For the first time since 2019, the Oklahoma Sooners are in the College Football Playoff. Brent Venables, John Mateer, and the SEC's No. 1 defense have finally delivered on the promise of the program's transition, navigating the brutal gauntlet of their first season in the league to clinch a 10-2 record and a coveted spot in the expanded field.
This success was built on a stifling defense that ranked top-five nationally, and first in the SEC, in opponent points per game and boasted an impressive number of takeaways. The pivotal moment came in a massive upset victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where the Sooners forced three turnovers on the Tide's high-flying offense to shock the college football world.
Quarterback John Mateer, the junior transfer, complemented the elite defense with (literal) surgical efficiency, managing the game perfectly while throwing for 3,139 yards and 29 touchdowns on the season. His mobility and leadership were crucial in guiding the Sooners to a 6-2 conference record, placing them tied for third in the brutal SEC standings.
Though the Sooners did not make the SEC championship, Brett Venables' squad has made the Playoff for the first time in his Norman tenure. Here's who Oklahoma will play next.
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College Football Playoff bracket
This section will be updated when the bracket is revealed.
Who will Oklahoma play next?
The Sooners are ranked No. 8 in the College Football Playoff, meaning they will host a first round game in Norman. The opponent is yet to be determined, but a few potential opponents can be Alabama — who Oklahoma beat earlier in the season — or Notre Dame. Ranked right above of Oklahoma is two other SEC teams that don't play in the conference championship either, in No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 7 Texas A&M.
If Oklahoma stays in the No. 8 slot and wins the first round, it will have the daunting task of facing the No. 1 team in the country in the quarterfinals — which will be the 13-0 Ohio State Buckeyes or Indiana Hoosiers, whoever wins the Big Ten championship on Saturday night.
The Sooners' official opponent will be revealed on Sunday at noon.
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When does Oklahoma play again?
Oklahoma will play on either December 19 or 20 in the first round of the College Football Playoff; one game will take place on the Friday night, with the other three happening the next day. If the Sooners remain the No. 8 seed, the winner of Oklahoma's game will play Ohio State or Indiana in the quarterfinals on January 1.
MORE: Why did John Mateer leave Washington State for Oklahoma?
College Football Playoff 2025 schedule
| Date | Round | Matchup | Time | TV Channel |
| Dec. 19 | First Round | 8:00 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN | |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | 12:00 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN | |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | 3:30 p.m. ET | TNT/truTV/HBO Max | |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | 7:30 p.m. ET | TNT/truTV/HBO Max | |
| Dec. 31 | Quarterfinal (Cotton Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN | |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinal (Orange Bowl) | 12:00 p.m. ET | ESPN | |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinal (Rose Bowl) | 4:00 p.m. ET | ESPN | |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinal (Sugar Bowl) | 8:00 p.m. ET | ESPN | |
| Jan. 8 | Semifinal (Fiesta Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN | |
| Jan. 9 | Semifinal (Peach Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN | |
| Jan. 19 | National Championship | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |