Oklahoma Extends Brent Venables Through 2031 at $10.5 Million Annually

What Happened

Brent Venables has signed a six-year contract extension with Oklahoma that adds two seasons to his current deal and runs through 2031. The contract averages $10.5 million annually. Venables has coached the Sooners since 2022 and owns a 32-20 record across four seasons. Oklahoma reached the College Football Playoff in 2025, losing a first-round home game to Alabama, and finished No. 10 in the 2025 Coaches Poll after a 10-win season. The Sooners opened at No. 10 in the 2026 preseason AP Poll. Their 2026 schedule includes six preseason-ranked opponents, with three arriving in the first five games and three more late.

Why It Matters

• The six-year term keeps Oklahoma committed to Venables through the 2031 season instead of entering another short evaluation cycle.
• The Sooners will face six preseason-ranked opponents, including Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Missouri, leaving little room for a slow start.
• Oklahoma’s CFP appearance in 2025 gives the extension a recent postseason foundation, but the first-round loss to Alabama leaves further progress as the next test.

THE PATE STATE READ

THE PATE STATE READ: Oklahoma is backing continuity after Venables delivered two 10-win seasons and a CFP appearance in four years. Credit belongs there first. The task gets harder now: six ranked opponents sit on the schedule, with Michigan in the second week, Georgia in September and Texas on Oct. 10. This moves Oklahoma’s expectations up a spot, not the earth: the Sooners were already No. 10 nationally. The failure condition is straightforward. If that schedule turns the 2026 season into another six-win finish, the length of this deal will become the story.(Josh has not yet commented.)

What's Next

• Second week of the 2026 season: Oklahoma travels to Michigan.
• September 2026: Oklahoma travels to Georgia.
• Oct. 10, 2026: Oklahoma plays Texas in the Red River matchup.