The Oklahoma Sooners have bounced all around the rankings and polls over the last year. For much of the season, they were a top-five team, but close wins began to take some of the shine off of the Sooners.
When the Sooners lost to Baylor, it gave credence to the notion they weren’t as good as the preseason expectations. Despite the bounce-back win over Iowa State, the Sooners ended the regular season on a low note against Oklahoma State in Bedlam. That loss dropped the Oklahoma Sooners out of the top 10.
Fast forward through a coaching change and a big Alamo Bowl win over Oregon, and Oklahoma ended the season a little more highly thought of than they were at the end of the regular season. The Sooners climbed back into the top 10 of the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25.
In USA TODAY Sports Paul Myerburg’s 1-130 re-rank of all of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the Sooners finished the season No. 9 in the country. They’re the third-highest ranked Big 12 team behind No. 5 Baylor and No. 6 Oklahoma State, each of which earned big bowl wins.
Turning the page on a new chapter of Oklahoma football under Brent Venables, there’s a lot to be excited about. Finishing 2021 on a high note with the win over Oregon should help set the stage for a promising offseason in Norman.
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