Oklahoma football: Sooners leapfrog seven spots to No. 5 in AP Top 25
By Chip Rouse
Oklahoma football was rewarded handsomely for its upset victory over No. 3 Texas in the Red River Rivalry game on Saturday, climbing up seven spots, to No. 5 in the Associated Press weekly poll.
The media representatives who cast ballots in the AP poll were a bit more generous than the voters in the Coaches Poll. Oklahoma did move upward, but just not as far, settling in at No. 7 in the national rankings for Week 7.
The Sooners began the season at No. 20 in the AP poll and 19 in the Coaches Poll and one of five Big 12 teams in the preseason rankings. OU was the lowest ranked of the five.
Oklahoma is now the highest-ranked of the three Big 12 teams that are among the top 25 teams this week. Texas dropped to No. 9 in the AP poll and No. 11 in the Coaches Poll. Kansas rejoined the top 25 this week, coming in at No. 23 in the AP poll and 24 in the Coaches Poll. West Virginia was the only other Big 12 team to receive votes.
No. 1 Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State and Florida State sit above the Sooners, according to the AP voters. Penn State and Washington are also ranked above Oklahoma in the Coaches Poll.
Oklahoma (6-0, 3-0) is one of 11 teams in the top 25 that remains unbeaten and the only team in the Big 12 without a loss. The Sooners have a bye this week and don’t return to action until Oct. 21 at home against UCF.
This is the 10th time the Sooners have started the season 6-0 since 2000, which was the year of their last national championship.