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Oklahoma Football Continues Climb Upward in National Polls

By Chip Rouse

Nov 19, 2016; Morgantown, WV, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Dede Westbrook (11) runs the ball during the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Morgantown, WV, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Dede Westbrook (11) runs the ball during the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oklahoma football is back within four spots of where it started the season, at No. 7 in the new Associated Press Media Poll.

Nov 19, 2016; Morgantown, WV, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Neville Gallimore (90) celebrates after sacking the quarterback during the third quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Morgantown, WV, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Neville Gallimore (90) celebrates after sacking the quarterback during the third quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /

The Sooners’ moved up two positions from last week, jumping Penn State in the process, after their convincing win on the road over previously No. 14 West Virginia on Saturday. Oklahoma was ranked ninth in the AP Top 25 a week ago.

Louisville, upset by previously unranked Houston, the same team that knocked off the Sooners in their 2016 season opener, was the only team in the top 10 that lost last week. Houston returned to the top 25 this week, at No. 18, as a result of the win over Louisville.

Oklahoma State, which will be in Norman on Dec. 3 for Bedlam and, more important, a winner-take-all contest for the Big 12 championship, also benefited from the Louisville loss as well as an impressive 31-6 road win at TCU, taking over the No. 10 spot.

The Sooners should also benefit from the Louisville loss when the new College Football Playoff rankings come out on Tuesday. They were at No. 9 last week and are gaining steam in the Playoff conversation, something that most college football experts deemed all but impossible after losses to Houston and Ohio State in two of their first three games this season.

Although the odds remain very long that Oklahoma will gain a return ticket to the Playoff this season, the Sooners’ chances are very good (73 percent, according to the ESPN’s Football Power Index) that they will capture the Big 12 crown, which will earn them a postseason trip to play in the New Year’s Six Sugar Bowl against the second-best team in the Southeastern Conference.

West Virginia, the only other Big 12 team that is ranked, dropped to No. 19 following the loss to Oklahoma.

The top four teams in the rankings – Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Clemson remain unchanged this week. Wisconsin moved to No. 5, replacing Louisville and ahead of Washington.

The Week 13 AP Top 25

  1. Alabama (11-0)
  2. Ohio State (10-1
  3. Michigan (10-1)
  4. Clemson (10-1)
  5. Wisconsin (9-2)
  6. Washington (10-1)
  7. Oklahoma (9-2)
  8. Penn State (9-2)
  9. Colorado (9-2)
  10. Oklahoma State (9-2)
  11. Louisville (9-2)
  12. USC (8-3)
  13. Florida (8-2)
  14. Western Michigan (11-0)
  15. Florida State (8-2)
  16. Auburn (8-3)
  17. Nebraska (9-2)
  18. Houston (9-2)
  19. West Virginia (8-2)
  20. Boise State (10-1)
  21. Utah (8-3)
  22. Texas A&M (8-3)
  23. Washington State (8-3)
  24. Tennessee (8-3)
  25. LSU (6-4)
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