Completed Event: Football versus Illinois State on August 30, 2025 , Win , 35, to, 3
Final
Football
35
vs Illinois State
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Photo by: Morgan Givens/University of Oklahoma
Three Sooners Named to Preseason Media Days All-SEC Team
July 18, 2025 | Football
NORMAN — University of Oklahoma senior defensive lineman R Mason Thomas and senior running back Jaydn Ott were selected to the 2025 Preseason Media Days All-SEC Second Team and redshirt junior long snapper Ben Anderson was picked for the third team, the SEC office announced Friday. Selections were made in a poll of media covering SEC Football Media Days.
The Sooners are preparing for their fourth season under head coach Brent Venables and second as a member of the Southeastern Conference.
Thomas was a second-team All-SEC selection last season when he started 11 of 13 games and ranked fourth in the SEC and 17th nationally with his 9.0 sacks (0.8 per game). He also led the Sooners with his 12.5 tackles for loss and 11 QB hurries. More than half of his 23 tackles last season went for lost yardage (totaling 65 yards), and six of his 9.0 sacks came in the fourth quarter and with OU protecting leads. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., product also recorded two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, returning one for a touchdown at LSU on Nov. 30. Thomas received recognition for his performance twice last season, earning Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors after his performance in a 34-19 victory over Tulane on Sept. 14 and being named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after OU's dominant 24-3 win over No. 7 Alabama on Nov. 22. He had totaled just 16 career tackles, 3.5 career TFLs and 1.5 career sacks in his first two collegiate seasons.
Ott transferred to Oklahoma this summer from California, where over the last three seasons he compiled 2,597 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on 532 carries and 712 yards and six touchdowns on 95 receptions. He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a sophomore in 2023 when he rushed 246 times for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 169 yards and two scores. Last season, he rushed for 385 yards and four touchdowns on 116 carries and notched 24 receptions for 222 yards and a TD. He earned Freshman All-America recognition in 2022 when he rushed for 897 yards and eight touchdowns on 170 carries and caught 46 passes for 321 yards and three scores.
Anderson earned third-team All-SEC honors last season and was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award (presented to the nation's best long snapper). He has served as the long snapper on all of Oklahoma's punts and placekicks over the last two seasons and made three tackles on punt returns in 2024. The Charlotte, N.C., product was the catalyst for a placekicking unit that converted 32 of 33 PAT attempts and 17 of 22 field goals (77%), and a punting unit that ranked 12th nationally by netting 42.3 yards per punt last season.
The Sooners were picked to finish 10th in the SEC Preseason Media Poll with 1,613 points and received three first-place votes (sixth most). Texas (3,060 points), Georgia (2,957 points), Alabama (2,783 points), LSU (2,668 points), South Carolina (2,109 points), Florida (1,986 points), Ole Miss (1,979 points), Texas A&M (1,892 points) and Tennessee (1,700 points) comprised the top nine teams in the poll. Auburn (1,272 points), Missouri (1,170 points), Vanderbilt (936 points), Arkansas (764 points), Kentucky (512 points) and Mississippi State (343 points) rounded out the poll.
All eight of Oklahoma's 2025 SEC opponents are among the top 12 teams in the SEC Preseason Media Poll. The Sooners will play five of the top seven teams and six of the top nine.
OU opens the 2025 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 30, against Illinois State at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. on SEC Network+ and ESPN+. The Sooners play their SEC opener on Sept. 20 against Auburn in Norman.
Single-game tickets for OU's home contests are available by clicking here.
The Sooners are preparing for their fourth season under head coach Brent Venables and second as a member of the Southeastern Conference.
Thomas was a second-team All-SEC selection last season when he started 11 of 13 games and ranked fourth in the SEC and 17th nationally with his 9.0 sacks (0.8 per game). He also led the Sooners with his 12.5 tackles for loss and 11 QB hurries. More than half of his 23 tackles last season went for lost yardage (totaling 65 yards), and six of his 9.0 sacks came in the fourth quarter and with OU protecting leads. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., product also recorded two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, returning one for a touchdown at LSU on Nov. 30. Thomas received recognition for his performance twice last season, earning Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors after his performance in a 34-19 victory over Tulane on Sept. 14 and being named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week after OU's dominant 24-3 win over No. 7 Alabama on Nov. 22. He had totaled just 16 career tackles, 3.5 career TFLs and 1.5 career sacks in his first two collegiate seasons.
Ott transferred to Oklahoma this summer from California, where over the last three seasons he compiled 2,597 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on 532 carries and 712 yards and six touchdowns on 95 receptions. He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a sophomore in 2023 when he rushed 246 times for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 169 yards and two scores. Last season, he rushed for 385 yards and four touchdowns on 116 carries and notched 24 receptions for 222 yards and a TD. He earned Freshman All-America recognition in 2022 when he rushed for 897 yards and eight touchdowns on 170 carries and caught 46 passes for 321 yards and three scores.
Anderson earned third-team All-SEC honors last season and was a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award (presented to the nation's best long snapper). He has served as the long snapper on all of Oklahoma's punts and placekicks over the last two seasons and made three tackles on punt returns in 2024. The Charlotte, N.C., product was the catalyst for a placekicking unit that converted 32 of 33 PAT attempts and 17 of 22 field goals (77%), and a punting unit that ranked 12th nationally by netting 42.3 yards per punt last season.
The Sooners were picked to finish 10th in the SEC Preseason Media Poll with 1,613 points and received three first-place votes (sixth most). Texas (3,060 points), Georgia (2,957 points), Alabama (2,783 points), LSU (2,668 points), South Carolina (2,109 points), Florida (1,986 points), Ole Miss (1,979 points), Texas A&M (1,892 points) and Tennessee (1,700 points) comprised the top nine teams in the poll. Auburn (1,272 points), Missouri (1,170 points), Vanderbilt (936 points), Arkansas (764 points), Kentucky (512 points) and Mississippi State (343 points) rounded out the poll.
All eight of Oklahoma's 2025 SEC opponents are among the top 12 teams in the SEC Preseason Media Poll. The Sooners will play five of the top seven teams and six of the top nine.
OU opens the 2025 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 30, against Illinois State at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. on SEC Network+ and ESPN+. The Sooners play their SEC opener on Sept. 20 against Auburn in Norman.
Single-game tickets for OU's home contests are available by clicking here.
Players Mentioned
Sooner Sports Talk - 9/8/25
Monday, September 08
Sooner Football With Brent Venables - 9/7/25
Sunday, September 07
FB Highlights: OU 24, Michigan 13
Saturday, September 06
Brent Venables Postgame vs Michigan
Saturday, September 06
