The 2025 season is churning out new storylines every week, one of which is the gorgeous SEC contender mention. Amid all the SEC chaos, Paul Finebaum has yet brought down his biting hammer on a 4-0 SEC program, and the reason is well…as expected.  The Oklahoma Sooners entered the 2025 season with a chip on its shoulder. A 6-7 2024 record and Venables couldn’t ascend the program to the grandeur earned by the legends, such as Barry Switzer, Bud Wilkinson, and Bob Stoops. Not to forget the $34.9 million hot seat, he is staring down at. “He has not lived up to that, but (Saturday) could be a breakthrough victory,” Finebaum had said before the game. And Venables proved it by defeating Hugh Freeze’s roster and a 4-0 streak into the season. However, OU  being an SEC contender? Finebaum is not sold on it.

The question loomed large all week. Is Oklahoma a legitimate SEC contender? Brent Venables’ Oklahoma Sooners are going 4-0, eyeing the delicious SEC championship. But Paul Finebaum is not convinced. At Norman, John Mateer edged out the Tigers by 24-17. It was their moment; however, the analyst’s blunt opinion will not sit well with the Sooners’ faithful. “I am not going to be a prisoner of the moment, and I’m going to say false,” he said on ESPN College Football. “I just, you know, everything.”

Mateer-led offense dominated the trenches, as the fourth quarter tipped the scales in Oklahoma’s favor, 11-7. For the past three quarters, Memorial Stadium witnessed a cut-throat competition, racking up exact points by both programs. “We’ve already talked about their defense is elite, but let’s give Auburn’s defense some credit, too.“He admitted that OU’s defense is rolling, but their “Florida-like schedule,” as Finebaum put it, is the one hurdle that might contain their SEC dream.

Presently, Sooners’ ranked victories have come against the Wolverines and the Auburn Tigers on home turf.  Coming up next, they have Kent State, and the upcoming matchup against Texas will be held on a neutral site. “But let’s get real. Certainly, Georgia has a win at Tennessee. Texas is still to be determined,” he added. Mateer won’t face a ranked opponent again until the matchup against Tennessee, and that wait and stretch till November only increases their momentum in the game.

“They have not seen any, and Michigan and Auburn are in the middle of the schedule. I mean they’re going to Tennessee later. They’re going a number of places, including Alabama. Have LSU later in the season.” He continued. “And what about Texas A&M with that win over Notre Dame? OU is really good, but I don’t think they’re going to be there at the end playing for the championship.”

To sum it up, it’s rather early for the Sooners to be declared as an SEC contender. “I’m not being a hater. I just don’t believe yet that they are in a legitimate SEC title contender,” he concluded. Paul Finebaum is not yet confident about Brent Venables’ Oklahoma Sooners, making it to the natty. However, there’s one analyst who is absolutely rooting for him.

David Pollack is confident about Oklahoma Sooners

Paul Finebaum’s skepticism for OU to clinch the SEC contender is stemming from Brent Oklahoma’s schedule. But David Pollack has upped up the level for Brent Venables’ program. He believes that the Sooners are a national championship contender, and his confidence is rooted in quarterback John Mateer. The Washington State transfer has been making explosive plays.

“Are the Sooners good enough to potentially win a national championship this year because of John Mateer’s emergence?” Pollack mulled over in a conversation with Greg McElroy on the Always College Football. “They are, man. They are,” he affirmed his confidence in Venables’ program. “His (John Mateer) ability to break tackles, his ability to throw freaking laser beams, like the throws over the middle, man, those in-breaking routes that are 18 yards down the field; it’s just so, like, sometimes it’s like I just went and handed it to you. It’s so good.”

During his time at Norman, the 6’0, 215-pound quarterback has amassed 1,215 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions for 67.4% passing attempts. In addition to that, he tallied 43 carries for 190 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Moreover, Pollack believes that John Mateer would be his No. 1 NFL draft pick. “He’s my first pick in all of college football.” Over four weeks, the prized quarterback has secured and well-guarded his Heisman stock, coming off as one of my favorites. He further complimented the aggressiveness of the Sooners’ defense. Barely allowing one touchdown over four 4-matchups is remarkable.