The Oklahoma Sooners are on the verge of getting back what they lost.
The Sooners climbed as high as No. 10 in rankings after a 13-0 start to the season and undefeated nonconference slate. Then, after an 0-4 start to SEC play, the Sooners plummeted from the top 10 to out of the rankings within two weeks.
After back-to-back SEC wins, the Sooners are now on the cusp of being ranked again. OU received two votes in the latest Associated Press Top 25 that was released Monday. The Sooners, though, did not receive any votes in the most recent USA Today Coaches Poll.
The Sooners will not be short on opportunities to earn that national respect back, though. OU can avenge one of its losses Tuesday night against No. 13 Texas A&M. The Sooners had the Aggies down 18 points in the second half before Texas A&M stormed back to win in OU's SEC home opener.
Splitting games between No. 13 Texas A&M and No. 24 Vanderbilt this week would at least be enough to keep the Sooners still receiving votes next week. A pair of wins over top-25 teams, though, would likely put a number next to OU's logo again next week.
This is a common week for the Sooners in the SEC. The conference had 10 teams featured in the latest AP Top 25, including No. 1 Aurburn, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Florida, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 12 Kentucky, No. 13 Texas A&M, No. 14 Mississippi State, No. 20 Missouri, No. 23 Ole Miss and No. 24 Vanderbilt.
Plus, the Sooners and Texas are also receiving votes in the poll.
With that, the Sooners' next five games will be against ranked opponents. Three of those will be against top-15 teams with a trip to No. 1 Auburn on Feb. 4.