OU's Brent Venables earns the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to rack up awards after the 27-24 upset win over the top-ranked Texas Longhorns on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl. 

Just after defensive back Peyton Bowen was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week and kicker Tate Sandell was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, Oklahoma’s head coach also received more recognition, shortly after being named the Paul 'Bear' Bryant National Coach of the Week.

Brent Venables was named the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation announced on Monday. Per the foundation, the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week award honors a football coach who led his team to a significant victory during the previous week, while also embodying the award's three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.

"The only feeling better than beating a rival is defeating a rival when they are ranked No. 1 in the nation," said Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation Jim Terry. "Coach Venables and his team have plenty to celebrate this week. We look forward to seeing how they can capitalize on such a big win heading into the second half of the season."

SEC Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week 🏆 | Week 06 » Bowen, Sandell

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— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) October 12, 2026

Saturday’s win was Venables’ highest-ranked win as a head coach. It was also the program’s first win over a No. 1-ranked team since upsetting Missouri 38-17 in 2007. Since Venables took over as the head coach in 2022, he’s now beaten Texas twice, giving Oklahoma its 18th victory over the Longhorns in the last 28 meetings since 2000. Both of Venables’ wins against Texas came in the final moments of the game, with Dillon Gabriel finding Nic Anderson in the corner of the end zone in the final minute in 2023 and Sandell’s last-second field goal to win in 2026.

On Saturday, Oklahoma scored in all three phases of the game. First, on special teams, Danny Okoye blocked the punt, and Dakoda Fields recovered it in the end zone. Then, offensively, Lloyd Avant rushed for a two-yard score. On defense, Bowen returned an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving Oklahoma its first lead of the game. Sandell capped the performance with two field goals.

Venables has now earned 35 wins in just over four seasons as the head coach at Oklahoma. He’s guided the Sooners to bowl berths in each of his seasons. This includes an appearance in last year's expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. Oklahoma has defeated a ranked team in each of the five seasons under Venables, and a top-10 team in each of the last four. He now holds a career winning percentage of .622 and is 19-12 since joining the SEC. 

The Sooners (3-2, 1-1 SEC) will host No. 15 Kentucky Saturday night.