If the college football season ended today, the committee would kick Brent Venables’ team out of the playoff alongside Texas. Earlier this week, the Oklahoma Sooners opened the initial College Football Playoff rankings at No. 12. The Sooners are behind Texas (11th) and Ole Miss (6th). Now, they are about to enter their most brutal stretch of the season with a road game at No. 4 Alabama on November 15. Amidst the chaos and potential faceplant, Brent Venables kept it stoic while planning what to do during the bye week.

On November 5, the Sooners’ head coach was asked about how their strength of schedule would factor into a potential playoff run. As expected, Brent Venables isn’t stressing too much about the Sooners’ initial No. 12 ranking in the College Football Playoff standings. “None of that stuff matters. I know that would be cool for me to have an opinion. I don’t have an opinion, I really don’t. All’s we’re worried about is the next one having a great bye week, getting better the next week’s going to be, you know, this enormous challenge and everything that goes with that. So that’s where my focus is. I don’t control any of the other things other than what we can do on our end.”

He’s keeping it simple: their fate is in their own hands. Instead of fixating on what the committee thinks, Venables keeps his team focused on what really matters – winning their games. The Sooners have a challenging road ahead in the SEC with huge tests against No. 4 Alabama and No. 22 Missouri still on the schedule. But for Venables, it’s all about making sure the team knows their playoff destiny is entirely within their control.

This “control what you can control” mindset is nothing new for the coach. This has been his mantra since he arrived in Norman, and it continued even during his time at Clemson. After their massive road victory over Tennessee, a visibly moved Venables spoke about his team’s grit and belief, making it clear he thinks they can beat anyone in the country when they play their best football.

Venables even had a quick word about the confusing new CFP metric, “style points,” where running up the score could potentially help a team’s ranking. He admitted it “sounds pretty complicated,” but he didn’t waste much time on it. Instead, he kept the focus right where it belongs: getting ready for the tough and physical football ahead next week and explaining his bye week plans in the process.

Brent Venables’ bye week plan

Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables provided a glimpse into how his team is preparing during its bye week ahead of the matchup against No. 4 Alabama. He highlighted that the team has made this week productive both on and off the field. “It’s been a good week,” per Venables. He noted the balance of meetings, weight room sessions, and practice. The team also hosted a career fair, featuring approximately 30 Fortune 500 companies. It’s a marvelous initiative as it allows players to network and prepare for life beyond football.

He described the session as “really good physical practice, full path practice.” He noted that the focus was on fundamentals, good-on-good drills, and skill development. While some opponent-specific prep was included, the primary focus remains on the players themselves. Improving their scheme fundamentals, reinforcing healthy habits, and sharpening the team’s overall performance.

Looking ahead, the Sooners will have a lighter schedule over the weekend. Giving the team a chance to rest and recover. Venables emphasized the importance of striking a balance between intense preparation and recovery. He said that the team is using this time to focus on fundamentals and stay sharp for the critical matchup against Alabama. The approach reflects a methodical strategy, prioritizing both player health and technical readiness as they gear up for a challenging contest.