As callous as college football fans have become to the give and take of the Transfer Portal, some losses still sting even as other departures are barely noticed.
With the portal closing on Friday, the Oklahoma Sooners ultimately lost 29 players during the two-week window that seemed to be open for months. The Sooners miraculously didn't lose a single solidified starter from 2025 unless it was because of exhausted eligibility, so as players entered, fans usually didn't even bat an eye. However, a few players will still bother OU fans to see wearing something other than crimson and crimson next season.
Luke Baklenko was the most overlooked portal loss of the cycle. That's mostly because fans barely even got to know him in his one season at OU after transferring from Stanford and playing a position that rarely gets a spotlight. However, fans could be reminded of his missing presence in 2026.
Baklenko appeared in every single game for the Sooners in 2025 as a versatile depth piece along the offensive line. OU will return four of five starters up front, but there's not much behind them and the Sooners could be flirting with disaster next season. The Sooners have added some depth from the portal already, but Baklenko could end up being the piece OU really needed in 2026 while he's instead likely starting at Arizona State.
Linebacker Kobie McKinzie was the biggest surprise of the transfer cycle after spending his entire career to this point with the Sooners.
After backing up Danny Stutsman at middle linebacker, McKinzie was poised for a breakout season, but was then briefly injured and lost his starting job to Owen Heinecke. That role, though, again seemed to be McKinzie's for his senior season in 2026 with Heinecke likely gone unless the NCAA grants him another year. However, McKinzie left for Northwestern, where he will be the heartbeat of the Wildcats' defense instead.
Sammy Omosigho entered the portal shortly after the Sooners added another linebacker in Cole Sullivan from Michigan, and although it rubbed OU fans the wrong way when he instantly ran from competition, Omosigho still appeared to be a Sooner life heading into his senior season, which is rare in college football today. He had become a staple on Brent Venables' defense while appearing in 36 games during his three years at Oklahoma. No matter how he left, Omosigho not wearing crimson will be an uncomfortable sight.