WHY OKLAHOMA COULD SHOCK COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN 2026 | Jim Nagy, Brent Venables & John Mateer

Sooner football is almost HERE, and the stoke levels are officially rising! With Oklahoma less than two weeks away from kicking off the 2026 season under the Friday night lights against UTEP, Casey dives into why the future of this program might be brighter than ever. We break down the impact of Jim Nagy and the NFL-style front office he’s building in Norman — a model that’s now getting national attention and could become the blueprint for the future of college football. From roster retention and managing the new world of college football to identifying the right players and allowing Brent Venables to focus on what he does best, Nagy’s influence is being felt throughout the entire program. Plus, John Mateer enters 2026 with huge expectations after battling through a broken thumb last season and still helping Oklahoma reach the College Football Playoff. If Mateer is healthy and takes the next step, could the Sooners become one of college football’s biggest dark horses? And Oklahoma is betting big on continuity. Brent Venables has a new six-year contract, Jim Nagy has been locked up through 2030, the Sooners are coming off one of the nation’s best defensive seasons, recruiting is rolling, and BV continues building a program focused on developing players both on and off the field. Some people will look only at the wins and losses. We’re looking at what’s being built. Great things are on the horizon in Norman. Believe that. The 2026 journey is about to begin. BOOMER SOONER! Subscribe to Sooner State of Mind on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts — and watch the show on YouTube by searching The Football Dudes Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.