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: John Baker/University of Oklahoma
Three Sooners Receive Preseason Coaches All-SEC Recognition
August 19, 2025 | Football
NORMAN — University of Oklahoma senior defensive lineman R Mason Thomas and senior running back Jaydn Ott were named to the 2025 Preseason Coaches All-SEC Second Team, while redshirt junior long snapper Ben Anderson was selected for the third team, the conference office announced Tuesday. Selections were made by the league's head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
Thomas and Ott were also named on the Preseason Media All-SEC Second Team and Anderson was also on the media's third team, which was announced following SEC Media Days in July.
Thomas, who is a member of the 2025 Chuck Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award watch lists, was a second-team All-SEC selection last season when he started 11 of 13 games and ranked fourth in the league 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 stellar play 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 is listed on the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award and Polynesian Player of the Year watch lists. He 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. The Chino, Calif., product 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 accolades 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, who is also on the Patrick Mannelly Award watch list for the nation's best long snapper, earned third-team All-SEC honors last season and was a semifinalist for the Mannelly Award. 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.
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.
Thomas and Ott were also named on the Preseason Media All-SEC Second Team and Anderson was also on the media's third team, which was announced following SEC Media Days in July.
Thomas, who is a member of the 2025 Chuck Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award watch lists, was a second-team All-SEC selection last season when he started 11 of 13 games and ranked fourth in the league 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 stellar play 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 is listed on the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award and Polynesian Player of the Year watch lists. He 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. The Chino, Calif., product 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 accolades 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, who is also on the Patrick Mannelly Award watch list for the nation's best long snapper, earned third-team All-SEC honors last season and was a semifinalist for the Mannelly Award. 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.
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.
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