Oklahoma football head coach Brent Venables has never been shy about speaking from the heart, and after the Sooners’ 30-17 win over Auburn, he delivered a message that fans will love.
“This is another example that you don’t have to play perfect and have this amazing four-quarter game,” Venables said. “You just need to be good at the right moments.”
Brent Venables on what a win like today can do for his football team.
“With the sum of all its parts, we can be a pretty dang good football team.” #Sooners pic.twitter.com/7X1SKO5F8Q
— George Stoia III (@GeorgeStoia) September 21, 2025
That quote pretty much sums up Oklahoma’s identity this season. The Sooners didn’t dominate Auburn in every statistical category, but they made the critical plays when it mattered most. Quarterback John Mateer threw for 271 yards, and while Oklahoma struggled to run the ball with just 32 rushing yards, the Sooners cashed in on short fields and never let Auburn climb back into the game.
Venables praised the balance and togetherness of his team more than any individual performance.
“I’ve been talking about my favorite part of this team, is just all three phases, the entire team collective,” Venables said. “I think the sum of all of our parts gives us an opportunity to have a pretty dang good football team.”
That collective approach showed up against Auburn. The defense forced the Tigers into field goals instead of touchdowns, and special teams capitalized on mistakes that flipped momentum. Auburn held the ball for over 35 minutes and actually ran more plays, but Oklahoma controlled the scoreboard by converting opportunities and avoiding self-inflicted errors.
For Oklahoma fans, Venables’ words are exactly what you want to hear. He’s not promising perfection, but he’s highlighting a team that knows how to win ugly and close out games against quality opponents. That’s the type of resilience a player needs in a long season, especially with Big 12 and playoff hopes on the line.
What makes this more exciting is that the Sooners don’t look like a finished product yet. They’ve been tested, and they’ve passed. If the offense can find more consistency in the run game to complement Mateer’s arm, this group could take another step forward.
Venables knows it too. His comments weren’t just about Saturday; they were about the foundation Oklahoma is building. And if the Sooners keep proving him right, this team could become more than just “pretty dang good:” they could be dangerous.
