Oklahoma names its 2026 captains ahead of the season opener

The Oklahoma Sooners are a little more than a week away from kicking off the 2026 season. The Sooners enter the year with expectations to return to the College Football Playoff and end their nearly three-decade-long national championship drought.

Before the Sooners kick off against the University of Texas at El Paso Miners, they named the captains for the upcoming season. In total, Brent Venables' team named nine captains for this year's team.

Quarterback John Mateer headlines the offensive group after returning for his second season as Oklahoma's starting quarterback. He'll be joined by three offensive linemen: Michael Fasusi, Eddy Pierre-Louis and Jake Maikkula. That group will especially be important as the Sooners look to improve an offense that struggled for consistency last season.

The captains of Team 132 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ZEtkguyVrW

Fasusi and Maikkula bring significant experience to the group, while Mateer provides stability at the most important position on the field.

The defensive captains feature several players who were major contributors to one of the best defenses in college football last season. Kip Lewis and Owen Heinecke lead the linebacker room, while Taylor Wein, David Stone and Peyton Bowen give Oklahoma leadership across the defensive front and secondary.

The nine captains also reflect the balance of experience throughout this Oklahoma roster. If the Sooners are going to navigate another brutal schedule and make another run at the College Football Playoff, these players will be expected to set the tone.

Oklahoma's championship hopes won't be decided before the season begins, but having this many established leaders gives Venables a strong foundation as the Sooners begin their pursuit of something they haven't accomplished since 2000.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma names its 2026 captains ahead of the season opener