Oklahoma earned its status as a blueblood of college football many years ago but has fallen from its status as an elite program over the past three seasons under Brent Venables.
The Sooners have had just 14 losing seasons in the 129-year history of their football program, and two of them have come in the last three seasons, both 6-6 regular season finishes followed by losses in the bowl game. This year was Oklahoma’s first in the SEC, and all they have to show for it is a 2-6 record in conference play, plus a loss to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl.
The 2025 season appears to have at least a semblance of hope with a new offensive coordinator and transfer quarterback, John Mateer, coming to Norman. However, the vast majority of college football media outlets appear to be out on the Sooners heading into Year 4 of the Venables’ regime.
Over the last several days, “Way-Too-Early Top 25” lists for the 2025 season have trickled out from virtually every major media outlet, but Oklahoma is scarcely mentioned.
Take a look for yourself:
| Way-Too-Early Top 25 Poll | Where OU Ranks |
|---|---|
| ESPN | — |
| FOX Sports | — |
| NCAA | — |
| Pro Football Focus | — |
| On3 | No. 18 |
| The Athletic | No. 25 |
| 247Sports | No. 25 |
| Sports Illustrated | — |
| Yahoo Sports | — |
| CBS Sports | — |
Seven of the 10 biggest entities didn’t mention Oklahoma in their Top 25, and of the three that did, two of them had the Sooners as the final program to make the cut at No. 25.
On3’s Way-Too-Early Top 25—co-authored by Ari Wasserman and Andy Staples—is the highest on Oklahoma, bringing them in at No. 18 in their Top 25.
Still, it’s rare that OU doesn’t show up on these, and for the past two decades, they were a lock to be inside the Top 15. However, times appear to have changed in Norman, and unfortunately for the Crimson Clad army of football fans there, it hasn’t been for the better.
