The Oklahoma Sooners entered Friday night’s College Football Playoff game looking to defeat Alabama for the second time this season.
They appeared on track to do so early, as OU built a 17-point lead. However, Alabama stormed back and scored 27 unanswered points to take control.
The Tide’s defense came alive in the second half, holding the Sooners to just 64 yards of offense. With the disappointing end to the season, Oklahoma now faces a host of difficult questions ahead of the 2026 season.
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Will John Mateer leave Oklahoma?
That's the million dollar question. Mateer, who is a junior this season, has one more season of eligibility remaining. He transferred to Oklahoma last offseason after having a breakout season at Washington State in 2024.
Although Matter’s 2025 season at Oklahoma didn’t go as planned. He threw a career-high 10 interceptions and a career-low 12 touchdowns. That said, the QB also dealt with a hand injury he suffered early in the season.
Although it seems unlikely, Mateer is also eligible to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. His best options appear to be either returning to Oklahoma or transferring elsewhere in search of a fresh start.
Returning to Oklahoma seems more likely, but the 2026 quarterback draft class is thin, so there’s a small chance Mateer could test the waters.
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Who will be Oklahoma's QB in 2026?
Answering that question may become clearer in the coming weeks. For now, there are a lot of what-ifs. If Mateer returns in 2026, he is expected to be the Sooners’ starter, despite his struggles down the stretch this season. It remains uncertain whether Mateer’s backup, sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr., or third-stringer Whitt Newbauer will return.
Oklahoma also signed 4-star quarterback Bowe Bentley in its 2026 class, who is expected to compete for playing time. If Mateer leaves—or even if he stays—don’t be surprised if Brent Venables turns to the transfer portal for another quarterback.
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Can Oklahoma improve its sputtering offense?
The most glaring issue for the Sooners this season has been its offense. Oklahoma had just three games this season with over three touchdowns scored, and OU ranked just 49th in SP+ offensive efficiency earlier this months.
As previously mentioned, Venables had brought over Arbuckle as his new offensive coordinator just this past offseason. Whether or not he returns to Oklahoma remains to be seen, but the performance in 2025 has been pretty bad.
Take a look at where Oklahoma's offense entered Friday night's game ranked:
2025 offensive stats
| Metric | Per Game Stat | National Rank |
| Total Offense | 353.3 YPG | 90th |
| Scoring Offense | 26.4 PPG | T-77th |
| Passing Offense | 229.9 YPG | 63rd |
| Rushing Offense | 123.75 YPG | 105th |
| Third Down Conversion | 38.55% | 81s |
| Red Zone Touchdowns | 3.69 PG | T-89th |
Of course, the good news for Oklahoma is this is an improvement in recent years. This is OU's first playoff bid since 2019, and the first under Venables.
But there's no question that letting down a 17-0 lead during a home playoff game isn't how Oklahoma fans envisioned this season ending. Heading into next season, there are still plenty of questions that need to be answered.
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