The 2024 college football season came to an end on Monday night in Atlanta, Georgia. The Ohio State Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish by a score of 34-23. It was the first national title for the Buckeyes in 10 years, as they won in the first year of the 12-team CFP. They also won the inaugural four-team playoff back in 2014.
With the season coming to a close, it’s time to look ahead to the 2025 campaign. After a disappointing 2024, the Oklahoma Sooners are looking to bounce back after going 6-7 in head coach Brent Venables’ third year. As many are beginning to compile early rankings for next year, there’s no guarantee that OU is included in the Top 25.
That is the case for ESPN. Staff writer Mark Schlabach put together his way-too-early college football top 25 for the 2025 season and the Oklahoma Sooners missed the cut. They were also excluded from the “also considered” category.
The Sooners were ranked in On3’s version of the list, as OU landed at No. 18. That goes to show the variance of what analysts believe Oklahoma could look like in 2025.
There were a total of nine SEC teams included in ESPN’s Top 25 as Texas, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Ole Miss all found their way on the list. Both Auburn and Missouri were teams that were also considered for the Top 25.
It’s a startling reminder of how far things have fallen under Venables’ leadership. The Sooners would be at best the No. 12 team in the SEC going into the season, according to ESPN. The head coach has to oversee a very dramatic turnaround in Norman, or he’ll be elsewhere in 2026.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
