Brent Venables and Oklahoma are in for a rough ride in the SEC

The Southeastern Conference's logo is "It just means more", but for the Oklahoma Sooners it should be "We need more". Oklahoma looked completely overmatched in its first season in the SEC and although they got a signature win over then-No. 7 Alabama in the second to last week of the season OU was bad this year.

How bad? The Sooners went 2-6 in SEC play, their fewest conference wins since 1997. Oklahoma has now had two seasons under .500 with Venables at the helm, this season and in 2022, joining John Blake as the second OU coach to have multiple losing seasons in a century.

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Blake was fired after his third losing season, so the clock is ticking on Venables to turn this program back into a contender. Oklahoma had a tough schedule this season, playing seven of the top nine teams in the SEC, but in the Big 12 the Sooners made a living off of beating the best teams in the conference. You would have rarely seen Oklahoma lose to a middle of the pack Big 12 team.

Additionally, Oklahoma lost to Navy 21-20 in their bowl game. While the Midshipmen were in the midst of one of their best seasons and the Sooners were in one of their worst, Navy isn't a team Oklahoma loses to, even in a bad season.

There is hope on the horizon in Norman. The Sooners defense was solid this season and they're bringing in transfer quarterback John Mateer from Washington State. Their receiver depth is good too, and as long as they stay off the injury report, Mateer will have weapons to throw to.

Staying healthy is super important, as Oklahoma's schedule in its second year in the SEC does not get any easier. They play Michigan at home in Week 2 and their SEC opponents are similar to last year; tough games against Texas, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama and LSU. If Venables can't turn them around in 2025, it might be time to move on to someone else.

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