The Oklahoma Sooners made the College Football Playoff in a season in which many thought they’d be lucky to win eight games. Despite the way the season finished, OU won 10 games and showed marked improvement from the 6-7 record from year one in the SEC.
Led by the defense, the Sooners re-established the defensive identity in Norman, and that defense came through in big moments throughout the season to propel Oklahoma to the CFP. Though they made the playoff, there’s no satisfaction with coming up short at home. There are ways Oklahoma can improve and has to improve in order to get back to the playoff in 2026.
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1. Reestablish the Run
Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Xavier Robinson (24) runs the ball in the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family OK Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Oklahoma Sooners haven’t had a consistent running game since 2022, when Eric Gray became the bellcow back for the Sooners and ran for 1,000 yards. In 2022, the Sooners finished No. 10 in the nation in rushing yards. In 2023, they dropped to No. 35 in the nation with Gavin Sawchuk leading the way with 744 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Tawee Walker ran for over 500 yards and seven touchdowns, and Dillon Gabriel ran for more than 300 yards and scored 12 rushing touchdowns.
But in 2024, Oklahoma will run through the SEC for the first time. Amidst some injuries to the offensive line and the running back rooms, the Sooners’ running game fell to No. 76 in the nation in rushing yards per game. And surprisingly, even though the offense got better, the run game got worse, finishing the season No. 113 in the nation with just 118.5 rushing yards per game.
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Yes, Oklahoma was playing three freshmen along its offensive line. Yes, they dealt with a banged-up running back room once again. Yes, their high-profile running back transfer addition, Jaydn Ott, failed to live up to offseason expectations. Sure, they played some of the best defenses in the nation on their schedule in Michigan, Auburn, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU.
Still, they can’t afford for the running game to be so unproductive and win 10 games again.
Ben Arbuckle and his coaching staff have to find answers to the running game this offseason. While much of the focus will be on the development of quarterback John Mateer (which we’ll get to in a second), the Sooners need to go into 2026 with a much more productive rushing attack.
2. John Mateer takes a step
Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) scores a touchdown in the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family OK Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
There’s a feeling that John Mateer will be back for Oklahoma in 2026. And that’s a good thing. The Sooners have dealt with a lot of quarterback turnover in recent years. Dillon Gabriel in 2022 and 2023 is the last quarterback to start back-to-back seasons for the Sooners.
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Continuity is important for growth. With Dillon Gabriel and Jeff Lebby running the offense in 2022 and 2023, the Sooners saw an improvement of nine points per game. Having quarterback and offensive coordinator continuity provides Oklahoma an opportunity to for growth. But they need John Mateer to improve.
Mateer was good at times during his first season at Oklahoma. He was good enough to help them win nine games (Michael Hawkins Jr. was the QB in the win over Kent State), but inconsistency in his reads and inconsistent footwork failed him and the offense too many times.
Mateer gave Oklahoma a chance to win against Alabama in the second half after the Sooners let their lead slip away, but he also wasn’t consistent enough down the stretch to overcome their late deficit. His decision-making wasn’t good enough in losses to Texas and Ole Miss.
Football is the ultimate team sport, so it’s not all on Mateer for Oklahoma to be successful in 2026. However, if they want to get back to the College Football Playoff and contend for a national title, Mateer has to be a big reason why the offense improves.
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3. Young Defenders Step Up
Sep 20, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman David Stone (0) celebrates with Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kip Lewis (10) and Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Taylor Wein (44) during the first half against the Auburn Tigers at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The Oklahoma Sooners will lose R Mason Thomas, Gracen Halton, Damonic Williams, Marvin Jones, Jr., Kendal Daniels, and Robert Spears-Jennings to the NFL. Kobie McKinzie is off to the transfer portal. Owen Heinecke is hoping for another year of eligibility from the NCAA. The Sooners are still awaiting a decision on Kip Lewis. That’s a lot of leadership that is and could be departing the Sooners’ defense.
There’s a ton of talent on that side of the ball. Brent Venables and his staff have recruited incredibly well. Taylor Wein, Jayden Jackson, David Stone, Adepoju Adebawore, Peyton Bowen, Reggie Powers III, Courtland Guillory, and Eli Bowen all played critical roles for the Sooners’ defense this year and will return in 2026. And they’ll need to take the leadership mantle, take their games up a notch or two, and bring the young, very talented defenders with them.
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Players like Michael Boganowski, Samuel Omosigho, James Nesta, Trent Wilson, Markus Strong, Jaydan Hardy, and Danny Okoye will be expected to take on a bigger role in the Oklahoma defense, and they’ll need to step up to replace the production vacated by Oklahoma’s departures.
The Sooners have the talent to be outstanding on defense once again and they’ll need guys like Wein, Jackson, Bowen, and Stone to lead the way on and off the field for the defense to be as good or better in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: How must the Sooners improve in 2026 to get back to the playoff?
