College football expert completely forgets about Sooners after bye week in latest CFP prediction

CBS Sports' Bud Elliott was one of the few national college football experts that predicted the Oklahoma Sooners to be a College Football Playoff contender before the season even started, but after OU went just one Saturday without playing during its bye week, it's like Elliott's model forgot the Sooners are back.

Elliott released his new projected CFP bracket after a chaotic Week 5 of college football, and although the Sooners weren't a causality of the madness while watching from home, they weren't included in Elliott's projected field of 12 for the first time this season.

CBS Sports' Bud Elliott leaves Oklahoma off College Football Playoff projection

The Sooners have risen to the front of the pack of the SEC after starting 4-0, but even though Elliott included a season-high five SEC teams in the bracket, OU wasn't one of them. SEC teams included were No. 5 Alabama, No. 7 Georgia, No. 9 Texas, No. 10 Texas A&M and No. 11 Ole Miss.

Of the five SEC teams, only the lowest-seeded -- Texas A&M and Ole Miss -- are still undefeated like OU. The Sooners also already have two ranked wins over Michigan and Auburn, which none of them can boast. However, Texas A&M has a case against OU for strength of schedule since the Aggies just beat the same Auburn team the Sooners beat, but Texas A&M faced the Tigers after OU knocked out them of the top 25. Texas, though, hasn't even beaten a Power Four team yet this season.

Last week, after the Sooners beat Auburn and before an upset-heavy Week 5, Elliott had OU as the 7-seed facing No. 10 Texas A&M in the first round. Even before the Sooners proved they turned things around, Elliott had OU in the preseason field at No. 11.

The Sooners return to action against Kent State on Saturday, and although that win won't sway any opinions, a victory over Texas the next week would make OU a mainstay in everyone's CFP predictions.

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