The Oklahoma Sooners weren't even at the bottom of ESPN's 2025 Way-Too-Early college football top 25 rankings.
ESPN released its first set of preseason rankings for the 2025 season only moments after the 2024 season ended with the Ohio State Buckeyes being crowned national champions on Monday night.
The Sooners were nowhere to be found anywhere in those preseason rankings. OU was left out of the top 25, then at the bottom, ESPN listed 11 other programs that were considered, and the Sooners weren't even mentioned there.
OU not in the top 25 isn't a surprise after a 6-7 season, but the lack of consideration was, especially considering who was. The 11 other teams listed included Auburn, Texas Tech, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Baylor, Duke, Washington, Nebraska, Iowa, Army and Colorado.
Auburn was first on the list. The Sooners actually beat Auburn this season, and all the Tigers have really gained since was former OU quarterback Jackson Arnold, who was actually OU's backup QB when the Sooners beat Auburn. The Sooners replaced Arnold with John Mateer, the No. 1 player available in the transfer portal.
These Way-Too-Early rankings are starting to flood in with the college football offseason officially here. On3 was the first to release any and included OU at No. 18, surprisingly.
Even with On3's ranking, there are still no expectations for the Sooners to pop up on these Way-Too-Early rankings after a 6-7 season and having to replace both coordinators. Nor do any of these matter in late January.
This shows the respect OU has quickly lost as a football program. Brand and logo alone usually would have gotten the Sooners at least considered by ESPN, if not inside the top 25. Media outlets would assume the Sooners would reload and there would be no chance of back-to-back poor seasons.
But this is a new era of college football. The reality is the Sooners haven't really accomplished anything during this time of NIL and the transfer portal. OU also entered a new conference and won only two SEC games Year 1.
Brent Venables has reloaded the Sooners, though. He went and got Ben Arbuckle from Washington State as his new offensive coordinator. Arbuckle was the hottest offensive name of the offseason at only 29 years old. It sounds like Venables could land an even bigger name to be the defensive coordinator.
The Sooners also added Arbuckle's old quarterback, Mateer, from the transfer portal. Mateer already has Heisman Trophy odds for 2025.
These preseason rankings have nothing to do with what OU is actually losing or bringing in. They are educated guesses and assumptions based on these program's expectations.
These rankings unveil, though, the respect OU has lost as a program in such a short time. However, don't let them lead you to believe that the Sooners aren't working toward getting it back.