The Oklahoma Sooners are just over a week away from kicking off the 2024 season. Third-year coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and a talented roster, especially on defense, has generated a lot of excitement for what Year 1 in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] could be.
As the college football season draws closer, ESPN released out their preseason power rankings, factoring in all of the changes that have taken place since last January. While Oklahoma was ranked No. 16 by the US LBM Coaches Polls and the Associated Press Top 25, the staff at ESPN has the Sooners just a bit lower.
OU checked in at No. 17 on ESPN’s list. Here’s what they had to say about the Sooners.
On offense, pressure rests on the shoulders of first-year quarterback [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] and an offensive line down four starters from a year ago. Around them, the Sooners carry optimism in running back depth that includes [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag], [autotag]Jovantae Barnes[/autotag] and freshman [autotag]Taylor Tatum[/autotag], and a deep wide receivers group headlined by Purdue transfer [autotag]Deion Burks[/autotag]. Initial conference meetings with Tennessee (home), Auburn (away) and Texas (neutral) will provide early tests for Oklahoma, while trips to Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU, and a visit from Alabama await in a daunting back half of the season. – Eli Lederman, ESPN.
That grueling conference schedule has been quite the topic of conversation this offseason. Venables and his coaching staff will have to make sure the players take things one game at a time, not looking forward or backward.
Oklahoma was picked eighth in the SEC by the post-SEC media day poll and the two major polls. The home matchup with the Volunteers looms large as OU’s first conference game in their new league.
The Sooners will begin their season against Temple, as the Owls will visit Norman on Friday, August 30th. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN.
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