norman. A traditionally strong, loud home environment for one of the sport's most historic programs, now fully into its second season of SEC-caliber home dates.
PRIMARY SKILL PLAYERS
2026 PROJECTED STARTERS| SLOT | PLAYER | YEAR | HS Stars | NOTES / NFL OUTLOOK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB1 | John Mateer | Sr | ★★★★★ | Washington State transfer who threw the pick-six that helped sink the CFP game vs. Alabama; back at full health and tasked with running a more efficient offense in year two under Arbuckle. |
| RB1 | Jaydn Ott | — | ★★★★★ | Cal transfer with 3,333 career yards from scrimmage; battled an ankle injury in 2024 but gives OU its clearest RB1 in years if healthy. |
| WR1 | Trell Harris | — | ★★★★★ | TOP TRANSFER Four-star transfer (CBS Sports Top-100 transfer). Virginia transfer and All- ACC receiver (59 rec, 847 yds, 5 TD in 2025); brought in specifically to boost a passing game that underperformed its win total in 2025. |
| WR2 | Parker Livingstone | — | ★★★★★ | TOP TRANSFER Four-star signee (Lovejoy HS, Lucas, Texas; 2024 class). Texas transfer (29 rec, 516 yds, 6 TD in 2025, 17.8 ypc); joins Harris as a second proven portal piece at receiver. |
QB1John MateerSr★★★★★
Washington State transfer who threw the pick-six that helped sink the CFP game vs. Alabama; back at full health and tasked with running a more efficient offense in year two under Arbuckle.
RB1Jaydn Ott—★★★★★
Cal transfer with 3,333 career yards from scrimmage; battled an ankle injury in 2024 but gives OU its clearest RB1 in years if healthy.
WR1Trell Harris—★★★★★
TOP TRANSFER
Four-star transfer (CBS Sports Top-100 transfer). Virginia transfer and All- ACC receiver (59 rec, 847 yds, 5 TD in 2025); brought in specifically to boost a passing game that underperformed its win total in 2025.
WR2Parker Livingstone—★★★★★
TOP TRANSFER
Four-star signee (Lovejoy HS, Lucas, Texas; 2024 class). Texas transfer (29 rec, 516 yds, 6 TD in 2025, 17.8 ypc); joins Harris as a second proven portal piece at receiver.
OFFENSIVE LINE
2026 PROJECTED| PLAYER | POS | YEAR | HS Stars | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Fasusi | OT | Soph | ★★★★★ | 5-STAR 5-star signee (2025), Freshman All-American as a true freshman; anchors the left side after choosing OU over Texas and Texas A&M. |
| Jake Maikkula | C | — | ★★★★★ | Stanford transfer; ESPN's No. 41 national OT prospect coming out of high school, now a returning starter at center. |
| E'Marion Harris | RT | — | ★★★★★ | Four-star transfer (CBS Sports Top-100). Arkansas transfer, a two- year starter for the Razorbacks, brought in to fill one of eight departed line spots. |
Michael FasusiOTSoph★★★★★
5-STAR
5-star signee (2025), Freshman All-American as a true freshman; anchors the left side after choosing OU over Texas and Texas A&M.
Jake MaikkulaC—★★★★★
Stanford transfer; ESPN's No. 41 national OT prospect coming out of high school, now a returning starter at center.
E'Marion HarrisRT—★★★★★
Four-star transfer (CBS Sports Top-100). Arkansas transfer, a two- year starter for the Razorbacks, brought in to fill one of eight departed line spots.
HANDICAPPING NOTE — O-LINE
- Eight offensive linemen departed after 2025 — real turnover here even with anchors like Fasusi and Fodje returning. Worth tracking early pass-protection numbers for Mateer.
DEFENSIVE LINE
2026 PROJECTED| PLAYER | POS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| David Stone | DT | Returning starter on a defensive front that ranked top-10 nationally in rush defense in 2025. |
| Jayden Jackson | DT | Returning starter alongside Stone on the interior. |
| Taylor Wein | DE | Returning starter off the edge. |
David StoneDT
Returning starter on a defensive front that ranked top-10 nationally in rush defense in 2025.
Jayden JacksonDT
Returning starter alongside Stone on the interior.
Taylor WeinDE
Returning starter off the edge.
LINEBACKERS
2026 PROJECTED- Kip Lewis returns as an every-down playmaker (two pick-sixes in SEC play in 2024, 65 tackles) after the graduation of Danny Stutsman. Michigan transfer Cole Sullivan adds proven depth after Oklahoma lost several linebackers to the portal, keeping this a strength of the defense.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
2026 PROJECTED| PLAYER | POS | HS Stars | NOTES / NFL OUTLOOK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Bowen | CB | ★★★★★ | Former three-star signee; 2024 Freshman All-American with a pick-six vs. Alabama in the 2025 CFP rematch. |
| Courtland Guillory | CB | ★★★★★ | Four-star signee (2025); won a starting job immediately as a true freshman and part of a defense that ranked 32nd nationally in pass defense in 2025. |
| Peyton Bowen | S | ★★★★★ | NFL WATCH5-STAR Former five-star signee; returning starter and a leader of a safety group considered the best in the conference. |
Eli BowenCB★★★★★
Former three-star signee; 2024 Freshman All-American with a pick-six vs. Alabama in the 2025 CFP rematch.
Courtland GuilloryCB★★★★★
Four-star signee (2025); won a starting job immediately as a true freshman and part of a defense that ranked 32nd nationally in pass defense in 2025.
Peyton BowenS★★★★★
NFL WATCH5-STAR
Former five-star signee; returning starter and a leader of a safety group considered the best in the conference.
SPECIAL TEAMS
KICKING, PUNTING & RETURN GAME- Kicker: Tate Sandell returns after Lou Groza Award consideration in 2025 — one of the best kickers in the country, though he did miss a high-pressure attempt against Alabama in the CFP.
- Punter: Grayson Miller returns after First Team All-SEC recognition.
- Returner: Isaiah Sategna is a legitimate home-run threat on any punt or kickoff return — Oklahoma's specialists unit as a whole is considered one of the best in the country entering 2026.
Betting profile — vs. the number
2025 ATS
7-6
53.8% cover rate — 30th of 82
2025 Straight up
10-3
Point differential +140
Scoring environment
41.7
Combined points per game — 79th highest of 82
Home / road ATS
3-5 · 4-0
Totals 3-10 O/U (2-6 home, 1-3 road)
Points scored / allowed
26.2 per game scored (51st) · 15.5 allowed (5th)
Margin & schedule
Margin of victory +10.8 (23rd) · Strength of schedule +2.2
- Home / road: Home 3-5 ATS, road 4-0 ATS (neutral-site games excluded).
- Home / road: Totals 3-10 O/U — 2-6 at home, 1-3 on the road.
- Trend: 2025 ATS 7-6 (53.8% cover rate) across 13 games.
- Trend: Averaged 26.2 points and allowed 15.5, a 41.7 combined per-game scoring environment.
Power ratings — strength against the field
SRS power rating
+10
19th of 82 — projected points vs. a league-average team on a neutral field
Offensive SRS
+1.1
42nd of 82
Defensive SRS
+12.7
6th of 82
Points (margin of victory)
+10.8 · 23rd of 82
Against the spread
7-6 (53.8%) · 30th of 82
Totals (combined PPG)
41.7 · 79th of 82
Computed from CollegeFootballData 2025 results and closing consensus lines.
Notes
Saved Just J research for Oklahoma.
Elite, proven defense returns most of its pieces
4th in SP+, top-10 nationally in scoring/total/rush defense in 2025 with 9 projected starters back — arguably the safest, most predictable unit in this guide.
Offense still finding itself under Arbuckle
Oklahoma ranked 92nd nationally in total offense in 2025 despite the good record — a "defense wins, offense along for the ride" profile that plays differently against elite competition (see: Alabama collapse).
Offensive Line
Offensive line outlook
Eight offensive linemen departed after 2025 — real turnover here even with anchors like Fasusi and Fodje returning. Worth tracking early pass-protection numbers for Mateer.
Notes are maintained in the Admin area — no code changes required.