After a disappointing 2024 season that saw them go 6-7 overall and 2-6 in SEC play, the Oklahoma Sooners are in serious need of a rebound in 2025.
Due to some major changes that have been made at OU since the end of the regular season, many in the college football public are starting to believe in the Sooners. even after a slow start to the offseason .
The folks over at EA Sports who make “College Football 26” are among those nationally who are starting to think Oklahoma could bounce back this year. They released their team ratings for the second edition of the beloved game’s comeback, and OU made the Top 25.
Oklahoma checked in at No. 17 overall on the list. They were also given the 17th-best defense in the game and the 14th-best offense. OU’s rating is eighth in the SEC behind Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Texas A&M, LSU, Florida, and Ole Miss. The Sooners also fell two spots below Michigan, who they’ll face in Week 2 in Norman.
The belief that Oklahoma can be significantly improved this year has much to do with the changes that have occurred since last winter. The Sooners hired a new general manager, Jim Nagy, who is changing the way the program approaches the name, image, and likeness, as well as the transfer portal. He’s brought in plenty of new faces to his front office to help OU get back to playing among the big boys of college football.
Head coach Brent Venables returns for a fourth season, but he’s on the hot seat heading into the fall. He has made some savvy hires since late November and will take full control of the defensive play-calling in 2025. The decisions he’s made over the last seven months have given him a chance to keep his job beyond this season, provided that they lead to more victories on the field.
Venables’ defense loses a significant amount of production, but returns a substantial amount as well. The defensive line will be asked to lead the way when the opposition has the ball, but there are key returners all over the field.
One of Venables’ most aggressive hires was that of offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. The young playcaller is tasked with getting OU’s offense back on track after it struggled in 2024. Plenty of new faces will need to step up for an offense that saw plenty of players leave the program this winter, but the backfield duo of quarterback John Mateer and running back Jaydn Ott figures to carry a heavy load.
The Sooners will play a total of five teams ranked ahead of them in EA Sports’ ratings this year. It’s part of a daunting schedule that would be tough for even the best teams in the country to navigate. But that’s life in the SEC, and no one will feel sorry for Oklahoma once the season begins.
EA Sports’ “College Football 26” will be released on July 10 and will feature all 136 FBS teams for the 2025 college football season.
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