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The University of Oklahoma has long been one of college football’s elite programs, consistently competing at the highest level and making frequent appearances in the College Football Playoff (CFP). But as the Sooners transition to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2024, their once-glorious run appears to be facing significant challenges. A string of disappointments in both the SEC and the CFP in recent years has fans and analysts questioning what happened to a program that was once a perennial contender.

In the midst of these struggles, however, there has been a glimmer of hope: Oklahoma’s ability to land high-profile players from the NCAA transfer portal. This “portal splash” has brought excitement, but it’s clear that the results on the field are still far from the program’s championship aspirations. In this post, we’ll dive into Oklahoma’s recent SEC struggles, its rocky College Football Playoff appearances, and how the team is trying to turn things around by leveraging the portal.

### The Transition to the SEC: A Rocky Start

The SEC is widely considered the most competitive conference in college football, with powerhouse teams like Alabama, Georgia, and LSU consistently dominating both conference play and the national stage. As Oklahoma prepares to officially join the SEC for the 2024 season, the move has been met with a mix of excitement and concern.

The excitement is understandable—joining the SEC opens new recruiting pipelines and the opportunity to compete against the nation’s best on a weekly basis. However, for Oklahoma, the transition has already proven difficult. Despite being one of the most successful programs in Big 12 history, the Sooners have struggled to keep pace with SEC competition, particularly after their lackluster performances in the CFP.

In recent seasons, Oklahoma has faced criticism for its inability to compete against the elite teams from the SEC and other Power Five conferences when it matters most. While the Sooners have dominated their previous Big 12 foes, their weaknesses were exposed in high-stakes games against superior competition. A disappointing 2022 season saw them miss out on the CFP altogether, with their hopes dashed in a brutal defeat to the Texas Longhorns. Heading into the 2024 SEC slate, Oklahoma is still searching for an identity in the face of tougher opponents.

### College Football Playoff Disappointments

Since the College Football Playoff was instituted in 2014, Oklahoma has been one of the more frequent participants, making the field several times. However, the program’s playoff appearances have been marred by underwhelming performances. With high expectations, particularly in 2017, 2018, and 2019, the Sooners have consistently fallen short of their national title aspirations, leading to growing frustration.

In 2017, Oklahoma lost to Georgia in a thrilling Rose Bowl that saw them fall just short in a heartbreaker. In 2018, they suffered a similar fate, losing to Alabama in a lopsided semifinal. Then, in 2019, Oklahoma faced another humbling defeat in the CFP, this time at the hands of LSU, who would go on to win the national championship in a historically dominant season.

While the Sooners have boasted high-powered offenses and elite quarterbacks during these years, including Heisman winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, the lack of defensive consistency has been a consistent issue. The team’s inability to get stops against explosive SEC teams, along with an over-reliance on offensive production, ultimately led to their demise on the biggest stages. The gap in overall team strength between Oklahoma and the SEC’s elite teams became glaringly evident, and the Sooners have struggled to close that gap.

The expectations for Oklahoma’s playoff runs have been raised year after year, but the results have been far from satisfactory. As the Sooners join the SEC, there’s a clear sense of urgency to improve, as simply making the CFP is no longer enough—Oklahoma needs to prove they can actually win at the highest level.

### The Portal Splash: A Potential Game Changer

As Oklahoma’s fortunes have fluctuated, the rise of the transfer portal has given the program a new avenue to rebuild and refocus its efforts. The NCAA transfer portal, which allows players to transfer between schools without having to sit out a year, has dramatically changed the college football landscape. Programs that are active in the portal have been able to quickly reshape their rosters, particularly in areas of need.

For Oklahoma, the portal has been an essential tool in trying to close the gap between them and the SEC powerhouses. The Sooners made a splash in the portal in the past few years by landing marquee players who could make an immediate impact. For example, they added key transfers like quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who came over from UCF, and defensive playmakers who aimed to shore up their weak spots. These transfers gave the program renewed hope that they could compete at a high level, especially in the SEC.

However, the issue has not been talent acquisition—it’s been talent development and integration. While Oklahoma has brought in some impressive transfers, the results on the field haven’t always matched expectations. A team of transfers doesn’t automatically guarantee success, especially when team chemistry, culture, and coaching staff synchronization are still evolving.

In 2022, Dillon Gabriel showed flashes of brilliance, but inconsistent play from the offense and an inability to get defensive stops led to mixed results. Oklahoma was competitive in some games but ultimately underperformed in others. Gabriel’s leadership and high skill set had been expected to elevate the offense to new heights, but the defense—still struggling from years of neglect under the previous regime—failed to keep pace.

Moreover, the Sooners’ reliance on transfer portal players to fill immediate needs has created a situation where the program is still heavily reliant on one or two high-profile players instead of an established, cohesive unit that can consistently compete against the nation’s best. Transfer players can provide a quick fix, but without development and depth across the roster, this approach can only take a program so far.

### Coaching and Culture: An Ongoing Transition

The struggles Oklahoma has faced in the SEC and during its College Football Playoff appearances may stem from deeper issues related to coaching and program culture. Lincoln Riley’s departure after the 2021 season to become head coach at USC marked the beginning of a shift in the program’s leadership. While Brent Venables was brought in as the new head coach in 2022, his defense-first mentality and focus on building a more well-rounded team is still in its early stages.

Venables inherited a program that had thrived offensively under Riley but had lagged behind in terms of defense. The hope was that Venables, a former defensive coordinator at Clemson, would bring the same toughness and discipline to Oklahoma’s defense that made the Tigers perennial playoff contenders. While it’s too early to make a definitive judgment on his success, the transition has been difficult, as the team has had to adjust to a new coaching philosophy, roster changes, and the demands of competing in a tougher SEC environment.

### What’s Next for Oklahoma?

As Oklahoma moves forward, the transition into the SEC, along with its mixed results in the transfer portal and its disappointing College Football Playoff performances, leaves many questions unanswered. There’s no doubt that the talent is there to compete, but the program’s ability to develop that talent into a championship-caliber team is still a work in progress.

The Sooners must find a balance between developing homegrown talent and supplementing their roster through the portal. They will also need to address the ongoing challenges of defensive consistency, particularly in the face of the SEC’s high-powered offenses. As much as the portal has provided immediate talent, it’s ultimately the long-term development of players and the ability to build a cohesive and well-coached team that will determine Oklahoma’s success in the SEC and beyond.

For now, Oklahoma’s disappointing SEC and College Football Playoff runs serve as a reminder that a marquee portal splash doesn’t guarantee immediate success. The Sooners still have a long way to go before they can truly compete for championships in the nation’s toughest conference. But with the right adjustments, they might just be able to turn their fortunes around.