Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma football: Sooners drop to 4th in Week 2 AP, Coaches polls

By Chip Rouse

Sep 4, 2021; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners sooner schooner before the game against the Tulane Green Wave at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners sooner schooner before the game against the Tulane Green Wave at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

A win is a win, as any college football coach will tell you, but the former No. 2 Oklahoma football team found out that a win can also cost you if you underperform in the process.

815. 35. 2115. Final. 40

The Sooners dropped down two spots, to No. 4, in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 and the Coaches Poll after an up-and-down performance in barely holding off Tulane with a five-point, 40-35 victory at home in their season opener.

Oklahoma was a heavy favorite (-26.5) going into the game with Tulane and played like it for most of the opening half after a shaky start in the opening minutes. The Sooners nearly squandered a 23-point halftime advantage, surviving a serious scare late with Tulane in possession of the ball near midfield and just over two minutes to go in the game.

A loss likely would have dropped the Sooners out of the top 10, but it is obvious the voters in both major national polls are affording Oklahoma the benefit of the doubt after just one game.

Alabama, with a convincing 31-point victory over then-No. 14 Miami (Florida) in the AP poll, was the clear choice to retain its preseason No. 1 ranking. The Crimson Tide garnered all but four of the 63 first-place votes in the AP Top 25 and 64 of the 65 first-place votes in the Coaches Poll.

The top six positions in both polls were identical in Week 2. Georgia’s win over Clemson moved the Bulldogs up to No. 2, from No. 5, followed by Ohio State, OU, Texas A&M and Clemson.

You can check out the rest of this week’s rankings in both polls by clicking here.

Texas moved up to No. 15 in both the AP and Coaches polls this week, while Iowa State, projected to be Oklahoma’s biggest challenger in the Big 12 race this season, dropped a couple of spots (to No. 9 in the AP poll and No. 10 in the Coaches Poll). Oklahoma State broke into the top 25 this week at No. 23 in the Coaches Poll.

The Athletic did a 1-130 ranking of FBS teams after Week 1 of the season. Oklahoma is No. 5 in that ranking behind No. 1 Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Clemson. The Sooners are No. 4 in the ESPN College Football Power Index this week, down one spot.

Home/OU Football