ESPN has released its top-25 college football rankings headed into the summer. Georgia fans, you might not like what you read below.
The Oklahoma Sooners are rated as the No. 1 team heading into the 2021 season, even after losing three-straight CFP semifinal appearances to SEC teams.
Why does that matter?
Those ranked directly behind Oklahoma are the two best SEC programs around. ESPN rates Alabama at No. 2 and Georgia at No. 3, with Clemson as the last team in at No. 4.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach mentions the Sooners’ additions via the transfer portal as a factor. Three of those transfers are from Tennessee.
“The Sooners have offered us a glimpse of what the FBS might look like in an everybody-can-transfer world. Since the end of last season, Riley deftly added six FBS transfers, including three players from Tennessee: running back Eric Gray, offensive tackle Wanya Morris and defensive back Key Lawrence. Each of the former Vols might start for OU this coming season.”
Oklahoma also brought in Penn State quarterback Micah Bowens and Arkansas receiver Mike Woods to pair with star quarterback Spencer Rattler, but let’s be real here, how are the Sooners going to get over the hump of beating an SEC powerhouse?
In those three straight losses to SEC teams, the Sooners gave up, on average, 54 points per game…
It’s going to take a defensive overhaul to try and keep up with the offenses of teams like Georgia and Alabama next season.
Schlabach does note the Dawgs’ high-powered offense.
“For the first time in a while, Georgia’s strength this coming season might be its offense. Quarterback JT Daniels, a onetime transfer from USC, is poised to flourish in his second season in coordinator Todd Monken’s offense. He completed 67% of his passes for 1,231 yards with 10 touchdowns and two picks in the final four games of 2020.”
Of course, these rankings are very early and there is still plenty of time for teams to change the look of the roster through the portal, but to put Oklahoma at the top with nothing to show for it is comical. We’ll see how these ratings last when Georgia takes on Clemson in Charlotte on Sept 4…