For Oklahomans, fall means college football season is here again. Whether your blood runs crimson and cream or burnt orange, it’s time to start paying attention to what’s coming on the field. Here’s your primer for OU and OSU football this season. NORMAN, OK – August 30, 2025 – Oklahom a Quarterback John Mateer (#10) during the game between the Illinois State Redbirds and the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK. Photo By Peyton Martin/University of Oklahoma University of Oklahoma Key personnel: John Mateer, Kip Lewis, Owen Heinecke, Rocky Beers, Hayden Hansen, Trell Harris Key matchups: Sept. 12 @ Michigan, Sept. 26 @ Georgia, Oct. 10 vs. Texas (in Dallas) OU this year is looking to build on last season’s successes and shore up areas of weakness. A stellar defense last year was undermined by inconsistent offensive performance from game to game; this year the Sooners rebuilt the tight end room from scratch and added key personnel to the offensive line. The team also re-signed coach Brent Venables to a new six-year contract, committing to him as the long-term solution in the locker room. Senior linebackers Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke anchor a smothering defensive line. Last year’s defense was extremely good, ranking first in the SEC in points allowed (15.23 per game) and first in sacks (45 for the season). This year’s defense is slightly less deep than last year’s, but with most of the players having been together for multiple years now, continuity should help the team as it looks to cement its brick-wall reputation. John Mateer’s solid play was hampered by injury, offensive line issues and a lack of weapons last year; this year will be a key showcase for the 22-year-old quarterback. In practice, Mateer has connected well with new wide receiver Trell Harris, who transferred from Virginia in the offseason. The revamped tight end group is headlined by newly transferred Sooners Rocky Beers and Hayden Hansen. The offensive line will suffer slightly to start the season from the absence of injured center Jake Maikkula, but Ryan Fodje, Caleb Nitta or Noah Best should be able to step into his spot. O-line has been a weakness for the Sooners in previous years, but key personnel like Fodje, Michael Fasusi and Eddy Pierre-Louis have remained, and new transfers like Maikkula and new right tackle E’Marion Harris should achieve better results this year. OU’s schedule in the early season is brutal, with three key matchups in the first five games — Michigan, Georgia and Texas. This team will be thrown into the fire straight away; it will be obvious what kind of team they are and whether the changes have been enough within the first few games of the season. Image Taken at the Oklahoma State Cowboy Football Spring Game, Saturday, April 18, 2026, Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, OK. Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics Oklahoma State University Key personnel: Drew Mestemaker, Caleb Hawkins, Chris Barnes, Malik Charles, Ethan Wesloski Key matchups: Sept. 12 vs. Oregon, Oct. 17 @ Houston, Oct. 24 vs. Colorado, Nov. 14 vs. Texas Tech After a horrific 1-11 season last year, OSU cleaned house and hired head coach Eric Morris, previously head coach of the University of North Texas. Morris brought a huge chunk of his staff and players to OSU, including several of last year’s key contributors for UNT. The biggest name to watch is Drew Mestemaker, who was a breakout star last year for the Mean Green. Cam Ward, Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes were all previous Eric Morris finds, and Mestemaker is looking to continue the lineage of often under-the-radar quarterback prospects who found success with Morris. Many defensive personnel have been changed, including newcomers to OSU Ethan Wesloski and Isaiah Chisom anchoring the line. Wesloski was an all-conference selection at UNT in 2025, and Chisom had nearly 90 tackles for UCLA last season. Jaleel Johnson and James Williams are both likely to start at defensive end, but the returning Malik Charles has been the talk of training camp and may put pressure on the starters. On offense, running back Caleb Hawkins had a massive season last year. He rushed for more than 1,400 yards and was named American Conference Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, his run game should help relieve pressure for Mestemaker and open up OSU’s offense. Speedy wide receiver Chris Barnes, newly transferred from Wake Forest, will be a versatile option at both receiver and kick returner. OSU’s schedule has a few important matchups, but one set to watch is the back-to-back weekends of Houston and Colorado. Those two teams will be a key test for the new and improved Cowboys. The post Not Quite Bedlam appeared first on Oklahoma Gazette. ...read more read less