2025 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 10: Oklahoma

BamaCentral takes a long first look at each of the Crimson Tide's upcoming opponents this season with the Sooners up next.

Joe Gaither | Jun 30, 2025

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables locks arms with players before the Armed Forces Bowl football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Navy Midshipmen at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. Navy won 21-20. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oklahoma Sooners come to Tuscaloosa for the first time in over 20 years for one of the most intriguing matchups on the Alabama football schedule. The Sooners served the Crimson Tide the worst loss in head coach Kalen DeBoer's initial season at the helm, and saved a 25-year bowl streak in the process.

Head coach Brent Venables knows that bowl eligibility isn't the goal in Norman and knows improvements must be made, despite notching a huge victory against one of the SEC's most prestigious programs.

Venables went into the transfer portal and replaced departing quarterback Jackson Arnold with a gun-slinger in John Mateer and now hopes to get the Sooners' offense to match the production of its defense and compete at a high level in the SEC.

"Building the team, John Mateer’s been a huge part of all that. You want to have a chance to get into the playoffs. And a chance to be able to compete at the top of the SEC, you gotta have elite quarterback play," Venables said this offseason. "Can’t just be good. It’s gotta be elite. Doesn’t always have to be elite, but it needs to have the ability to be elite at the right times and make plays and lead and get more out of the people around you. John, he’s incredibly talented, but some of his best talents are his leadership, he’s got tremendous football IQ, and there’s no limits on him mentally or physically....He’s got great arm talent, but he’s a guy that’s going to show up early, going to stay late, got great humility. Came to Oklahoma to be a part of the great lineage at Oklahoma. He’ll be the first to tell you, and he knows it, he’s gotta get better. He’s got a lot of development still in front of him. So he’s great humility, he’s put his head down. All he’s done since he’s gotten here is work, and he’s elevated everybody around him by how he does what he does. He’s honest, he’s transparent, easy to connect to. People relate to him. He’s got great, great depth to him."

Offense

Oklahoma's offense was abysmal in 2024, finishing 14th in yards per game and 15th in points per game in the SEC. The Sooners hired Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to get the offense moving and he brought along with him quarterback John Mateer.

Mateer and Cal running back transfer Jadyn Ott get most of the attention, but in order for them to be successful, the offensive line must be more effective. The Sooners had one of the worst units up front in 2024 and turns to several newcomers to make it happen. Stanford transfer Jake Maikkula will likely anchor the middle, while Western Carolina's Derek Simmons will likely play right tackle. The only place the Sooners return real experience is at right guard in Febechi Nwaiwu.

If the offensive line can protect Mateer he'll be throwing to wide recievers Jayden Gibson, Deion Burks and Isaiah Satenga. Burks hauled in 31 receptions for 245 yards and three scores last year, while Gibson broke the Arkansas-Pine Bluff single season receptions and yards records with a 70 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Satenga is a transfer from Arkansas that hasn't really showcased his skills yet. In three seasons for the Razorbacks, he caught 54 passes for 632 yards and three touchdowns.

Defense

Oklahoma's defense was its strength in 2024 and stands to be again if it can find a replacement for linebacker Danny Stutsman. The Sooners turn to Kip Lewis and Kobie McKenzie as the pair combined for 95 tackles in 2024.

The pair played in all 13 games last season but must replace the leadership void left behind by Stustman.

Oklahoma's defense finished 6th in the SEC in total yards allowed and 7th in turnovers forced placing them in the top end of the national rankings, but with room for improvement within the nation's best football conference.

The secondary returns Robert Spears-Jennings who notched 66 tackles and forced four fumbles to lead the back end, despite Billy Bowman gaining the majority of the headlines. Bowman is off to the NFL, leaving a void to replace, but the defense should be good in 2025 as they return six starters from a year ago.

Schedule

The Oklahoma Sooners get a week off before traveling to Alabama to take on the Crimson Tide. The trip will serve as Oklahoma's first to Tuscaloosa since 2003 where the Sooners were able to win 20-13.

The Sooners get two big road tests against South Carolina and Tennessee to acclimate to challenging atmospheres but Tuscaloosa will surely present an intimidating place to play after the Crimson Tide saw its season go up in smoke in Norman last season.

Outlook

Oklahoma's first season in the SEC didn't go as planned but Brent Venables was able to secure a signature win over the Crimson Tide to keep the Sooners bowl eligible. Maintaining the defensive efficiency from a season ago is paramount, but Oklahoma must find an identity on offense quickly in order to compete in the SEC. If the transfers, led by John Mateer, gel quickly and present a threat the Sooners could be a dark horse contender in the SEC.

The Game

Date: Nov. 15

Time: FLEX––2:30 p.m. CT to 7 p.m.

TV: TBD

Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Series history: Oklahoma leads 4-2-1 dating back to 1963.

Last meeting: Alabama went to Norman in 2024 and lost 24-3 as the Crimson Tide dropped its third regular-season game of the season. The Crimson Tide was held without an offensive touchdown, and ultimately, its ineptitude on that side of the ball proved too much to overcome, as Jalen Milroe threw multiple second-half interceptions that set up the Sooners for success.

The Team

Coach: Brent Venables, fourth season, 22-17 record

Offensive coordinator: Ben Arbuckle

Defensive coordinator: Todd Bates, Jay Valai

2024 record: 6-7 (2-6 SEC)

2024 rankings: Total offense (113th, 331 yards per game), Total defense (19th, 318 yards per game)

Returning Starters

12 (six on offense, six on defense)

Players to Watch

QB John Mateer, RB Jaydn Ott, WR Deion Burks, RG Febechi Nwaiwu, FS Robert Spears-Jennings, DE R Mason Thomas, LB Kip Lewis,

Top Newcomer

QB John Mateer transferred to Oklahoma from Washington State after throwing for over 3,000 yards last season. Mateer is a former 3-star recruit out of Little Elm, Texas, and transfers to Norman to stay with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle.

Biggest Question

Can John Mateer and new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle have the same success in the SEC as they did last season at Washington State?

The School

Location: Norman, Okla.

Founded: 1890

Enrollment: 34,523

Nickname: Sooners

Colors: Crimson and Cream

Mascot: Sooner Schooner

The Program

Last time beat Alabama: 2024 (24-3 in Norman, Okla.)

Last time won SEC: Never

National championships: 17 (7 claimed, 10 unclaimed)
Claimed: 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000
Unclaimed: 1915, 1949, 1953, 1957, 1967, 1973, 1978, 1989, 1986, 2003

Playoff Appearances: 4: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019

Conference championships: 50

Southwest: 1915, 1918
MVIAA: 1920, 1938, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947
Big 7: 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957
Big 8: 1958, 1959, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
Big 12: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

Bowl record: 31-21-1

Last season missed bowl: 1998

Heisman trophies: 7 (Billy Vessels - 1952, Steve Owens - 1969, Billy Sims - 1978, Jason White - 2003, Sam Bradford - 2008, Baker Mayfield - 2017, Kyler Murray - 2018)

2025 NFL Draft:

LB Danny Stutsman (Round 4, Pick 112 – New Orleans Saints)
S Billy Bowman (Round 4, Pick 118 - Atlanta Falcons)

Last Four Recruiting Class Rankings

No. 17 (2025), No. 12 (2024), No. 6 (2023), No. 10 (2022)

The Schedule

Aug. 30: vs. Illinois State
Sept. 6: vs. Michigan
Sept. 13: at Temple
Sept. 20: vs. Auburn
Sept. 27: BYE
Oct. 4: vs. Kent State
Oct. 11: vs Texas (Dallas)
Oct. 18: at South Carolina
Oct. 25: vs. Ole Miss
Nov. 1: at Tennessee
Nov. 8: BYE
Nov. 15: at Alabama
Nov. 22: vs. Missouri
Nov. 29: vs. LSU

This is the tenth story in BamaCentral's summer preview series of all 12 regular season opponents for Alabama football in 2025. Ensuing stories will be published throughout June and early July.

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Published Jun 30, 2025

JOE GAITHER

Joe Gaither oversees videos and podcasts for Alabama Crimson Tide On SI/BamaCentral. He began his sports media career in radio in 2019, working for three years in Tuscaloosa covering the University of Alabama and other local high school sports. In 2023 he joined BamaCentral to cover a variety of Crimson Tide sports and recruiting, in addition to hosting the “Joe Gaither Show” podcast. His work has also appeared on the Boston College, Missouri and Vanderbilt web sites.