The 11th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (3-0) and Heisman favorite John Mateer take the field in Norman Saturday against the 22nd-ranked Auburn Tigers (3-0) led by former Sooner signal-caller Jackson Arnold.
It will be a step up in class for both schools. Yes, Auburn took on the Baylor Bears in Week 1 but Oklahoma, led by Mateer, appears to be much improved from a season ago.
Owners of possibly the most difficult schedule in all of college football, No. 11 Oklahoma begins a stretch in which the Sooners will face a ranked opponent in seven of their remaining nine games. That is truly a gauntlet. As mentioned, it opens against the Tigers whose season-opening win over Baylor, 38-24, is looking more impressive by the week.
Lets dive into this SEC showdown, learn about the schools, and maybe find a sweat or two along the way.
Game Details and How to watch Auburn at Oklahoma
- Date: Saturday, September 20th, 2025
- Time: 3:30P Eastern
- Site: Memorial Stadium
- City: Norman, OK
- TV/Streaming: ABC
Game Odds for Auburn at Oklahoma
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Auburn Tigers (+225), Oklahoma Sooners (-278)
- Spread: Oklahoma -7 (-110)
- Total: 46.5 points
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the college football schedule!
Oklahoma Sooners
Head Coach: Brent Venables
2025 Record: 3-0
Offense Ranking: 21st
Defense Ranking: 5th
Strength of Schedule: 2nd
Through three games of the 2025 season, the Oklahoma Sooners have looked dominant on both sides of the ball, starting 3–0 with blowout wins over Illinois State (35–3), Temple (42–3), and a marquee win over Michigan (24–13). Their defense has been elite, ranking 5th nationally in SP+ while allowing just 6.3 points per game and ranking 1st in both defensive success rate (21.2%) and third-down defense (17.1%). Offensively, the Sooners are producing 6.4 yards per play behind a Top 30 passing attack (51.3% success rate) and one of the best third-and-long conversion units in the country (50% success on 3rd & 7+ = 4th). Despite a -5 turnover margin (127th) and subpar explosiveness, Brent Venables’ squad ranks 7th in overall SP+ with a Top 5 résumé and has exceeded their projected scoring margins by +6.4 points per game.
The Oklahoma Sooners Offense
The Oklahoma offense has been efficient but not explosive through the first three games of 2025, ranking 21st in SP+ while averaging 6.4 yards per play (43rd) and converting 47.5% of third downs (36th). The passing game has carried the load, with a 51.3% success rate (27th), 8.2 yards per dropback (26th), and an adjusted completion rate of 78.6% (20th). Rushing efficiency has been so-so with a 48.2% success rate (51st), with the Sooners lacking potency on the ground ranking 129th in yards per successful rush (6.5) and 102nd in YPC (4.3).
Oklahoma Sooner to Watch on Offense: QB John Mateer
The transfer from Washington State has been a dual-threat force through three games, completing 67.6% of his passes for 944 yards and 5 touchdowns while adding 167 rushing yards and 4 more scores on the ground. His 13.3 yards per completion and 9.3 adjusted net yards per attempt (ANY/A) showcase a strong vertical element in the passing game, despite 3 interceptions. Mateer has also been efficient under pressure, posting just a 2.8% sack rate and a solid 77.5 Total QBR. On the ground, he’s moved the chains on 40% of his runs, forced 0.21 missed tackles per rush, and gained a healthy 5.57 yards per carry.
The Oklahoma Sooners Defense
Oklahoma’s defense has been elite to start the 2025 season, ranking 5th in SP+ and 3rd in adjusted scoring margin at +32.5 PPG allowed. They lead the nation in passing success rate allowed (18.5%), overall third down defense (17.1%), and have not allowed a single point on red zone or goal-to-go opportunities through three games. The Sooners have smothered opposing quarterbacks, allowing just 3.1 yards per dropback (3rd), a raw QBR of 13.2 (7th), and a 46.5% completion rate (1st). The OU front seven generates a 8.6% sack rate (25th), while the back seven has made up for it with excellent discipline yielding only 4.5% of plays over 20+ yards and ranking 9th nationally in yards allowed per dropback vs. man (1.6).
Oklahoma Sooner to Watch on Defense: LB Sammy Omosigho
The linebacker has emerged as a disruptive force for Oklahoma’s linebacker corps, tallying 11 total tackles with a strong 91.7% tackle rate and 81.8% of his stops coming in run support. He’s been able to penetrate the line of scrimmage, posting 3.0 Havoc Plays that include 2.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks through just three games. His efficiency as a pass rusher is impressive, recording pressures on 50% of his four pass rush snaps while generating one sack, one first pressure, and a rapid 1.83s average time to pressure. Omosigho’s impact has extended into big-play territory as well, with one forced fumble already under his belt for the season.
Auburn Tigers
Head Coach: Hugh Freeze
2025 Record: 3-0
Offense Ranking: 29th
Defense Ranking: 14th
Strength of Schedule: 13th
The 2025 Auburn Tigers are off to a 3–0 start under head coach Hugh Freeze, ranking 19th in SP+ and delivering dominant performances against Baylor, Ball State, and South Alabama with a +29.3 adjusted scoring margin (24th nationally). Offensively, Auburn’s identity is firmly rooted in the ground game, ranking 10th in rushing success rate (58.5%) and 14th in yards per rush (6.6), while finishing drives at an elite clip with 6.12 points per scoring opportunity (4th). Defensively, the Tigers have emerged as a disruptive force, ranking Top 10 in both rushing success rate allowed (21.6%) and stuff rate (28.4%), while also posting the 4th-best sack rate per dropback (10.9%). However, Auburn’s explosiveness on both sides is lacking (113th on offense, 110th on defense in marginal explosiveness), and upcoming matchups against Oklahoma, Georgia, and Alabama will test whether this balanced-but-methodical approach can survive the gauntlet of SEC play.
The Auburn Tigers Offense
The 2025 Auburn Tigers offense is built around a punishing and efficient ground game that ranks 10th nationally in rushing success rate (58.5%) and 6th in stuff rate allowed (10.2%), consistently creating favorable down-and-distance scenarios (6th in standard down success rate). They boast elite execution once they cross into opponent’s territory, scoring touchdowns on 80.0% of red zone trips (16th) and averaging 6.12 points per scoring opportunity (4th), helping them maximize drives despite a middling national pace (27.6 seconds per play = 75th). The Tigers’ offensive line has been excellent in both pass protection (21st in pressures allowed) and run blocking (6th in total blown blocks), enabling a clean operation for a unit that completes 67.6% of its passes and has yet to throw an interception. While they rank just 113th in marginal explosiveness and 107th in explosive pass plays (20+ yards), Auburn’s offense thrives on consistency, physicality, and situational efficiency.
Auburn Tigers to Watch on Offense: QB Jackson Arnold
The Sooners’ signal-caller has been a dynamic dual-threat presence for Auburn through three games, completing 69.6% of his passes for 501 yards and 4 touchdowns with no interceptions. His 10.4 yards per completion and 59.6% success rate reflect efficient decision-making and solid down-to-down performance. Arnold has also been a weapon on the ground, rushing for 234 yards and 4 touchdowns on 29 carries (8.07 YPC) with a stellar 75.9% success rate and a first down on 65.5% of his runs. While he’s taken sacks on 60% of the pressures he’s faced, Arnold’s excellent 86.7 Total QBR underscores his early-season impact as one of the most productive quarterbacks in the SEC for the undefeated Tigers.
The Auburn Tigers Defense
The 2025 Auburn Tigers defense has emerged as one of the SEC’s most disciplined and stingy units, ranking 4th nationally in rushing success rate allowed (21.6%) and 8th in yards per rush allowed (2.9) thanks in large part to a disruptive front seven that has recorded the nation’s 13th-best stuff rate (28.4%). Auburn’s defense limits explosive plays—allowing just 5.8% of opponent plays to gain 20+ yards—and clamps down in the red zone, giving up touchdowns on just 40.0% of red zone drives (29th). While they don’t generate many interceptions (109th INT%) or contested targets (115th), they create backfield havoc through an aggressive front that ranks 20th in pressure rate and 4th in sack rate per dropback. Though pass coverage can be leaky at times, particularly in man situations (97th in yards per dropback vs. man), the defense compensates with excellent tackling (11th in YAC allowed per carry) and third-down success (36th), forming a tough, opportunistic group.
Auburn Tiger to Watch on Defense: Edge Keyron Crawford
The outside linebacker has been a force on the edge for Auburn’s defense in 2025, compiling 10 tackles (5 solo), 4 total havoc plays, and 2.0 tackles for loss across three games. He’s shown excellent pass-rushing efficiency, notching 3.0 sacks and 9 total pressures on just 30 pass rushes, good for a 30.0% pressure rate and an average time-to-pressure of 2.41 seconds. Crawford has been responsible for 2 sacks created, forced a fumble, and recorded 7 first pressures, showing a knack for initiating defensive breakdowns. His well-rounded production and explosive edge presence make him one of the most impactful front-seven defenders on the Tigers’ roster this season.
Auburn at Oklahoma team stats, betting trends
- Auburn is on a 3-game winning streak
- Oklahoma is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games as a home favorite
- The average total game score (55.8) in Auburn’s last 5 games is over the Total (49)
- Auburn has lost to Oklahoma in both previous meetings: 27-21 (9/28/24) and 35-19 (1/2/17)
Rotoworld Bet Best Bets
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Eric Froton (@CFFroton): John Mateer’s Pass + Rush yards prop OVER 306.5
Oklahoma QB John Mateer has taken the college football world by storm after transferring from Wazzu to Oklahoma, accruing at least 344 total yards in each of his three games this year. Against Michigan he ran the ball 19 times for 74 yards while uncorking 34 passes for 270 passing yards. I expect Mateer and the Sooners to pull out all the stops in their first SEC game against Auburn, so I’m taking the Over 306.5 on John Mateer’s Pass + Rush yardage prop.
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Best bets our model is projecting for this week’s game between Tigers and Sooners:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Auburn Tigers at +6.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 48.5.
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