ESPN (Mark Schlabach)
www.espn.com
Projected returning starters: seven offense, seven defense, two special teams
Key losses: OT Adrian Ealy, C Creed Humphrey, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, DE Ronnie Perkins, CB Tre Brown, DB Tre Norwood, WR Charleston Rambo
Key additions: RB Kennedy Brooks, WR Mario Williams Jr., OT Savion Byrd
Previous Way-Too-Early ranking: 3
Outlook: The Sooners are looking to end a 21-year drought without a national championship, and coach Lincoln Riley is trying to guide his team to a victory in a CFP game after losing three in a row. OU has more than enough playmakers on offense and its defense might be just good enough to do it, especially with a more-than-manageable nonconference schedule.
The Sooners have offered us a glimpse of what the FBS might look like in an everybody-can-transfer world. Since the end of last season, Riley deftly added six FBS transfers, including three players from Tennessee: running back Eric Gray, offensive tackle Wanya Morris and defensive back Key Lawrence. Each of the former Vols might start for OU this coming season.
OU just recently added former Arkansas receiver Mike Woods, who might help compensate for the loss of Rambo, who departed for Miami. Woods and freshman Mario Williams, who had a team-high five catches for 84 yards in the spring game, should help a receiver corps that was plagued by drops in 2020.
Riley grabbed former Penn State quarterback Micah Bowens after backups Tanner Mordecai and Chandler Morris transferred to SMU and TCU, respectively. Bowens will battle freshman quarterback Caleb Williams for the backup job behind Spencer Rattler; Williams completed 10 of 11 passes for 99 yards with one score and ran for 61 yards in the spring game.
2. Alabama
3. Georgia
4. Clemson
5. Ohio State
6. Iowa State
7. Texas A&M
8. North Carolina
9. Cincinnati
10. Oregon
22. Texas
The Athletic (Stewart Mandel)
theathletic.com
1. Alabama
2. Georgia
Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has upgraded OU’s long-maligned defense considerably (from 102nd nationally in 2018 to 26th in 2020). Stud pass rusher Nik Bonitto leads a deep front seven, and safety Delarrin-Turner Yell anchors a transformed secondary.
4. Ohio State
5. Clemson
6. Texas A&M
7. Iowa State
8. Cincinnati
9. LSU
10. Oregon
15. Texas
Just outside: OSU and TCU
Oklahoma takes over top spot in post-spring power rankings
While perennial title contenders Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State will have to replace quarterbacks this year, Oklahoma returns Spencer Rattler, helping the Sooners take the top spot in our updated offseason rankings.
1. Oklahoma Sooners
2020 record: 9-2 (6-2 Big 12)Projected returning starters: seven offense, seven defense, two special teams
Key losses: OT Adrian Ealy, C Creed Humphrey, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, DE Ronnie Perkins, CB Tre Brown, DB Tre Norwood, WR Charleston Rambo
Key additions: RB Kennedy Brooks, WR Mario Williams Jr., OT Savion Byrd
Previous Way-Too-Early ranking: 3
Outlook: The Sooners are looking to end a 21-year drought without a national championship, and coach Lincoln Riley is trying to guide his team to a victory in a CFP game after losing three in a row. OU has more than enough playmakers on offense and its defense might be just good enough to do it, especially with a more-than-manageable nonconference schedule.
The Sooners have offered us a glimpse of what the FBS might look like in an everybody-can-transfer world. Since the end of last season, Riley deftly added six FBS transfers, including three players from Tennessee: running back Eric Gray, offensive tackle Wanya Morris and defensive back Key Lawrence. Each of the former Vols might start for OU this coming season.
OU just recently added former Arkansas receiver Mike Woods, who might help compensate for the loss of Rambo, who departed for Miami. Woods and freshman Mario Williams, who had a team-high five catches for 84 yards in the spring game, should help a receiver corps that was plagued by drops in 2020.
Riley grabbed former Penn State quarterback Micah Bowens after backups Tanner Mordecai and Chandler Morris transferred to SMU and TCU, respectively. Bowens will battle freshman quarterback Caleb Williams for the backup job behind Spencer Rattler; Williams completed 10 of 11 passes for 99 yards with one score and ran for 61 yards in the spring game.
2. Alabama
3. Georgia
4. Clemson
5. Ohio State
6. Iowa State
7. Texas A&M
8. North Carolina
9. Cincinnati
10. Oregon
22. Texas
The Athletic (Stewart Mandel)
College football post-spring Top 25 topped by Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma: Mandel's rankings
Where do Iowa State, Coastal Carolina, Texas and others rank after the college football spring practices and games?
theathletic.com
1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Oklahoma
Lincoln Riley already had another loaded offense in the works, led by QB Spencer Rattler, before adding a couple of likely starters from Tennessee: RB Eric Gray and tackle Wanya Morris. In addition to top returning receivers Marvin Mims and Theo Wease, freshman Mario Williams stood out and Arkansas transfer Mike Woods only adds to the riches there. The O-line has some questions but should be improved.Meanwhile, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has upgraded OU’s long-maligned defense considerably (from 102nd nationally in 2018 to 26th in 2020). Stud pass rusher Nik Bonitto leads a deep front seven, and safety Delarrin-Turner Yell anchors a transformed secondary.
4. Ohio State
5. Clemson
6. Texas A&M
7. Iowa State
8. Cincinnati
9. LSU
10. Oregon
15. Texas
Just outside: OSU and TCU
