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 great deal of excitement for Year 1 in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].
As the college football season draws closer, ESPN released its preseason power rankings, which factor in all of the changes that have taken place since 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 a bit lower.
OU checked in at No. 17 on ESPN’s list. Here’s what ESPN 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 game with the Volunteers looms large as OU’s first conference game in its new league.
The Sooners will begin their season against Temple in Norman on Friday, Aug. 30. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN.
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