Sooners fans aren’t the only ones a bit disappointed in Oklahoma’s finish to their week one win over Tulane. National observers like ESPN and Pro Football Focus have dropped the Sooners in their latest power rankings.
With the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 set to come out tomorrow, add CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson to the list of analysts expecting a small slip down the polls for the Sooners.
There won’t be a major drop, but the No. 2 spot behind Alabama is up for grabs after the Sooners let Tulane climb back into the game and threaten to pull off the upset late. QB Spencer Rattler struggled with turnovers, and the offense in general seemed more sluggish as the game neared its conclusion instead of pulling away with aggression. Oklahoma might only drop to No. 3 (No. 4 is probably the floor), but there will be less confidence in the Sooners than there was heading into the weekend. – Patterson
Despite letting Tulane back into the game, the Sooners are still a team that’s talented enough to win a lot of games in 2021. That 23-0 outburst in the second quarter against Tulane is a better indication of what this team’s capable of when they have their minds right.
Of course, Lincoln Riley admitted that they didn’t have the right mentality coming out of halftime. It showed as Tulane took control of the game and outscored the Sooners 21-3 in the second half. They recovered an onside kick with just over two minutes to go, and were a yard away from picking up a 4th and 13 to extend what could have been a game-winning drive.
While the finish left a sour taste in the mouths of fans and analysts alike, the Sooners did some good things that reminded why they’re so highly thought of. Now they need to figure out a way to put together a full 60 minute game week in and week out.
[listicle id=38367]