The Oklahoma Sooners enter the 2024 season in unfamiliar territory as they enter the SEC. Still one of the top 25 teams in the nation, they aren’t considered one of the favorites to win their conference.
But such is life in the SEC, the home of the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide.
With the start of the 2024 season two weeks away, the preseason AP top 25 was released and the Oklahoma Sooners came in at No. 16. That’s also where they landed in the US LBM Coaches Poll. And like the Coaches Poll, the Sooners were the eighth-highest-ranked team among SEC schools.
Coming in at No. 1, earning 46 of the possible 62 first-place votes, are the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia’s hoping to regain their spot atop college football after losing to Alabama in the SEC title game in 2023 and missing the College Football Playoff.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are considered the No. 2 team in the nation, earning 15 first-place votes, followed by the Oregon Ducks, who earned one first place vote. The Texas Longhorns came in at No. 4 followed by the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Sooners play six teams in the top 15. Along with Texas and Alabama, OU will take on No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 11 Missouri, and No. 13 LSU. They open SEC play by hosting No. 15 Tennessee.
It’s a daunting schedule that will be must-see television throughout the 2024 season. But the Oklahoma Sooners have built a roster that has a chance to contend with the best in the conference this season. Led by a defense that features All-Americans and future NFL draft picks, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has a unit that can lead the way in 2024.
A look at the full preseason AP Poll:
| Ranking | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Bulldogs | 1,532 (46) |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 1,490 (15) |
| 3 | Oregon Ducks | 1,403 (1) |
| 4 | Texas Longhorns | 1,386 |
| 5 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 1,260 |
| 6 | Ole Miss Rebels | 1,189 |
| 7 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 1,122 |
| 8 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 1,060 |
| 9 | Michigan Wolverines | 995 |
| 10 | Florida State Seminoles | 971 |
| 11 | Missouri Tigers | 927 |
| 12 | Utah Utes | 887 |
| 13 | LSU Tigers | 804 |
| 14 | Clemson Tigers | 689 |
| 15 | Tennessee Volunteers | 629 |
| 16 | Oklahoma Sooners | 566 |
| 17 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 538 |
| 18 | Kansas State Wildcats | 526 |
| 19 | Miami Hurricanes | 492 |
| 20 | Texas A&M Aggies | 292 |
| 21 | Arizona Wildcats | 237 |
| 22 | Kansas Jayhawks | 231 |
| 23 | USC Trojans | 172 |
| 24 | North Carolina State Wolfpack | 171 |
| 25 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 140 |
Others Receiving Votes
Louisville 111, Virginia Tech 77, Boise St. 47, SMU 33, Iowa St. 33, Liberty 32, Washington 23, West Virginia 17, Memphis 16, Nebraska 16, Wisconsin 15, UTSA 6, Tulane 5, Appalachian St. 4, Kentucky 3, Auburn 2, Colorado 1.
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