Oklahoma Sooners Left Off Preseason Coaches Poll for First Time Since 1999, Signaling a New Era of Uncertainty in Norman
For the first time since 1999, the Oklahoma Sooners are absent from the preseason coaches poll — a moment that, while perhaps predictable, still feels jarring for a program so synonymous with sustained excellence. Since Bob Stoops arrived in Norman and sparked a resurgence that lasted over two decades, Oklahoma has been a fixture in preseason rankings, a symbol of consistency in a sport that rarely provides any. But now, entering the 2025 season, that consistency has been disrupted, and the Sooners find themselves in unfamiliar territory: overlooked, doubted, and on the outside looking in.
To some, this omission is a long time coming. The Sooners stumbled through 2024 with inconsistency on both sides of the ball and failed to meet the standards that fans and pundits alike have come to expect. They lost winnable games, their defense — while improved — still lacked the edge needed to win close matchups, and their quarterback play was erratic down the stretch. For a program used to dominance in the Big 12, the final season before moving to the SEC felt like a misstep at exactly the wrong time.
But to others, this year’s snub reflects more about perception than reality. Oklahoma’s transition under Brent Venables has been rocky at times, but not without signs of long-term potential. The former Clemson defensive coordinator inherited a roster built more for finesse than for the physicality required in the SEC, and his attempt to reshape the culture and structure of the program has faced predictable resistance and growing pains. Yet through it all, there have been glimpses of what Oklahoma might become: a defense-first, blue-collar team that wins with toughness and discipline — a stark contrast from the Lincoln Riley era’s flash and finesse.
The absence from the preseason coaches poll might sting, but it also provides an opportunity. In many ways, this is the first time in over two decades that Oklahoma has the freedom to operate without the weight of national expectations. There will be no preseason playoff predictions, no Heisman hype machine, no lofty comparisons to past teams. Instead, the Sooners will enter 2025 with something to prove, and if history is any guide, that’s a dangerous position for their opponents.
Oklahoma has thrived in similar scenarios before. In 2000, Stoops’ second year, the Sooners were largely overlooked and unranked heading into the season. They responded by running the table and winning a national championship. That team, much like the current one, was fueled by a chip on its shoulder and a hunger to reestablish itself on the national stage. Brent Venables, who was on the staff back then, surely hasn’t forgotten that.
But make no mistake — this current Sooners team isn’t just a nostalgia project. There is real talent on the roster, starting with sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold. A former five-star recruit, Arnold showed flashes in limited action last year and is now poised to take over full time. He’s mobile, confident, and possesses the arm strength to make all the necessary throws. But like many young quarterbacks, his success will hinge on the pieces around him — and whether Oklahoma can give him enough support in the trenches and at the skill positions to develop without being overwhelmed.
The Sooners’ offensive line, once a strength, has been in flux recently. Injuries and inconsistent play led to a rotating cast of starters in 2024, and the lack of cohesion often left the offense sputtering in key moments. That has to change if Arnold is to find success in his first year as the full-time starter. On the outside, the Sooners have speed but lack proven star power. The hope is that one or two breakout performers emerge early in the season to provide Arnold with reliable targets.
On defense, Venables has been slowly assembling the kind of unit that resembles the dominant Clemson groups he helped build — fast, physical, and disruptive. The addition of several SEC-caliber transfers gives the defense more depth and versatility than it’s had in years, and the coaching staff believes this group could be the one that finally changes the narrative about Oklahoma’s toughness on that side of the ball. If the front seven can generate pressure and the secondary can avoid the breakdowns that plagued them last year, this defense might surprise people.
Still, the SEC presents challenges that go beyond just talent. The week-to-week grind is unlike anything Oklahoma has faced in the Big 12. There are no layups, no breathers, and no soft stretches in the schedule. Every game will test depth, discipline, and resilience. For a program still figuring out its identity, the transition could be bumpy. And that, more than anything, likely explains why the coaches poll voters left Oklahoma off the list. There’s uncertainty — not about the ceiling, but about the floor.
Yet this omission could end up being a blessing in disguise. Without the pressure of a top-25 ranking, the Sooners can focus on internal development and culture-building. The players can use the slight as motivation, the coaching staff can set realistic goals, and the team as a whole can bond over the shared experience of being doubted. Often in college football, the most dangerous teams are the ones with nothing to lose and something to prove.
It also resets expectations externally. For too long, Oklahoma has been judged not just by current performance but by legacy. Every team was expected to live up to the standards of past legends — Heisman winners, national champions, and playoff contenders. That’s a heavy burden for any 19-year-old quarterback or first-year starter. The current group can now chart its own course, free from the constant comparisons to Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts. Jackson Arnold doesn’t have to be the next anyone. He just needs to be the best version of himself, and that might be enough.
Of course, none of this means Oklahoma is guaranteed to bounce back in 2025. The margin for error is slim, and the competition is fierce. But the foundation is in place. The coaching staff has a vision, the roster has potential, and the hunger — so clearly missing at times in recent years — seems to be returning. It might not happen all at once, and it might not result in a playoff berth this season, but the long-term trajectory is still trending upward.
The national narrative might have moved on, but that doesn’t mean Oklahoma is finished. Programs of this stature don’t fade away quietly. They adapt, they reload, and they respond. Being unranked in the preseason coaches poll might be a temporary embarrassment, but it could also be the spark that reignites a proud program that had, for a time, lost its edge.
In the end, this is not a eulogy for Oklahoma football — it’s a wake-up call. One that the players, coaches, and fans would do well to heed. The streak may be over, but the story isn’t. In fact, it might just be getting started.
