Are the Oklahoma Sooners being overlooked by media in early top-25 rankings heading into 2025?

The Oklahoma Sooners had a disappointing 2024 season, falling well short of their expectations with a 6-7 season and a horrific loss to Navy in the bowl game. Their first season in the SEC saw them go 2-6 in conference play, beating Alabama and Auburn but losing horribly to Texas, South Carolina, and LSU. 

Despite that, there is still some optimism around the team from analysts. In his latest Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings, ESPN's Mark Schlabach ranked the Sooners 25th. 

"The Sooners didn't have much to cheer about in their first season in the SEC, finishing 6-7 for the second time in three years. Coach Brent Venables needs a bounce-back season in a big way, and he has transformed his offense to try to make it happen. Mateer threw for 3,139 yards with 29 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, while rushing for 826 and 15 scores. Ott was one of the top runners in the FBS with 1,305 yards in 2023, but he limped through an injury-plagued season last year. Gibson, an FCS All-American in 2024, broke his right leg during spring practice, but Venables says he is hopeful he'll be back before the start of the season. The Sooners were pretty sound on defense last season, and Thomas, Williams and Jackson are an imposing front. The secondary should be good again with Spears-Jennings and both Bowens returning. With home games against Michigan, Auburn, Texas (in Dallas), Ole Miss, and LSU, and road games at South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama, Oklahoma will have to be much better to be a surprise."

However, given the nature of some of the teams ahead of them in this ranking, I'm starting to wonder if the Sooners are being overlooked.

The record is what it is. You can't deny that 6-7 isn't acceptable for Oklahoma. However, the way that the games played out suggests a major positive regression for this season. 

You can directly attribute their losses against Tennessee, South Carolina, Missouri, and Ole Miss to their quarterback play, and that played a major factor against both Texas and LSU. Jackson Arnold's turnovers and poor play in the pocket directly lost them the game against Tennessee, Missouri, and Ole Miss, while Michael Hawkins' turnovers did the same against South Carolina. That was further exacerbated by a stale offense and a slew of injuries. 

Oklahoma got rid of two of those anchors with the hire of new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and the addition of quarterback John Mateer to the team. Their biggest problems that dragged them down in 2024 aren't on the team anymore. They upgraded the roster across the board and returned almost all of their key production. 

The Sooners' defense was one of the most elite units in college football last season, and they will still be up there in 2025 with all of the talent they return and have added. 

Despite everything breaking wrong for the Sooners in 2024, they were still competitive to the very end against Missouri, Ole Miss, and Tennessee, and I would argue that they would have beaten South Carolina if even one of Michael Hawkins's turnovers had gone the other way. 

This team still beat a significantly more talented Alabama team, and it's clear that the Sooners have a fantastic culture and play hard for Brent Venables. 

Looking at their schedule and opponents they play, it's hard to envision the Sooners won't be much better this season. Michigan lost all of its important talent and returned very little. Tennessee's roster feels wide open after the loss of so many playmakers on both sides of the ball. The same goes for South Carolina, Missouri, and Ole Miss. A much worse team already beat a much better Alabama team, and Alabama lost plenty of its own talent this offseason. 

With all of the additions the Sooners have already made to a team that played much better than the results would indicate, and a schedule that feels wide open, it feels like people are underestimating what Oklahoma can do this season.

Which is exactly the way the Sooners would have it.