Oklahoma didn’t join the SEC so much as get jumped into it. The move was meant to elevate the program. Instead, it exposed it. A 6–7 season wasn’t a stumble; it was, in fact, a big fall. While Texas (13-3) got champagne flutes and custom napkins, Brent Venables’ OU was out here scrapping with the sharks blindfolded. And now? Now, folks with real pull are calling it what it is: a setup. On May 3, Billy Liucci didn’t just offer a few sharp words on ‘That SEC Football Podcast.’ He called it like he saw it, and finally said out loud what plenty of folks around the SEC have been thinking for a while.

See, the Sooners’ 2024 move to the SEC was supposed to be a new chapter, not a horror story. But if you looked at that schedule and didn’t flinch, you probably need therapy. LSU in Baton Rouge. Ole Miss on the road. Tennessee, Alabama, and Missouri at home. The SEC bullied the heck outta Sooners, except Bama. We all know how it went for Bama. The Red River war with Texas in Dallas. The Navy ruined their bowl game. It was a bad show all season. And now? The 2025 slate might be worse.

SEC Mike started it off soft, like, “The one that’s really got a beef is Oklahoma.” Liucci didn’t hold back. “They got completely scr–ed with the scheduling…Oklahoma’s the one getting treated like little brother in this deal when they come in. And Oklahoma is a football — you know, they’re a proven traditional power, a blueblood program…And for that to be that big a disparity — not just for one year but two — I think that’s a crime…And I think they should have been a lot more… you know, a lot more tied in into like what the discrepancy and disparity was going to be between those two schedules. And they should have been more focused on not making it that different…Again, it’s a big difference in how you come into this conference, because you can get stepped on and buried really quickly.”

Oklahoma’s 2024 strength of schedule ranked top three nationally. Their SEC record? 2–6. Overall? 6–7. That 24–3 dub over Alabama was the only moment of peace before they got dragged again. They didn’t face a single soft week. Tulane gave ’em hell. Navy beat ’em. Every Saturday felt like a heavyweight title fight—and OU was showing up with a nosebleed ticket and no gloves. Meanwhile, Texas? 13–3.

Even Andy Staples called it: “Oklahoma has the hardest schedule. Can Brent Venables survive this? That’s the question.” When national writers, rival insiders, and the analytics all start saying the same thing, it’s probably not noise. Maybe Oklahoma’s concerns aren’t overblown. Maybe they’ve just been getting exposed for the better part of 18 months—and no one’s wanted to admit it.

The 2025 schedule is nothing short of brutal. Michigan, LSU, Auburn, and Missouri at home. Then, road trips to Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina. And don’t forget, they still have Texas in Dallas. It’s as if someone up top has a personal vendetta against Sooner red. After Texas, the stretch is relentless: South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, LSU—all back-to-back. No breaks. No easy wins. Just a gauntlet of top-tier teams.

Vegas already knows what’s up. Win total projection? 6.3. Strength of schedule rating? 0.771—top of the damn food chain. And let’s be real—Venables ain’t got no more excuses. Look, new OC. New O-line. New QB. And that’s where things really get spicy.

Big John Mateer verdict: potential red flag in Brent Venables?

Let’s get this out of the way—Brent Venables is a defensive genius. The man built monsters at Clemson and won the natty as DC. But when it comes to running an offense? The man acts like it’s radioactive. And last year? That man damn near fumbled the bag on every offensive decision.

Startin’ with Jackson Arnold. Former 5-star. The future. And Venables treated him like an expired lottery ticket. Started the season with him. Yanked him halfway through. Didn’t even suit him up for the Auburn game—he transferred there by season’s end. What kind of bad sitcom is that? His final numbers—1,421 yards and 12 TDs—ain’t even the point. How matters more than what. There was no plan. No rhythm. Just bad decisions. No wonder they brought Ben Arbuckle.

Cole Cubelic summed it up perfectly. “It’s hard playing quarterback for a defensive-minded head coach… the vibe is ‘don’t f— up.’” That’s real. You think Lane Kiffin’s stressing about QB mistakes? Nah. Riley? Never. But Brent Venables? He coached Arnold like he was waiting for him to fail. And the redshirt move? Said he was saving it. Then he somehow didn’t. ESPN even clowned him for that.

And yet, somehow, we are here now with John Mateer. This isn’t a fixer-upper like Arnold inherited. This is turnkey, Wi-Fi works, fridge stocked, AC blowing cold. As On3’s J.D. PicKell said, “John Mateer—it’s not finished, but it’s a lot more furnished… he’s got a coordinator he trusts… new appliances… everything works properly.”

Mateer led the nation in touchdowns last year. And he’s walking into a system finally built for competence. Former Cal RB Jaydn Ott pulled up in the portal—3,333 yards and 30 touchdowns under his belt. Add him to a decent receiver room and an upgraded O-line? That ain’t bad at all. Also got his former OC, Ben Arbuckle, to call the plays for him. The playbook finally got teeth.

PicKell nailed it again: “The to-do list to defend Oklahoma as an offense just keeps on getting longer. If you’re a defense, I don’t know how you check all the boxes.” That’s a fact. And it makes what Venables did with Arnold look even worse in the rearview. When your previous QB was forced to build a house with no hammer, and your new one gets handed a damn toolkit? The math ain’t mathing.

But here’s the twist. If Mateer pops off in 2025, it doesn’t just validate the offensive turnaround—it puts more heat on Venables. Because now folks will ask: why couldn’t he figure it out with Arnold? Why was there all that chaos last year? One QB got sacrificed. The other might get celebrated. That’s not a win for Venables. That’s a spotlight on his flaws.

So yeah, Big John might be able to ball out. Might even get OU to eight wins if the stars align. But if he does, don’t forget who fumbled the first bag. Brent Venables has no more timeouts left. The SEC doesn’t do patience. And this fall? The cameras will be rolling, the knives will be out, and the verdict’s already loading.