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At this time of year, any number of teams realistically have a claim at being a true national title contender. Before the games are played, questions that each team has can always be met with answers.
Things don’t always play out that way when the season begins, which is why some teams trip up and don’t reach the end destination. But until then? It’s fun to wonder what if.
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ESPN has done just that, providing four “if” questions the Oklahoma Sooners have to answer for their chance to win a national title. Let’s dive into them below.
If… John Mateer’s floor gets a little higher
This one is pretty self-explanatory, really. Have a Heisman Trophy caliber quarterback and you’re usually competing for championships if the other areas of the team are mostly up to snuff. And for the first part of the 2025 season, John Mateer was the Heisman Trophy front-runner.
Then he got hurt. That really put a damper on Oklahoma’s season, even though Mateer would eventually return from his wrist injury.
Truth is, he just wasn’t quite the same after the injury and there are questions about whether he can get back. After throwing for six touchdowns and rushing for seven more in the first four games, Mateer took six games after the injury to reach six passing touchdowns. He only notched three more rushing touchdowns the entire rest of the season.
Simply put, he just wasn’t the same guy. Can he return to form? If so, the sky might be the limit for the Sooners.
If… continuity rebuilds the run game
ESPN notes that with sacks not factored into rushing totals, Oklahoma ranked 124th last season in rushing yards per game. College Football Playoff contenders just have to be more balanced than that. It’s not an Oklahoma-only problem, but it is one of the questions that must be answered.
The good news is last year’s top three rushers all return. Mateer, Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson all ran for more than 400 yards last year. Unfortunately, none of them reached the 500-yard mark, either.
The offensive line returns a lot of experience, including five guys with at least six starts last season. A pair of transfers were added up front, too. Can this group get it going?
If… the portal delivers a receiving corps
The team’s leading receiver from a year ago, Isaiah Sategna III, has returned for the 2026 season. That’s a big deal, as he accounted for 67 catches for 965 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
But the next four targets are all gone, as ESPN notes. That’s a lot of production to replace. If players don’t step up, the pressure Sategna will face will intensify and he’ll find the going tougher.
The good news? Oklahoma brought in a healthy transfer portal class, including Virginia receiver Trell Harris and Texas standout Parker Livingston. As questions go, ESPN asks a simple one: “Is that an upgrade?”
If… exciting, young defensive linemen deliver
Oklahoma has some guys that should be turning into elite players by this point in their career. They just have to follow through. That includes David Stone, who briefly entered the transfer portal a year ago, then returned to leave a lasting legacy with the Sooners. Now is his chance to do so.
Defensive end Taylor Wein is also expected to be a guy to watch this year. Then there’s all the talent that Brent Venables has recruited.
Some other names to keep an eye on: Adepoju Adebawore, Danny Okoye, Jayden Jackson, Trent Wilson and Jake Kreul. Can enough of those guys emerge as disruptive players to keep Oklahoma humming at a high level defensively?
