This week, the 2025 NCAA football season heads into Week 4. Two highly ranked teams bring 3-0 records and high expectations into Saturday’s high-stakes matchup. In that must-watch SEC contest, the Auburn Tigers face the Oklahoma Sooners at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The 3:30 p.m. ET contest is the national ABC game for that time slot.
Auburn is the No. 22 ranked team in the latest AP Poll. The Tigers are coming off a 31-15 win over South Alabama in Week 3 NCAA football action. Meanwhile, Oklahoma enters Week 4 of the NCAA season as the No. 11 rated club. The Sooners are coming off a 42-3 win over Temple. In Week 2, Oklahoma defeated the then No. 15 ranked Michigan Wolverines 24-13. This week marks both teams’ first SEC game of the year.
Auburn and Oklahoma have faced each other just three times over the years (1972, 2017, and 2024). The Sooners have won all three of those contests. Last year, the clubs also played in September, Oklahoma won that game 27-21.
Jackson Arnold left Oklahoma during the transfer portal in 2024, signing with Auburn. Arnold was the No. 3 recruit in the high school class of 2023 and the Gatorade National Player of the Year. Arnold was benched during his first SEC game in 2024 by coach Brent Venables after three turnovers in the first half in a 25-15 loss to Tennessee. He eventually got his starting job back, but left the team with 1,421 passing yards, 444 rushing yards, 15 total touchdowns, and 3 interceptions for the year.
Arnold enters his first SEC game of 2025 with 48 completions on 69 attempts for 501 yards. His completion percentage (69.6) and quarterback rating (149.7) are both at the highest points of his NCAA career. But he is facing a big test in Week 4.
Some will look at this game as similar to Oklahoma and Michigan, but Arnold has better receivers to throw to than Michigan, and also the ability to pick up yardage on the ground. The question facing Arnold is if he will be able to break out for long, deep passes against the Sooners’ secondary. He needs to do that to beat his former team on Saturday.
Before the 2025 NCAA football season, John Mateer faced long odds when it came to winning the 2025 Heisman Trophy. The Oklahoma quarterback, who transferred from Washington State, started the season with +1900 odds in the Heisman race. Today, after three games with the Sooners, Mateer is the betting favorite to win the award for best college player, with odds of +650. Meanwhile, the early favorite, Arch Manning, who began the year at +500, has tumbled to +2500.
Mateer has completed 71 passes of 105 attempts this year for a 67.6 completion percentage. He has thrown for five touchdowns with three interceptions. His 944 passing yards lead the SEC. Mateer is also first in completions.
Mateer will need the Sooners’ offensive line to hold tough against a hard-to-manage Auburn defensive front line. If he has the time to find open receivers, Mateer should be able to pick apart the somewhat weak Tigers’ secondary. With an average of nine yards per pass this year, the line has done a good job in the Sooners’ first three games.
The Sooners’ defense is the team’s strong suit. They’ll have their work cut out for them against Auburn QB Jackson Arnold, but the D is first in the SEC, allowing 181 total yards of offense per game this year. They are also first in passing defense, giving up only 84.7 yards on the ground.
Auburn Tigers Vs. Oklahoma Sooners Betting Picks and Predictions
The Sooners have won each of their past 13 games as the home betting favorite, but they have losses in five of their past six SEC games. Look for Oklahoma to keep their home streak alive on Saturday.
The betting pick is for the Oklahoma Sooners to beat the Auburn Tigers in Week 4 NCAA football action.
Trent is a professional sports journalist specializing in UFC, MMA, and esports coverage. His work has been featured in prestigious publications such as USA Today Sports, Vice, Bloody Elbow, Fight! Magazine, UFC 360, and Narratively. Trent's connection to MMA dates back to the early days when he and his friends pooled their resources to purchase the pay-per-view broadcast of UFC 1. He also has extensive experience in esports, particularly League of Legends and Counter Strike, dating back to the game's launch.