Oklahoma football had its second losing season in the last three years, though it was only the Sooners’ second losing season this century, in 2024. Brent Venables’ progress from a 10-win 2023 season in the Big 12 went backward in OU’s first season in the SEC.

Between Jackson Arnold not working out as the starter and being benched for Michael Hawkins Jr. only to be reinserted into the QB1 role and Seth Littrell flaming out with an antiquated offensive system before being fired midseason in October, the Sooners didn’t have the personnel to have a respectable offense.

Luckily, Oklahoma has fixed its offense. And to be fair, fixed may be too weak a descriptor.

The Sooners signed John Mateer, Washington State’s star quarterback, via the transfer portal and brought his offensive coordinator in Pullman, Ben Arbuckle, to Norman.

CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno believes that makes OU a potential SEC sleeper in 2025.

“I hate to label a program that’s reached the CFP multiple times in the previous format a ‘dark horse,’ but after going 6-7 in 2024, Oklahoma’s three-year record coach Brent Venables is 22-17. The Sooners have mostly fallen out of the SEC spotlight, but with 2025 as a must-win season for Venables & Co., they went out and landed one of the best transfer quarterbacks in the cycle, Washington State’s John Mateer,” Salerno wrote.

“OU’s defense will remain strong as normal under Venables and I believe Mateer plays himself into the Heisman Trophy mix on a national stage with the familiar Ben Arbuckle, who was his OC at Wazzu, calling the shots now. It’s a recipe for serious contention.”

Had it not been for an unfathomable 24-3 upset of Alabama in Week 13, it’s possible Venables could’ve been shown the door after his second losing season in three years in charge.

He gets another chance, though. It looks like he made the most of it.