The No. 18 ranked Oklahoma Sooners will open their 2025 season and second year in the Southeastern Conference on Saturday, hosting Illinois State at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The game, scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. CT kickoff, will stream live on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.
Oklahoma, led by head coach Brent Venables, aims to build on a 6-7 record from 2024. Despite a narrow Armed Forces Bowl loss to Navy, the Sooners ended last season on a high note with a dominant 24-3 home victory over then-No. 7 Alabama. This year marks the 131st season for one of college football’s most storied programs, which boasts 50 conference championships and seven AP national titles.
The team will feature a revamped offense under first-year coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who joins from Washington State. He will be leading redshirt junior quarterback John Mateer, ranked by ESPN as the No. 1 transfer in college football, and senior running back Jaydn Ott, a Cal transfer with over 2,500 career rushing yards. On defense, Venables returns six starters from a unit that finished 19th nationally in total defense and in the top 10 for both tackles for loss and fumble recoveries last season.
Their opponent, Illinois State, enters the contest ranked sixth in the FCS preseason polls. The Redbirds, coached by 17-year veteran Brock Spack, are coming off a 10-4 season that included a run to the second round of the FCS playoffs. They return 12 starters and six preseason All-Americans, with key players including dual-threat quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse, running back Wenkers Wright, and wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz. The defense will be anchored by linebacker Tye Niekamp.
Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The game highlights a transformed Oklahoma roster, with 45 of 111 players being newcomers, including 22 transfers who bring more than 200 combined career starts. With position battles still underway on the offensive line and across the defense, the Sooners will rely on their formidable home-field advantage, where they have won 18 consecutive home openers and hold a 145-15 record since 1999.
Source link
