Five Season-Defining Plays from Oklahoma’s 2025 Regular Season

The Sooners are headed to their first College Football Playoff since 2019 after they rattled off four wins in a row to finish the regular season 10-2.

Oklahoma defensive lineman R Mason Thomas | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NORMAN — Exhale, Sooner fans — you’re in.

Oklahoma is headed to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019 after beating LSU 17-13 on Saturday. The Sooners are currently No. 8 in the CFP rankings, though their position can change, depending on what happens in the various conference championship games played on Friday and Saturday.

OU went 10-2 overall and 6-2 in SEC during the regular season.

Here are five moments that defined Oklahoma’s 2025 regular season:

R Mason Thomas’ game-sealing sack vs. Auburn

R Mason Thomas was forced to miss the first half of OU’s SEC opener against Auburn, due to a targeting call that he received in the Sooners’ previous game against Temple.

Thomas, though, didn’t waste any time when he was cleared to check into the game.

The senior edge rusher finished the game with four solo tackles and two sacks. His final sack came with less than two minutes remaining, as he took down Auburn quarterback and former Sooner Jackson Arnold in the end zone for a safety that iced the game.

Gracen Halton’s scoop-and-score TD vs. Kent State

You might ask, “How can a play in the third quarter of a game that OU won 44-0 be a ‘season-defining’ play?”

Fair enough.

But even though the Sooners’ defense allowed only 36 points in their first four games, they didn’t force a takeaway until Game 5 against Kent State.

In the third quarter — when OU already held a comfortable advantage — Thomas got a strip sack on Golden Flashes quarterback Devin Kargman. Defensive tackle Gracen Halton was right there to scoop up the football and run it into the end zone.

Halton’s recovery and touchdown seemingly ignited OU’s ability to turn its opponents over. Jaydan Hardy logged an interception later that game, and the Sooners finished the season with 13 takeaways.

John Mateer’s rushing TD vs. Tennessee

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer’s season has been riddled by ups and downs.

He was the odds-on Heisman Trophy favorite after four games before he underwent surgery on his right hand. Since returning from the injury, Mateer’s game has been inconsistent.

Mateer wasn’t perfect against Tennessee, but he made big plays when called upon.

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He was particularly effective with his legs, finishing the win with 80 yards. Mateer capped off his strong night on the ground with a one-yard rushing touchdown, making it a two-score game with less than two minutes remaining.

While Mateer finished OU’s 33-27 win with only 159 passing yards, he sent Volunteer fans to the exits and even “shushed” the crowd when he crossed the goal line.

Taylor Wein’s strip sack vs. Alabama

The 406 offensive yards that Oklahoma allowed against Alabama don’t tell the tale.

The Sooners consistently affected quarterback Ty Simpson and all of the Crimson Tide’s other weapons. OU forced three takeaways, one of which was a strip sack from defensive end Taylor Wein in the third quarter.

Oklahoma only got a field goal on its ensuing drive, but those three points went a long way in the Sooners’ 23-21 win.

Wein also blocked a field goal right before halftime, preventing Alabama from scoring three points in the second quarter.

Isaiah Sategna’s TD vs. LSU

The College Football Playoff wouldn’t be on the table if the Sooners didn’t take care of business against LSU in their regular-season finale.

Oklahoma’s offense struggled to find a rhythm aside from two big plays. Deion Burks caught a screen pass and ran it 45 yards for a touchdown to tie the game, but the Tigers retook the lead moments later.

Trailing 13-10, OU had to respond on its final drive to keep its playoff dreams alive. The Sooners did just that, as Isaiah Sategna found space in the middle of the field. Mateer hit Sategna in stride for a 58-yard touchdown.

The Sooners’ defense forced a turnover on downs on LSU’s ensuing possession to clinch their spot in the CFP.