The 2026 bye week is a massive one for Brent Venables in Oklahoma.

Entering the week off a loss at No. 2 Georgia itself isn’t the issue, but the Sooners are 2-2 with questions at quarterback following John Mateer’s poor showings across the first month of the season. 

The challenge doesn’t get any easier from here. 

No. 1 Texas looms in the Cotton Bowl, which has mostly been a house of horrors for Venables over the past four years, but the challenge represents a massive opportunity to get things back on track.

The extra week of preparation should help Venables have a solid defensive game plan to try and stop Texas. Here is how OU has fared following an open date in the Venables Era.

2022: Oklahoma 27, Iowa State 13

The trip to Ames was one of the Sooners’ more complete performances in 2022. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel returned to the lineup in the victory over Kansas before the open date, and the Sooners pulled away from the Cyclones in the second half in Ames. Running back Eric Gray rushed for 101 yards and one touchdown, and the OU defense bottled up Iowa State’s rushing attack and forced Hunter Dekkers to throw the ball 57 times. 

2023: Oklahoma 31, UCF 29

Though the Sooners got the win, the performance against the Knights was a disappointment. OU exacted revenge on Texas before the bye week, but clearly didn’t come out with the same edge it had in the Cotton Bowl against Texas. Gabriel threw for 253 yards and three scores, but Oklahoma allowed RJ Harvey to rush for 101 yards and John Rhys Plumlee threw for 248 yards and two scores, though he only completed 16-of-30 passes. The Knights scored with 1:16 left in the game, but they were unable to convert the two-point conversion to tie the game and force Oklahoma to produce one more closing drive to avoid overtime.

2024: Texas 34, Oklahoma 3

The first bye week of the 2024 season was undoubtedly the worst performance coming off a bye under Venables. The Sooners were embarrassed by Texas, as Michael Hawkins Jr. couldn’t lead the offense to any success. Offensive coordinator Seth Littrell produced a moronic game plan, asking OU’s struggling tight end room to hold up on the perimeter against the Longhorns’ talented defensive line by themselves, and Texas’ offense never had to kick things into high gear to produce the win.

2024: Oklahoma 24, Alabama 3

The second bye week of 2024 was a complete turnaround for Venables and the Sooners. Before the open date, Jackson Arnold fumbled away the game at Missouri in spectacular fashion, but Oklahoma was able to rally for a magical Senior Day showing against the Crimson Tide. After struggling to move the ball all year, the offense kept things simple. Arnold only threw the ball 11 times, but he carried it 25 times for 131 yards. Running back Xavier Robinson added 18 carries for 107 yards and two scores, but linebacker Kip Lewis’ interception was returned for a touchdown in the third quarter to seal the win. 

2025: Oklahoma 44, Kent State 0

The first bye week of the 2025 season was by far the weirdest. Mateer injured his hand against Auburn, and while all the attention was on the work of Dr. Shin and whether Mateer would be able to take the field in the Cotton Bowl, Hawkins was tasked with getting ready in case he needed to make a second straight start against the Longhorns. OU scored 44 points, but Hawkins’ performance was pedestrian. The defense pitched a shutout, though Kent State held its starting quarterback out of the contest to keep him fresh for conference play.

2025: Oklahoma 23, Alabama 21

The final bye week of the 2025 regular season ensured that the Sooners had a path back to the College Football Playoff. After taking down Tennessee in Knoxville, OU traveled to Tuscaloosa to battle the Crimson Tide. Isaiah Sategna returned the first punt of the game 42 yards to set up a field goal, and Eli Bowen returned an interception 87 yards to the house to put the Sooners up 10-0. Alabama punched back, eventually taking a 21-20 lead, but Tate Sandell’s field goal with 13:41 left in the game proved to be the winner. Though the Sooners only allowed three points to Alabama the previous year, the 2025 performance was arguably more impressive, as Venables’ unit repelled the Crimson Tide over and over to seal the win despite Alabama outgaining OU 406-212.

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