With an improved defense, the Oklahoma Sooners football team is poised to be a contender for the SEC Championship.

After a pair of seasons in 2023 and 2024, when the Sooners defense struggled against all opponents, the team turned things around last year and finished sixth in the country in total defense.  OU allowed only 15.5 points and 272.5 yards per game, which is what help them reach the College Football Playoff.

That, along with an improved offense, made for a fun season for Sooners fans, despite the disappointing finish.

Head coach Brent Venables (32-20) enters his fifth season, and each previous season saw improvements from the year before.

Last season, OU (10-3) outscored their opponents in the first quarter, 81-26. Getting out in front and being able to hold leads will be the key to this season’s success. Also, the Sooners must keep their losses to a minimum, meaning two or fewer in the regular season to earn another trip to the College Football Playoffs.

That is a tough task given their schedule. OU opens the season at home against UTEP before a tough road matchup at Michigan. The middle of the schedule will be difficult with games at Georgia, against Texas in Dallas, at Florida and at Ole Miss.

Having to play at Michigan and coming away with a win might be a lot to ask the Sooners this season. However, if they lose, it will be difficult to go 9-1 the rest of the season.

OU will open the SEC portion of the schedule at Georgia. The two teams have only met once before, in the 2018 Rose Bowl which the Bulldogs won 54-48 in overtime.

The always tough rivalry game between the Sooners and the Longhorns will be played on Oct. 10. OU lost last year but won’t be able to afford a loss this time around if they want to make the CFP.

The Sooners will be led by senior quarterback John Mateer, who was bothered by a thumb injury last season. After he had surgery in late September, the Sooners didn’t reach 400 total yards in a game the rest of the season. If he can stay healthy, Mateer will be a key part of the OU success and ranked near the top of all quarterbacks in college football.

Another player to watch on offense is junior running back Xavier Robinson. He’s a compact runner. Standing six feet tall and now weighing 238 pounds, Robinson the Sooners will rely on his size and toughness. Last season, Robinson put together back-to-back 100-yard games against Ole Miss and Tennessee. He’ll be part of the back field rotation, but the more pressure he can take off Mateer, the better.

According to ESPN’s SEC Power Index, the Sooners are ranked sixth in the conference, however, some experts are picking OU to finish third in the SEC standings this season. The Sooners are ranked ninth in the preseason coaches poll and No. 10 in the AP poll.