Oklahoma Football vs. SEC in ESPN Football Power Index

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI – OCTOBER 26: head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on October 26, 2024 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)

The Oklahoma Sooners may not be where anyone expects this proud program to be eight games into the season. It was always going to be a tough season in year one in the SEC. At the same time, it’s hard to imagine Oklahoma sitting at 4-4 and just 1-4 in conference play with an offense that can’t consistently move the football.

There were some positive signs in the loss to Ole Miss, but Oklahoma isn’t a “moral victory” program that hangs its hat on the positive signs. There are greater expectations for the seven-time national champions, a program that’s won 50 conference championships.

There’s a lot of work ahead for Brent Venables and his staff but they’ve shown they can recruit and build a defense. The defense may not be perfect yet, but it’s made vast improvements from the unit that allowed 30 points per game in Brent Venables’ first season in 2022.

All the Oklahoma Sooners can do at this point is try to finish the season on a high note and earn bowl eligibility. The Sooners have a tough mountain to climb in a deep SEC, but according to the ESPN Football Power Index, they’re not that far off from some of the teams in the middle of the pack.

Here’s a look at the updated ESPN Football Power Index after Week 9 and where each team stacks up in the conference and nationally.

Oct 26, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) runs for a touchdown against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the third quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images

National FPI Rank: 72

Just when it looked like Mississippi…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/oklahoma-football-vs-sec-espn-152931151.html

Author : Sooners Wire

Publish date : 2024-10-28 15:29:31

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.