Steve Curtis | November 9th, 2026
In his play-calling debut, Jason Witten got more players involved and helped the Sooners finish a 23-7 win at Florida.
Oklahoma led Florida by six when it took over at its own 11-yard line late in the third quarter. The Sooners held the ball for 12 minutes, 45 seconds, overcame 20 penalty yards and scored a touchdown to extend their lead to 20-7.
Five days after Brent Venables fired Ben Arbuckle, an offense that had struggled to sustain drives put together Oklahoma’s longest in 54 years. The 20-play possession showed what Witten could get from the players and coaches already in place.
After the 42-25 home loss to South Carolina, Venables trusted Witten to bring that group together. With only a few practices to prepare for Florida, Witten began his first meeting with the offense by acknowledging where the coaches had fallen short.
“I told the players at their first meeting as an offensive group, ‘Hey, look, this is not ideal, but ultimately, we haven’t coached very well, and ultimately we haven’t got the results we wanted,’” Witten said.
He was just as direct with his staff.
“Hey, listen, if you don’t want to be here, I understand that,” Witten recalled telling his coaches. “Go see Coach Venables, but here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna figure it out.”
Witten brought a level of detail to Oklahoma’s preparation that had been missing under Arbuckle. He wanted players to know their assignments, understand how each fit into the play and recognize what Florida might do to disrupt it. Venables said the coaches reinforced those details in meetings and walkthroughs, then tested what players had retained.
That preparation mattered for players taking on bigger roles. Jacob Jordan entered Saturday with five catches all season. Against Florida, he moved the chains on all four of his third-down catches.
Parker Livingstone entered the game with six catches on the season and added three for 26 yards against Florida. Hayden Hansen caught Oklahoma’s first touchdown pass in front of the Gators’ student section.
Oklahoma tight end Hayden Hansen celebrates a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Noah Lantor)
Isaiah Sategna and Rocky Beers caught four passes apiece, and John Mateer completed passes to eight players. Oklahoma converted 10 of 18 third downs.
“I like spreading it out,” Mateer said. “I think it’s a better way to play ball, and I’m glad we could do it.”
Mateer completed 21 of 33 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He had played with similar composure against Mississippi State. Against Florida, he had simpler options in the passing game and a coordinator who kept using the backs even when the gains were modest.
Lloyd Avant carried 13 times for 47 yards. His longest run went for eight, but four of his carries moved the chains. Witten had enough confidence in the run game to keep calling it, and Avant gave Oklahoma a way to extend possessions a few yards at a time.
That approach held up on the drive that put Florida away. Oklahoma needed to go 89 yards, but 20 yards in penalties made the Sooners gain 109 before Mateer found Sategna for the touchdown. By the time Florida got the ball back, it trailed 20-7 with less than five minutes left in the game.
Witten was just as demanding when the offense got a play wrong.
Manny Choice had already caught three passes for 21 yards when he ran the wrong route on first-and-10 early in the third quarter. The pass fell incomplete. Witten pulled him immediately and tore into him on the sideline before he could sit down.
Oklahoma wide receiver Manny Choice (0) reaches toward the first down marker during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Noah Lantor)
Choice didn’t catch another pass. Witten had opened the week by telling players the coaches hadn’t done their jobs well enough. On Saturday, he held his players to the same standard.
The players’ response was visible in the closing seconds. As the offense took a knee to seal the win, two of Witten’s own tight ends, John Locke Jr. and Rocky Beers, gave him a Gatorade bath on the sideline.
Witten returned the love in his postgame press conference. He credited the players for embracing a change none of them had planned for and making the most of that short week before they went to Gainesville.
“These young men responded and they trusted the process,” Witten said.
Venables has left open the possibility that Witten could keep the job. Ole Miss will be the first opponent to prepare with film of him calling plays. Texas A&M and Missouri follow, giving Oklahoma three more games to see whether the offense can sustain what it did in Gainesville.
Five days after Oklahoma changed coordinators, its offense took over with a six-point lead and put the game away. Witten gave the Sooners a reason to believe they can do it again.