Completed Event: Football at Temple on September 13, 2025 , Win , 42, to, 3
Final
Football
42
at Temple
3
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners No. 2 in Preseason AP Poll
August 16, 2021 | Football
NORMAN — For the 19th time in the last 21 years, the Oklahoma football team is ranked in the Associated Press preseason top 10. The AP released its preseason top 25 Monday morning and OU is ranked No. 2.
The Sooners, who are coming off a sixth straight Big 12 title and a 55-20 victory over Florida in the Cotton Bowl, accumulated 1,462 points and six of the 62 first-place votes in the poll. Alabama is ranked No. 1 (1,548 points, 47 first-place votes), Clemson is No. 3 (1,447 points, six first-place votes), Ohio State is No. 4 (1,393 points, one first-place vote) and Georgia is No. 5 (1,364 points, three first-place votes).
The rest of the top 10 is comprised of No. 6 Texas A&M (1,223 points), No. 7 Iowa State (1,160), No. 8 Cincinnati (1,014), No. 9 Notre Dame (1,009) and No. 10 North Carolina (999).
This marks the 22nd straight year that OU has appeared in the preseason AP Top 25, which is the second longest current string behind Ohio State (33). It also represents the 63rd time that Oklahoma has appeared in the preseason AP poll, second most behind Ohio State (68 times). OU's all-time average preseason AP rank is 6.5, best in the nation (Alabama is second at 7.3).
Additionally, of its 63 appearances in the AP preseason poll, Oklahoma has been ranked seventh or higher 45 times. That has occurred in 18 of the last 21 preseason polls. OU's No. 2 ranking is its highest in the preseason AP poll since 2011 when the Sooners were ranked No. 1 entering the season.
The Sooners, who have finished in the AP's top seven each of the last six seasons, are one of three Big 12 teams in this year's preseason AP poll. Following OU and Iowa State, Texas is ranked No. 21. Oklahoma State is the top Big 12 team among those receiving votes with 107 points (26th overall) while TCU received 40 votes (28th overall) and West Virginia received three votes.
Oklahoma, which is No. 3 in the preseason USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, was the preseason pick to win the Big 12 Conference by the media and boasts a league-high 10 players earned preseason All-Big 12 honors.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler, redshirt senior tight end/H-back Jeremiah Hall, sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims, redshirt senior offensive lineman Marquis Hayes, junior offensive lineman Wanya Morris, redshirt senior defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas, senior defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey, redshirt junior outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and redshirt junior placekicker Gabe Brkic were selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Junior transfer running back Eric Gray was picked at the Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
OU opens the 2021 season at Tulane on Sept. 4 in New Orleans. The Sooners' home opener is Sept. 11 against Western Carolina at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
The Sooners, who are coming off a sixth straight Big 12 title and a 55-20 victory over Florida in the Cotton Bowl, accumulated 1,462 points and six of the 62 first-place votes in the poll. Alabama is ranked No. 1 (1,548 points, 47 first-place votes), Clemson is No. 3 (1,447 points, six first-place votes), Ohio State is No. 4 (1,393 points, one first-place vote) and Georgia is No. 5 (1,364 points, three first-place votes).
The rest of the top 10 is comprised of No. 6 Texas A&M (1,223 points), No. 7 Iowa State (1,160), No. 8 Cincinnati (1,014), No. 9 Notre Dame (1,009) and No. 10 North Carolina (999).
This marks the 22nd straight year that OU has appeared in the preseason AP Top 25, which is the second longest current string behind Ohio State (33). It also represents the 63rd time that Oklahoma has appeared in the preseason AP poll, second most behind Ohio State (68 times). OU's all-time average preseason AP rank is 6.5, best in the nation (Alabama is second at 7.3).
Additionally, of its 63 appearances in the AP preseason poll, Oklahoma has been ranked seventh or higher 45 times. That has occurred in 18 of the last 21 preseason polls. OU's No. 2 ranking is its highest in the preseason AP poll since 2011 when the Sooners were ranked No. 1 entering the season.
The Sooners, who have finished in the AP's top seven each of the last six seasons, are one of three Big 12 teams in this year's preseason AP poll. Following OU and Iowa State, Texas is ranked No. 21. Oklahoma State is the top Big 12 team among those receiving votes with 107 points (26th overall) while TCU received 40 votes (28th overall) and West Virginia received three votes.
Oklahoma, which is No. 3 in the preseason USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, was the preseason pick to win the Big 12 Conference by the media and boasts a league-high 10 players earned preseason All-Big 12 honors.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler, redshirt senior tight end/H-back Jeremiah Hall, sophomore wide receiver Marvin Mims, redshirt senior offensive lineman Marquis Hayes, junior offensive lineman Wanya Morris, redshirt senior defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas, senior defensive lineman Perrion Winfrey, redshirt junior outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and redshirt junior placekicker Gabe Brkic were selected to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Junior transfer running back Eric Gray was picked at the Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
OU opens the 2021 season at Tulane on Sept. 4 in New Orleans. The Sooners' home opener is Sept. 11 against Western Carolina at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
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/ FootballScene Setter at Tennessee
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Friday, October 31
Coaches Corner - 10/30/25
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Sooner Magic Moments: 2015 at Tennessee
Thursday, October 30
