Paul Finebaum Names College Football Team With a 'Lot of Optimism'

Paul Finebaum Names College Football Team With a 'Lot of Optimism' originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The 2025 college football season is about to begin. This year, teams are aiming to improve on last season in hopes of winning the championship at the end.

The Oklahoma Sooners had a disappointing season in 2024, finishing with a record of 6-7 for the second time in three years under head coach Brent Venables. This puts significant pressure on the team for the upcoming season, as another poor performance could jeopardize Venables’ position as head coach.

Fans in Norman have several reasons to feel optimistic about their team this offseason. Notably, national pundits are expressing positive views about Oklahoma. One such pundit, Paul Finebaum from ESPN, discussed this on his show, "The Paul Finebaum Show," highlighting that there is a strong sense of optimism surrounding the program for a few key reasons.

"Oklahoma could lose four or five games, and it really wouldn't be a surprise at all," Finebaum said. "Because of the talent infusion, especially at quarterback, there's a lot of optimism."

Paul Finebaum Is 'High On' Oklahoma This Season

Finebaum is also very optimistic about the Sooners this season. He believes adding quarterback John Mateer and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle are two major additions.

“I’m really high on what has happened,” Finebaum previously said. “I think that the combination of Mateer and his former coordinator at Washington State has made them a serious contender. The fact that the receivers, who were all hurt last year, are back.”

Mateer and Arbuckle aim to rebuild a struggling offense. In 2024, the Sooners ranked among the worst in the nation, placing 113th in total offense, 119th in passing offense, 76th in rushing offense and 97th in scoring offense.

Transfer Portal Additions Bring Optimism to Norman

Oklahoma's football team shows promise with its transfer portal activity, having added two notable transfers: Mateer and former California Golden Bears running back Jaydn Ott.

Last season, Mateer threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He also rushed for 826 yards, scoring 15 touchdowns. Although Ott faced injuries during the 2024 season, he had an impressive performance in 2023, rushing for 1,315 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns.

The Sooners have also added wide receiver JaVonnie Gibson, who recorded 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns while playing for the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions. Although he suffered an offseason injury, he has now been cleared to start running and may return before the season begins. Additionally, they brought in Jer’Michael Carter, who had 537 yards and three touchdowns while playing for the McNeese State Cowboys.

The expectation is that these changes will lead to a successful turnaround for Venables' team. Oklahoma’s season opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on August 30 against the Illinois State Redbirds.

Related: Paul Finebaum Names Major SEC Program That's 'In a Very Tight Spot'

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.