The Oklahoma Sooners are at a crossroads in their season. The Sooners sit at 4-4 and all of the team goals they had coming into the season are seemingly gone.

The Sooners likely won't win the SEC championships, they won't be in the College Football Playoff and they won't compete for a national title in 2026. So, that has some wondering how you keep your team focused and motivated when everything you wanted for this season is lost.

Head coach Brent Venables revealed the mindset of the team going into these final four games.

"What do you want the end game to look like?" Venables said. "We want to win every game in front of us. We know the challenge that goes with that. Some excellent football teams are in front of us. We've got to have the willingness to put the work in, not just check the box, but put the work in. Everybody needs to make improvements... Everybody has the right to get better today... That's what the best teams do."

Venables' message shifts the focus from what Oklahoma can no longer accomplish this season to what is still within its control. The Sooners have four games remaining, and each presents an opportunity to show progress after a disappointing stretch. With changes already made to the offensive coaching staff, the team will need to respond with improve execution and renewed consistency on both sides of the ball.

How the players approach these final weeks could also help shape the program heading into the offseason. Young players have an opportunity to gain valuable experience, while returning players can establish the standard for the team moving forward. Oklahoma may have fallen short of its preseason expectations, but finishing the season strong would give Venables something positive to build on heading into 2027.