He doesn't see it.
Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse He's 'Not That Optimistic' About Making the Playoff originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2025 college football season will be the second year of the 12-team College Football Playoff format. As August arrives, signaling the start of the season, national analysts are making predictions about which teams will qualify for the playoff field.
Last year, the Oklahoma Sooners had a disappointing season, finishing 6-7. This season, Oklahoma is facing a particularly challenging schedule. Phil Steele ranked the Sooners' schedule as the seventh toughest in the country. Among the notable teams they will play are the Michigan Wolverines, Texas Longhorns, South Carolina Gamecocks, Ole Miss Rebels, Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers.
That's one reason Paul Finebaum declared on his show, "The Paul Finebaum Show," that he does not foresee a playoff berth in their future.
"I'm not that optimistic," Finebaum said. "I think Oklahoma has a shot to have a nine-win season. I'm struggling to come up with more than that at this moment."
There is reason to be optimistic about Oklahoma's prospects in 2025. The Sooners have added quarterback John Mateer from Washington State through the transfer portal. Mateer had an impressive first season as a starter, throwing for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Additionally, he rushed for 826 yards and scored 15 touchdowns.
He is reuniting with his former offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, who assumed the role at Oklahoma after Seth Littrell was dismissed midway through last season. Together, Arbuckle and Mateer will focus on enhancing an offense that ranked among the worst in the nation: 113th in total offense, 119th in passing offense, 76th in rushing offense and 97th in scoring offense.
The Sooners also signed former California Golden Bears running back Jaydn Ott. Despite dealing with injuries during the 2024 season, Ott had a standout performance in 2023, rushing for 1,315 yards and scoring 12 touchdowns.
Oklahoma will kick off its season against Illinois State at 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse He's High On
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
