ESPN ranks OU No. 1 in latest Top 25
Coming out of spring practice, at least, ESPN has pegged Oklahoma as its latest No. 1-ranked college football team in 2021.
In a Top 25 compiled by ESPN writer Mark Schlabach, OU is No. 1, Alabama is No. 2, Georgia is No. 3, Clemson is No. 4 and Ohio State is No. 5.
Big 12 runner-up Iowa State, which beat the Sooners in Ames last year, is No. 6, and Texas, with new coach Steve Sarkisian at the helm, is No. 22.
“Which team might be best equipped to reach the CFP?” Schlabach asks. “Oklahoma, which hasn't won a national championship since 2000 and has lost three straight CFP semifinal games to SEC opponents under coach Lincoln Riley.
“The Sooners, who bring back quarterback Spencer Rattler and seven starters from an improving defense, are No. 1 in the latest version of the 2021 Top 25 — ahead of Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and Ohio State.”
Here’s what Schlabach wrote about the Sooners:
1. Oklahoma Sooners
2020 record: 9-2 (6-2 Big 12)
Projected returning starters: seven offense, seven defense, two special teams
Key losses: OT Adrian Ealy, C Creed Humphrey, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, DE Ronnie Perkins, CB Tre Brown, DB Tre Norwood, WR Charleston Rambo
Key additions: RB Kennedy Brooks, WR Mario Williams Jr., OT Savion Byrd
Previous Way-Too-Early ranking: 3
Outlook: The Sooners are looking to end a 21-year drought without a national championship, and coach Lincoln Riley is trying to guide his team to a victory in a CFP game after losing three in a row. OU has more than enough playmakers on offense and its defense might be just good enough to do it, especially with a more-than-manageable nonconference schedule.
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.
OU just recently added former Arkansas receiver Mike Woods, who might help compensate for the loss of Rambo, who departed for Miami. Woods and freshman Mario Williams, who had a team-high five catches for 84 yards in the spring game, should help a receiver corps that was plagued by drops in 2020.
Riley grabbed former Penn State quarterback Micah Bowens after backups Tanner Mordecai and Chandler Morris transferred to SMU and TCU, respectively. Bowens will battle freshman quarterback Caleb Williams for the backup job behind Spencer Rattler; Williams completed 10 of 11 passes for 99 yards with one score and ran for 61 yards in the spring game.
