I recently simulated the Oklahoma Sooners’ upcoming season 10 times using EA Sports’ College Football 26, and one season in particular really stuck out to me. I can’t decide if it’d be a dream season for Sooner Nation or an absolute nightmare.
The fun thing about college football is that, like a video game, anything is possible. That makes any of those 10 simulated seasons possible to be the Sooners’ actual outcome in 2025. So brace yourself for this one.
College Football 26 predicts wild season for Sooners
In Season 3 of the simulations, it was like a flashback to the Lincoln Riley days. The Sooners finished the regular season at 10-2, locked a spot to play for a conference title and were on their way to the College Football Playoff with a Heisman Trophy contender at quarterback. Certainly feels like a dream, especially after just enduring a 6-7 season.
BUT, after starting the season 3-0, including a massive win over Michigan in primetime, Jackson Arnold brought Auburn into Norman and ended the Sooners’ chances at a perfect season in his return. Once again, Arnold could be blamed for a home loss for OU.
OU recovered with an easy win over Kent State to set up a big-time Red River Rivalry. Texas then handed OU its second loss in three games as Arch Manning out-dueled John Mateer in a battle of Heisman hopefuls.
The Sooners finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak after starting SEC play 0-2. However, the losses came at the hands of Jackson Arnold’s Auburn and the hated Longhorns.
Revenge could have made everything better, though. OU did enough to get into the SEC Championship Game for a rematch against Texas. But, again, Texas got the best of the Sooners. A lot of success at 10-3 at this point, but losing to Texas twice in one season is a lot to stomach.
It could also be counted as another Red River loss that Mateer was named Heisman runner-up and Second-Team All-American, behind Texas quarterback Arch Manning both instances.
A playoff run would heal those wounds. The Sooners were paired in the CFP with Michigan, which OU already proved once this season it can beat. But this time, the Wolverines absolutely hammered OU when it mattered the most, just a few months after the Sooners proved to be the better team.
Glass half full: the Sooners notched 10 wins, had a Heisman finalist and made the CFP. But there were also two losses to Texas, a loss in the CFP to a team we know OU could beat, and an old QB came in and beat his replacement in Norman.
Is that a dream season or a nightmare?