Weekend Open Post | November 7th – 9th
Posted on: November 7, 2025
Can The Defense Win One? | Yes, Yes They Can | Sunday Brunch
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 2, 2025
Last Sunday, following the Sooners’ loss to Ole Miss, I served up Sunday Brunch based on one question: Can The Defense Win One?
The last paragraph of that write-up read:
“In short, this week is about validation. Yes, the Sooners have gone out there and dominated good teams with lesser offenses and looked good in doing so. If the Sooners can contain Tennessee, it confirms that Venables’ long-term defensive rebuild is working, and that Oklahoma may have turned a corner and become a complete, physical team rather than one still chasing its old shortcomings. If, once again, they can’t deliver that defensive performance, what does the path forward even look like? Not just this year, but beyond? At some point, the goal has to be realized; this week would be a good time to throw out one of those signature defensive performances they have been aiming for.”
Last night, Oklahoma’s 33–27 win over Tennessee in Knoxville was defined by the Sooners’ defensive performance. While both teams moved the ball effectively at times, Oklahoma’s ability to create turnovers, limit the run game, and apply consistent pressure on Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar proved to be the deciding factors.
The Sooners’ defense forced three turnovers, which led directly to 13 points. The most significant came in the second quarter when edge rusher R. Mason Thomas recovered an Aguilar fumble and returned it 71 yards for a touchdown. That play shifted momentum and gave Oklahoma a breath of fresh air as it tied the game at that point.
Oklahoma’s pass rush was effective throughout the night. The Sooners recorded four sacks and eight tackles for loss, disrupting Tennessee’s passing rhythm and forcing Aguilar into hurried decisions. Though Aguilar finished with 393 passing yards, many of those came on short and intermediate routes, as Oklahoma’s coverage limited explosive plays downfield.
The Sooners were strong against the run. Tennessee managed just 63 rushing yards on 35 carries, averaging 1.8 yards per attempt. Oklahoma’s front seven consistently won at the line of scrimmage, preventing the Volunteers from establishing balance on offense.
Field position was another area where the defense made an impact. Turnovers and third-down stops set up favorable opportunities for Oklahoma’s offense and special teams. Kicker Tate Sandell converted three field goals (four field goals in total) from beyond 50 yards, all made possible by defensive stops that kept the field tilted in OU’s favor.
Late in the game, when Tennessee tried to mount a comeback, Oklahoma’s defense held firm. The Sooners limited the Vols to short completions and prevented them from finding quick scoring chances.
In total, the Oklahoma defense allowed more total yards but created the game’s biggest plays. By forcing turnovers, winning the line of scrimmage, and controlling key moments, the Sooners’ defense was the difference in securing a ranked road victory.
The Sooners provided a clear answer to my question from last week, and it was really perfect timing. Tennessee, statistically, is by far the best offense Oklahoma has faced, or will face this season, and for the first time in the Brent Venables era, OU won a game, on the road, that many thought they would not win.
Does this victory mean anything in regard to the coming games? No, not really. But one thing it will do is instill a sense of confidence and belief in the program, the coaches, the players, and the fan base…because last night was proof that OU can do it with a strong defensive performance and a pedestrian offensive output.
At least for this week, the goal I wrote about last week was realized, and it was really, really a cool thing to see. Right now, as we sit here on a fine Sunday morning, it is more than okay to bask in that signature defensive performance that we all have been yearning for.
Position Group Progress Report | Game Nine: Tennessee
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 3, 2025
Checking out how the position groups performed in the Sooners’ 33-27 road win against Tennessee!
Oklahoma was a slight underdog at kickoff time, and they covered the spread.
This will be the Ninth progress report of the season. I will include the previous week’s ranking (preseason ranking in this case) at the top of each position group’s report in all subsequent progress reports!
Let’s see how things shook out against Tennessee.
QB: High 3* (Last week: Low 2*)
Kind of the opposite from last week when Mateer was good in the first half, and terrible in the second half. Against Tennessee, Mateer looked tentative and a bit spooked in the first half, and looked (and played) much more freely and confidently in the second half.
He finished 19-29 for 159 through the air, with one wildly inappropriate interception (inappropriate because of the play call and execution at the time of the game). He ran the ball 16 times for 80 important yards and one touchdown, though. Hopefully, Mateer has shaken out of his funk and will play more consistently by the time Bama rolls around.
RB: 5* (Last week: 4*)
Last week, I gave the running back room a 4* due to the lack of usage, this week, even though they were not used nearly enough in the first half, I am not gonna deny Xavier Robinson his 5th star.
Robinson has really energized and revitalized the OU ground game as he carried the rock 16 times, which was good for 115 yards and a touchdown. He was really the only option at running back, as Tory Blaylock was limited.
WR: 3* (Last week: High 3*)
I mean…they are there.
Nothing stellar and nothing spectacular.
Isaiah Satgena and Burks each had six catches and Gibson and Carter each had a pair.
TE: 2* (Last week: 2*)
Every week I say it, but that’s because I believe it is one of the larger mysteries of the season…Jaren Kanak could be the most underutilized player on the roster at this point, at least in the passing game.
Kanak had three catches, but there were multiple times when he was out there uncovered but unnoticed by Mateer. Weird.
OL: 4* (Last week: 3*)
The young guys are learning on the fly, and it surely has benefited the Sooners offense.
No, they are not playing like a Joe Moore award-winning line, but they are playing cohesive and complementary football and they are moving people off the line of scrimmage in the run game.
As I have mentioned previously, it feels like since EPL has gotten more time, the OL has begun to develop a better mentality. Enthusiasm and physicality are contagious, and EPL brings that to the room.
DT: 5* (Last week: 4*)
The interior of the defensive line didn’t have all the big stats we have become accustomed to seeing in this game, but man, they still had a huge impact on the outcome.
David Stone and Gracen Halton were handfuls all night for the Vols, and they were constantly in the backfield and disrupting the Tennessee offense. Damonic Williams and Jayden Jackson gave the Vols no relief when they were in, and even Markus Strong got in on the action and threw some people around.
Coming into the game, Tennessee had only allowed 9 sacks all season, these guys helped pave the way for OU to pick up four sacks on the night.
EDGE: 5* (Last week: 3*)
Was R Mason Thomas’ scoop and score the greatest scoop and score you have ever seen? It was for me. I mean, you just don’t regularly see a 26-yard moving stiff arm from a defensive end on his way to a 71-yard return while blowing out a hamstring on the way every day.
Following losing RMT to the hammy injury, Danny Okoye pops into the game and almost immediately records a sack of his own.
I thought Marvin Jones Jr was fantastic in his consistency all night, and PJ Adebawore and Taylor Wein really put the Vols tackles in bad spots regularly.
LB: 5* (Last week: Low 3*)
Many of us have already apologized for the early-season dismissal of Owen Heinecke as nothing more than a fun story…but man, this guy just keeps going out there and hammering that home.
Heinecke had a career game with 13 tackles, a sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Kip Lewis had been having a solid but not spectacular season to this point, but he was a madman against the Vols, particularly in the second half, when he had a portion of the game where he was virtually unstoppable. He finished with 10 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss of his own.
Sammy Omosigho contributed five tackles, and Kendal Daniels added three of his own. This group stepped up even though they were shorthanded with Kobie not playing.
CB: High 3* (Last week: 4*)
I know Courtland Guillory caught a lot of flak…but aside from one of the penalties (The first one was pretty bogus), I thought he did a solid job given the situation.
Eli Bowen was solid, and these guys did a really respectable job against a really good Tennessee receiving group.
S: 4* (Last week: 1*)
Each of the starting safeties recorded big plays in the game with their interceptions and twin 37-yard returns.
I thought Peyton Bowen rebounded nicely from his worst game (probably his only bad game) of the season against Ole Miss, and he was flying around.
RSJ had a couple of moments of not great play, but overall, he was much improved from what he has been over the last couple of weeks.
Reggie Powers, Mike Boganowski, Jaydan Hardy, and even Omarrion Robinson all got some good experience in the hostile environment.
ST: Supernova (5* plus) – So good they went off the star ranking (Last week: 3*)
Tate Sandell gets the first official SuperNova I have handed out…I ran out of stars to give him, as five alone do not justify the magnitude of his performance. Sandell had the greatest kicking performance in the HISTORY of Oklahoma football. Four field goals, a pair of 55-yarders, one other kick over 50 yards and what likely felt like a chip shot for him at 43 yards. It truly is an epic performance whenever you do anything that is even considered among the best in the long and glorious history of Oklahoma Football. Sandell did just that.
Also, it is always nerve-racking to have to watch onside kick attempts play out, and OU didn’t have to survive only one attempt; they needed to get through two tries! Robert Spears Jennings made a fabulous snag on the first one, and Ivan Carreon went ahead and locked things up with the second recovery.
Punting was solid. Returns were uneventful, but damn, Sandell was amazing.
SEC Standings and Remaining Schedules
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 4, 2025
The SEC conference race is still wide open as eight teams have two or fewer losses.
The Sooners would need to win out, and get some help from others, in order to make the SEC championship game at this point, but there are pitfalls for every team ahead of them so nothing is out of the question.
If you assume the SEC will get a minimum of four teams in this years playoffs, there is a clear path for the Sooners to be among them and it is pretty simple…just win out.
Where it could get interesting is if the Sooners go 2-1 over their final three and chaos takes place in the rest of the conference.
Really so much more interesting than the Big 12 days for certain and each of the seven teams with 2 losses or less can make their case to be included in the playoff picture.
It’s going to be a wild finish!
3 Texas A&M Aggies: 5-0 – @Missouri, South Carolina, @Texas
4 Alabama Crimson Tide: 5-0 – LSU, Oklahoma, @Auburn
5 Georgia Bulldogs: 5-1 – @Mississippi State, Texas
7 Ole Miss Rebels: 5-1 – Florida, @Mississippi State
13 Texas Longhorns: 4-1 – @Georgia, Arkansas, Texas A&M
11 Oklahoma Sooners: 3-2 – @Alabama, Missouri, LSU
15 Vanderbilt Commodores: 3-2 – Auburn, Kentucky, @Tennessee
23 Tennessee Volunteers: 3-3 – @Florida, Vanderbilt
19 Missouri Tigers: 2-2 – Texas A&M, Mississippi State, @Oklahoma, @Arkansas
LSU Tigers: 2-3 – @Alabama, Arkansas, @Oklahoma
Florida Gators: 2-3 – @Kentucky, @Ole Miss, Tennessee
Mississippi State Bulldogs: 1-4 – Georgia, @Missouri, Ole Miss
Kentucky Wildcats: 1-5 – Florida, @Vanderbilt
Auburn Tigers: 1-5 – Vanderbilt, Alabama
South Carolina Gamecocks: 1-6 – @TexasA&M
Arkansas Razorbacks: 0-5 – @LSU, @Texas, Missouri
A Very Satisfying Win
– Super K – Posted on: November 4, 2025
Going into this last weekend’s game, I felt (and said as much) that there was a solid chance that the Sooners were going to need 40+ points to beat Tennessee.
Given the time of the year and the type of offense the Sooners were facing, it felt like it could be a high-scoring game.
In that first quarter, the sinking feeling started to hit. Moving the ball felt way too easy. But we knew Tennessee’s defense wasn’t great. So, there was still that hope for Sooner fans that, the offense could keep up.
That, too, started to wane as Tennessee’s pass rush was getting home and the Vols were tackling better than they had been.
But for all the flaws the Sooners have had under BV these past few years, one of the things he has done is made the Sooners…
Hard to kill.
Kirby Smart said that about his own team recently – perhaps like the rest of us, he wore out that Steven Seagal classic on VHS back in the day.
The Sooners were indeed hard to kill. A combination of Heupel being hard-headed and the Sooners not relenting and OU continued to hang around.
At some point, though, and this is where it got satisfying, OU did what we have just rarely seen in the past few years (which has been so frustrating)…
OU went from being the prey to being the predator.
Really, the Sooners, like an anaconda, wrapped themselves around the Vols and started to squeeze the life of out of them.
In the first half, the Sooners losing and perhaps losing big, felt inevitable. At some point in the second half, it felt like Tennessee couldn’t escape the vise grip of OU.
And it really was a full team effort. Again, something we haven’t seen much of.
In the first half, the defense weathered the storm. In the second half, the offense held the ball for a long time and protected the defense.
The key though? An offseason acquisition of a kicker to ensure that all three sides could help. It took all three sides to win that game and that’s what the SEC is about. Everyone has talent and will have talent…
It’s about who can coach their guys to play consistently well, under a well-devised plan, on all three sides of the ball…every week.
There is a long way to go, and this season can still take many different turns, but from top to bottom and coach to coach, OU went to Knoxville and won, ensuring, for the first time under BV, that the season still matters in November.
Sourced Notes | Injury Updates
– Charlie S – Posted on: November 5, 2025
Earlier today, Sooners head coach Brent Venables noted on his SEC media call that he expects the Sooners to get multiple players back and ready to go next week for the Alabama game.
He would not give much on R Mason Thomas, who injured his lower leg on his 71-yard fumble return for a score.
***Source I spoke with does not expect RMT to do much of anything aside from receive treatment on it until Tuesday of next week at the earliest. Should know more on his status as next week plays out.
***I also asked about LB Kobie McKinzie, and source said a lot of his availability depends on how things go next week in practice, as this week they are still being cautious with him. He is doing work, but not pushing things yet. Overall, source expects him to be available, but still a ways to go to get back to full speed.
***Was told CB Gentry Williams “should be good to go” and source noted that he was available last week, but OU chose not to risk it with him.
***Was told Logan Howland will be good to go full speed and has been working this week, and unless he has a setback, he will be ready should OU need him to spell one of the tackles (Fasusi and Fodje). Source was a little more evasive on OT Derek Simmons and didn’t offer much on him. Was told to expect Jacob Sexton to be available possibly as early as Alabama, but again, I’ll believe it when I see it, as sources initially suggested him being back around the Texas game.
Off-Season Coaching Decisions
– Super K – Posted on: November 6, 2025
It goes without saying that a massive component of winning is talent acquisition.
There is very little room for error in the SEC. You need to be able excellent on all three sides of the ball.
In the past, it has seemed like special teams was an afterthought.
For all the complaints we’ve all had (and rightfully so) about roster management in the TE room, man, we have to give a big tip of the hat for the special teams kicker acquisition.
I don’t want to take anything away from the offense or defense but I don’t think the Sooners win last weekends game and keep their playoff hopes alive without Sandell.
He deserves praise but so does BV and co for making this a focus and it paying off.
