Five Oklahoma Players That Must Step Up for Sooners to Stay in CFP Race

The Sooners are firmly in the College Football Playoff picture, but they'll have to keep winning to stay in the hunt.

Oklahoma tight end Jaren Kanak | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

For the first time in the Brent Venables era, Oklahoma is ranked in the AP Top 5.

The Sooners rose from No. 6 to No. 5 in the AP poll after having their first bye week. They are the second-highest-ranked SEC team in the rankings, behind only No. 4 Ole Miss.

OU still has plenty of work left to do to cement itself as a College Football Playoff team.

The Sooners have eight games remaining, seven of which will come against SEC foes. Six of those seven conference opponents are currently ranked in the AP Top 25, and three of them are in the top 10.

Here are five players that must get even better for Oklahoma to stay on the right side of the CFP bubble:

DE Adepoju Adebawore

Oklahoma defensive end Adepoju Adebawore | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

In a season where former 5-star defenders Marvin Jones Jr. and David Stone have been instrumental, Adepoju Adebawore hasn’t yet reached his ceiling.

A junior, Adebawore has made only one assisted tackle on 75 defensive snaps. He has logged only six tackles in 27 games over three seasons in Norman.

Adebawore’s Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades in tackling, pass rush and coverage for the 2025 season are the lowest of his career.

The good news? Oklahoma’s defensive end room is loaded. R Mason Thomas is an established star, while Jones and Taylor Wein have also been valuable this year.

Adebawore’s physical gifts aren’t a secret. The 6-4, 261-pound edge rusher has the tools to be a weapon in OU’s stout defense.

If he can put it together, Adebawore can add depth to an already-great pass rush.

OL Febechi Nwaiwu

Oklahoma offensive linemen Febechi Nwaiwu, Jake Maikkula | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Offensive guard Febechi Nwaiwu has been a key leader for the Sooners’ offensive line.

Nwaiwu is playing his second season at OU after spending three years at Norman to begin his college career. He has been particularly valuable for OU in pass-protection situations, as he combined for an 84.3 pass-blocking grade in the Sooners’ first four contests.

Where Nwaiwu needs to improve is run blocking. His season grade for run blocking is 51.3, and he hit a new low in OU’s win over Auburn, finishing the game with a grade of 47.7.

Nwaiwu played through a lower leg injury against the Tigers, but the week off will give him a chance to get healthy and bounce back against Texas.

Oklahoma’s run game has yet to find a true identity. True freshman Tory Blaylock has shown flashes of brilliance, while Xavier Robinson and Jovantae Barnes have both scored touchdowns in their reserve roles. Cal transfer Jaydn Ott was a splash for the Sooners when they signed him in April, but his production has yet to be seen.

As OU looks for a true leader in the running back room, better run blocking from Nwaiwu could go a long way.

CB Courtland Guillory

Oklahoma defensive back Courtland Guillory | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Overall, Courtland Guillory has done an admirable job in the secondary as a true freshman.

Guillory has played 181 snaps so far in his first college football season, and he has logged eight tackles and a pass deflection. His overall defensive grade of 66.5 is very solid, especially for a first-year college cornerback.

Guillory, though, showed plenty of room for growth in the Auburn game.

Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman caught three passes for 88 yards and a touchdown while guarded by Guillory. Coleman’s numbers could’ve been even flashier, as Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold missed him a couple of times.

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Guillory finished the contest with a 55.8 coverage grade, his lowest of the year.

Oklahoma will battle several other standout receivers in the back half of the season, including Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II, Alabama’s Ryan Williams and Missouri’s Kevin Coleman Jr. Guillory might be paired against those stars, so it will be crucial that he uses the Auburn game as a growing experience.

K Tate Sandell

Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

After a bumpy start to his time at OU, kicker Tate Sandell has been reliable for the Sooners.

Sandell missed his first field-goal attempt for the Sooners in their win against Michigan from 42 yards. He redeemed himself later in that contest, making a 21-yard kick to ice OU’s 11-point win.

Sandell is 5-for-5 on field goals since the Michigan game, and he made a 52-yard kick in the Sooners’ 42-3 win over Temple.

Venables often describes the SEC as a “one-possession league.” With several contests remaining against formidable foes, Sandell’s leg will be important and could even be the deciding factor in multiple games.

TE Jaren Kanak

Oklahoma tight end Jaren Kanak | Carson Field, Sooners on SI

Jaren Kanak’s transition from linebacker to tight end has looked near seamless.

Kanak leads OU in receiving through four contests with 307 yards on 18 catches. Even with Oklahoma having its first bye last week, Kanak still has the most receiving yards of all tight ends in college football.

Kanak has been most valuable in the middle of the field, giving OU quarterback John Mateer a big, reliable target to hit for chunk gains. The tight end is averaging 17.1 yards per reception.

As stellar as Kanak has been, he’s yet to find the end zone.

He’s primarily been used as a weapon for Mateer on third downs, which is obviously necessary. But with Kanak’s size and catch ability, offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle should find more red zone packages that revolve around getting the big tight end the ball.