Brent Venables' aggressive defense gives Oklahoma a different look than past Sooners playoff teams

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Brent Venables' version of the Oklahoma Sooners is very different than the ones that previously reached the College Football Playoff.

Oklahoma reached the playoff four times in the 2010s — once under Bob Stoops and three times under Lincoln Riley. Those squads were known for their high-scoring offenses and relatively leaky defenses, with the best example being a 54-48 loss to Georgia in a national semifinal after the 2017 season.

Times have changed. The eighth-ranked Sooners (10-2) feature a rugged, aggressive defense that leads the nation in tackles for loss (9.6 per game) and is tied for the nation’s lead in sacks (3.42) heading into next Friday’s first-round home game against No. 11 Alabama (10-3).

Venables, who led Oklahoma and Clemson to national titles as a defensive coordinator, took over defensive play calling duties this season after the Sooners went 6-7 last year in his third season. Now, he has gone from the hot seat to the playoff.

“I didn’t want anybody else to have to show up every day and carry that burden,” Venables said. “I wanted to carry it. It’s my responsibility. And that’s, again, something that I’ve cut my teeth on. It’s why I was hired. And so I had confidence in our roster and confidence in our staff to play at the level that we’re playing at.”

Oklahoma ranks fifth nationally in rushing defense (81.4 yards per game), seventh in scoring defense (13.7 points per game) and ninth in total defense (273.6 yards per game). The Sooners have allowed a combined 67 points in wins over Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri and LSU.

Defensive end R Mason Thomas was named second-team All-Conference despite missing the past three games. He injured his hamstring while running a fumble back 71 yards for a touchdown against Tennessee. He paces the team with 6.5 sacks.

Defensive tackle Gracen Halton and linebacker Owen Heinecke also were named to the second team. Defensive back Courtland Guillory was named to the coaches' SEC All-Freshman Team. Defensive lineman Taylor Wein leads the way with 14 tackles for loss and Heinecke is second with 10.

Linebacker Kip Lewis tops the team with 72 tackles, followed by Heinecke and safety Robert Spears-Jennings. Kendal Daniels, the versatile transfer from Oklahoma State, is fourth on the team in tackles. Brothers Peyton and Eli Bowen lead the team with two interceptions each.

Venables said the heroes have been many on a mature, disciplined team that has often kept the Sooners in games without complaint.

“I think the credit goes to the players,” Venables said. “Just their determination, their toughness, their ability to adapt and adjust, their strain, their physicality, their precision — that’s where it starts.”

Venables said his coaching staff agrees on most things and works well together, making adjustments relatively easy.

“We all kind of get back to the same answers,” he said. “We’re not in five or six different places. We’ve got a really good staff that works well together cohesively in a very short amount of time and come up with a few small, minor adjustments. But at the end of the day, the players are the ones that are out there making whatever scheme we have really good.”

Alabama's defense wasn't at its best during a 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tide can't afford to struggle again, given Oklahoma's consistency on defense. It may not take many points to put Oklahoma over the top.

“It’s going to be a physical game," Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. "It’s going to be be hard fought. I know it’s going to be an awesome environment, especially on a Friday night to kick off the playoffs.”

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Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables celebrates with linebacker Kip Lewis (10) after defeating LSU during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

TORONTO (AP) — A Canadian Conservative opposition lawmaker defected from his party and joined Prime Minister Mark Carney’s governing Liberals on Thursday, a move that leaves the Liberal Party just short of a simple majority of the seats in Parliament.

Michael Ma, who represents Markham–Unionville, is the second Canadian Conservative opposition lawmaker to join Carney’s Liberals in just over a month.

Ma said he entered politics “to focus on solutions, not division.”

“I have concluded that Prime Minister Mark Carney is offering the steady, practical approach we need to deliver on the priorities I hear every day while door knocking in Markham–Unionville,” Ma said in his statement.

The move puts the Liberals one seat shy of a majority government and being able to pass any bill without the support of an opposition party.

Carney joined hands and welcomed Ma at the Liberal Party Christmas party on Thursday night.

“Wow, such a big welcome,” Ma said.

Carney noted his coalition of supporters is growing.

“You are going to have a much better time spending Christmas with us than Christmas with the Kranks. We are all about Santa, not about the Grinch,” Carney joked.

The defection is a blow to Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who is facing a leadership review vote in January. Poilievre lost the last election in April and even his own seat in Parliament, but has since rejoined the House of Commons.

“Michael Ma was elected as a Conservative by the constituents of Markham-Unionville to fight against Liberal inflationary spending driving up the cost of living in his community,” Poilievre said in a statement on social media. “Today, he chose to endorse the very policies he was elected to oppose.”

Poilievre has lost three Conservative lawmakers in recent weeks. A third Conservative announced his resignation after talking to Carney about possibly crossing the floor.

Until this year, Poilievre was seen as a shoo-in to become Canada’s next prime minister and shepherd his Conservative Party back into power for the first time in a decade. Then, President Donald Trump declared economic war on the U.S.’s neighbor to the north and even threatened to make Canada the 51st state.

Carney has moved the Liberals to the center since replacing Justin Trudeau as prime minister and winning national elections.

“Two floor crossings in such a short period of time is rare, and other defections are always possible so the Conservative establishment must be extremely nervous right now,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.

“If another Conservative MP would cross the floor to join the Liberals, they would have a majority government, which would probably mean no federal elections any time soon and give more time to Poilievre’s adversaries within the Conservative Party of Canada to organize against him.”

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stands in the House of Commons during Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney delivers remarks during the annual Equal Voice gala in Ottawa, Ontario, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)