Are the Oklahoma Sooners overrated in the preseason AP Poll?
Well, that depends on what you think of the Oklahoma Sooners heading into 2025. If you are putting any stock into what happened in 2024, in particular on offense, as a reflection of what this team could be this year, then you may not think too highly of the Sooners, and the AP overrated OU. But if you look at Oklahoma's performance on offense last season and are willing to write it off as an aberration year due to the inordinate amount of injuries, you may think OU is a good team worthy of a top 20 ranking in 2025.
This year's team is very different than the one that limped to 6-7 in 2024. First of all, they're a healthier team. Secondly, they boast more experience along the offensive line, led by one of the nation's top quarterbacks, John Mateer. It's not unreasonable to think the Sooners are one of the 25 best teams in college football. But Brad Crawford of CBS Sports believes the Sooners are overrated in the preseason AP Poll.
Quality pieces aside, this team is overvalued at No. 18 in the preseason. No program nationally allowed more sacks (50) last season and the Sooners are using fall camp to figure out the right rotation to ensure their group up front is much-improved in 2025. - Crawford, CBS Sports
Oklahoma has a pretty solid starting five with Jacob Sexton, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Troy Everett, Febechi Nwaiwu, and Derek Simmons. Much of the issue in the first part of the season is that the Sooners didn't have any consistency at center. Before Everett's return, the Sooners played four different players at center trying to find someone that could lead the offense. And that didn't account for the issues they had at tackle and guard throughout the season.
When things finally settled into a consistent group, it was an improved product over the final month of the season, leading to an upset win over Alabama and nearly pulling off a road win vs. Missouri. Even with a consistent group, they were still really inexperienced with Logan Howland getting the starts at left tackle, and it showed, particularly in the Ole Miss game. A game they led at half-time.
Offensive line may be the biggest question for an offense looking to bounce back from an uncharacteristically bad season by Oklahoma standards. However, offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle have a deeper group to work with this season. And perhaps as important as the guys blocking up front is the guy standing behind them in the shotgun.
Mateer has proven capable of making plays when things break down in pass protection. He's really good off-script and outside the pocket. Where last year, it looked like Jackson Arnold struggled when things broke down around him, Mateer appears capable of still making things happen for the offense, even if things aren't perfect around him.
The offensive line certainly has to be improved this season. It's likely it will be vastly improved compared to what we saw last year. But the bar isn't that high. With the defense the Sooners will deploy, one of the best backfield tandems in Mateer and Ott, it's not completely up to the offensive line to figure things out.
The Sooners have a more complete team this year than they have at any point during Brent Venables' tenure. And while many may believe sitting at No. 18 in the preseason AP Poll might be overrated, with everything the Sooners have done this offseason, that's a pretty reasonable place to start. Oklahoma will have plenty of opportunities to prove they belong, starting week two when they welcome the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines to town.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
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