After six long years of waiting, Brent Venables’ Oklahoma is charging back into the playoff picture. With key contributors returning from injury just in time for a first-round matchup, momentum is clearly swinging in the Sooners’ favor. The shift has been strong enough that one SEC writer is already labeling Oklahoma as Alabama’s biggest threat.

Brent Venables breathes a sigh of relief as many players are heading back to the field against Alabama. He gave an update on defensive end R Mason Thomas and offensive lineman Jake Maikkula, who both will practice this week. Thomas has not played since suffering a quad injury against Tennessee, and Maikkula missed the Sooner game against LSU after suffering an infection that hospitalized him for several days.

With them, even Oklahoma’s running backs Tory Blaylock and Xavier Robinson are ‘ready to play.’ Both have been playing with ailments for the past several weeks. Now, with a better position at injury, Brent Venables’ team is also making its case strong in the playoffs with its remarkable defense. As SEC writer Chris Marler puts it, they are ahead of every other team.

“Oklahoma Period,” Marler said to SEC Mike. “They have the defense that will travel. I’m telling you, man, the thing with Oklahoma is this. What wins you games in moments like this? Like, if your offense isn’t playing well because you run into a brick wall on defense, what do you need to win? You need an excellent defense. You need a team that doesn’t make many defensive mistakes. And you need special teams that are reliable and very, very effective. No one on this entire list, not just this weekend, but this entire list, has that more than Oklahoma.”

After a 6-7 finish last season, Brent Venables’ team looked unstoppable on the field. Their defense leads the nation in tackles for loss (9.6) per game and is tied for the nation’s lead in sacks (3.42). Their rushing defense is 81.4 yards per game and ranks seventh in scoring defense with 13.7 points per game. They also hold the ninth position in total defense, allowing 273.6 yards per game. That kind of record makes them a top choice for Marler.

And what adds up to the momentum is their win against Alabama for the second time. Their defense posted four sacks, two fumble recoveries, and an 87-yard interception return for a touchdown by Eli Bowen. This win snapped Alabama’s 17-game home winning streak. They have just allowed 67 combined points in wins over their SEC opponents: Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU.

While their defense has been strong against Alabama, holding them to just 2.4 yards per carry, their offense has struggled to produce points and sustain drives. Oklahoma has averaged only 319.9 yards per game, ranking 82nd out of 133 teams nationally. And have scored just 21.8 points per game, which is middle of the pack. Even John Mateer’s production has decreased after sustaining a fracture in his throwing hand.

Before the injury, he completed 67.4% of passes, but after that, it has dipped to 62.1%. After which, their team is relying heavily on special teams and defense. Even though that puts them in a strong position against all other teams, including Alabama, their offense has to start showing up.

With that, another big news hit Brent Venables’ locker room.

Brent Venables’ kicker gets a special honor

Oklahoma’s special team holds a crucial position in their win, and the reason behind it is their kicker, Tate Sandell, who became one of the nation’s elite kickers by grabbing Oklahoma’s first-ever Lou Groza Award. This season, he completed 23 of 24 field-goal attempts. Fifteen of his field goals were from 40 yards plus distance, and seven were from 50 yards and more, which makes him the only FBS kicker with 50-plus-yard attempts with at least five tries.

After receiving this award, Sandell made a heartfelt admission on his big moment.

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“Every kicker dreams of winning the Lou Groza Award, so I’m deeply honored to be this year’s recipient,” Sandell said. “It’s just to win games and make kicks, and that’s just a byproduct of our work.”

This redshirt junior transferred from UTSA this offseason and became a reliable option immediately. During Oklahoma’s game against Tennessee, he went 4 for 4 on field goals with two 55-yard kicks, and 3 for 3 against Alabama with a 52-yard kick. He accounted for a massive number, racking up 101 of 317 points on the season (32%). Now, let’s wait and see if he can keep that momentum going against Alabama again.