Brent Venables says Jordan Travis is a 'fantastic football player'

If the Oklahoma Sooners want to leave the Cheez-It Bowl with a win over No. 13 ranked Florida State, stopping Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis is a great place to start. Travis had a phenomenal season and established himself as one of college football’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks. Sooners head coach Brent Venables spoke about Travis ahead of the game, giving nothing but praise for No. 13.

“You have Jordan Travis running the mesh, you know, and it is the lesser of all evils. Fantastic football player. Have enjoyed watching him grow and mature. I love college football. I love players. I love watching journeys. I am a fan of everybody. I am a fan of Jordan Travis for what he is about,” Venables said.

There’s no question that Travis has the best season of his career this year, earning second-team All-ACC honors and leading the Seminoles to their best record since 2016. He was one of the most effective and efficient quarterbacks in the ACC this season, throwing for 2,786 yards and 22 touchdown passes with just four interceptions. Travis completed 63.2% of his passes this season with a 158.2 passer rating, taking a major leap this year.

Travis also got the job done with his legs this season, running less than he normally does, but still extremely effectively and dangerously for opposing defenses. Travis called his own number 75 times this season, rushing for 357 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, which ranks second on the Seminoles’ roster.

“Man, he has guts. He has toughness,” Venables said. “He has matured from where he was as a freshman to where he is now. He has done it all, man. He has gone through the ups and the downs, the highs and lows. He is scarred up. He is proven. He is battle tested. I have tremendous respect for him.”

The growth of Travis has been apparent year after year since he joined the team in 2019 transferring in from Louisville. The talent and ability have always been there for Travis, but this season it culminated in a special way that has made him a serious threat to any defense the Seminoles faced, and one that the Sooners in particular should be worried about.

Oklahoma’s defense ranked second to last in yards allowed and third to last in points allowed this season in the Big 12 conference, and will definitely have to step up big when they face Florida State’s offense led by the dynamic Travis on Thursday.