Oklahoma’s 2026 season has already slid into disappointment, and USA TODAY Sports has taken notice. The Sooners were supposed to build on last year’s College Football Playoff run and take another step forward, but instead they’re sitting at 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the SEC after seven games.
That record was enough for Paul Myerberg to include Oklahoma on his list of the biggest flops of 2026, alongside Oregon, Texas A&M, Michigan, Penn State, Washington and Clemson. The reason for Oklahoma’s placement is the same problem that has followed the program since it joined the SEC: the offense has not been good enough.
"It’s the offense. Again.
The defense has been good enough, putting Oklahoma in position to beat Michigan and Kentucky while doing just enough to deliver wins against No. 11 Texas and Mississippi State.
But despite offseason optimism centered on quarterback John Mateer’s return and the increased experience in Ben Arbuckle’s scheme, the Sooners have been held under 4.9 yards per play in four of five games against Power Four teams and is averaging only 21.6 points per game despite a 51-0 win against Texas-El Paso in the opener. Remove that win, and the average drops to 16.8 points per game." - Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports.
That’s the ugly center of it all: the defense has held up well enough to keep Oklahoma in games, but the offense has dragged everything down. Brent Venables has rebuilt the defense and it has been solid for three straight seasons, but he’s responsible for the whole operation, and the results on offense have pulled the program backward instead of forward.
Still, the season isn’t done. Oklahoma will not be making another College Football Playoff run, but there are five weeks left in the regular season, and what happens next matters for a lot of people in Norman. A strong finish could still change the feel of the season, even if it can’t change the playoff picture.
If the Sooners can get to eight or nine wins and close with a run like six straight victories or five wins in six games, it would at least create some momentum heading into 2027. That would be a much better ending than fading out, landing in a lesser bowl, or missing one altogether. A spot in a bowl such as the Citrus, ReliaQuest or Gator would count as a step in the right direction after a rough first half.
The stretch run also carries real weight for Venables. He has built a pattern of winning six games and then winning 10 games, and this year was supposed to be different.
The playoff was the standard. That isn’t happening.
But eight or nine wins would look a lot better than the alternatives, especially if Oklahoma can do it in the SEC and salvage something from a season many people had already written off.
His preseason contract extension and hefty buyout mean he’s safe for now, but the long-term test remains the same: Venables has to prove he can win big and do it consistently.
Ben Arbuckle is in a similar spot. The offensive coordinator was brought in to fix the problem, and so far he hasn’t.
A strong finish would at least give him a case to make for another chance, but the work in front of him is obvious. The offense has not been close to good enough since the 2023 season ended, and the change in personnel has not changed the results enough.
Players, play-caller, quarterback and even some position coaches have all changed, yet the issues remain. That lack of cohesion is hard to ignore, and a reset on that side of the ball could be the move Venables is forced to make.
There’s also John Mateer, who has taken plenty of the heat for the offense’s struggles. Some of it has been deserved and some of it hasn’t, but that’s part of the job when you’re the quarterback at Oklahoma.
His eligibility runs out after this season, and he’s trying to play his way toward an NFL opportunity next year. A better finish would help his draft and pro stock, but it would also let him leave a different impression than the one he’s built so far in Norman.
General manager Jim Nagy is in the conversation, too. This is his second season at Oklahoma, and it’s the first time a team he fully assembled has been on the field.
That has not produced the kind of year anyone wanted, though he has had some portal wins with players like Rocky Beers and Jake Maikkula. There have also been clear misses, including Jaydn Ott, Parker Livingstone and E'Marion Harris, plus the departures of Sammy Omosigho, Javonnie Gibson, Zion Ragins and offensive line depth.
So while a return trip to the playoff is off the table, the final five weeks still matter. Oklahoma would much rather be 6-1 or 5-2 and pushing toward the CFP, but even in a season that has gone sideways, a stronger finish would shape how this year is remembered by Venables, Arbuckle, Mateer and Nagy.
In Other News...
Oklahoma May Need Caleb Nitta Sooner Than Anyone Expected
Oklahomas injury situation has quickly turned the lead-up to South Carolina into a test of depth, especially up front. The availability report lists 15 Sooners, and with Ryan Fodje and Eddy Pierre-Louis ruled out while Heath Ozaeta is expected back, the attention has shifted to the center spot, where Jake Maikkula is questionable after getting hurt.
If Maikkula cant go, Caleb Nitta could be called on earlier than the Sooners would like, and the staff seems comfortable with what they have behind him. Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle has praised Nittas preparation and intelligence, the sort of trust that matters most when the offensive line is being reshuffled on short notice. For a team already juggling injuries, the biggest concern now is whether Oklahoma can keep the middle of the line steady enough to avoid forcing even more adjustments. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Heads Into South Carolina With Key Spots Still In Flux
Oklahomas depth chart still has a few moving parts heading into Saturdays 3:15 p.m. matchup with South Carolina, with three starters listed as questionable on the latest SEC availability report. Jake Maikkula, Peyton Bowen and Eli Bowen all remain in flux, leaving the Sooners with some uncertainty in the lineup as they prepare for a conference road test on SEC Network.
The report also showed several other Oklahoma players spread across the out, doubtful and probable categories, adding another layer of uncertainty for a team trying to get settled before kickoff. With key spots still up in the air, the Sooners will be watching the availability list closely right up until game time. [Read more 🡒]
Bixby Gets Its Biggest Test Yet With District Title On The Line
Undefeated Bixby and undefeated Broken Arrow are set to meet Friday in a showdown that should feel like more than just a district game. The winner takes the District 6AI-1 title, and with both teams sitting inside the top three of the High School On SI Oklahoma Top 25, the matchup has the kind of weight that usually comes with playoff football in November, not a regular-season finale.
Broken Arrow brings a dangerous offense led by quarterback Shamar Banner, a University of Tulsa commit, while Bixby answers with a roster that includes several Division I commitments of its own. For the Spartans, this is a chance to protect their No. 1 spot and add another statement win to a season that has rolled along without a blemish, but Broken Arrow has every reason to believe it belongs on the same stage. [Read more 🡒]