SOONER WIRE - The Oklahoma Sooners were snubbed in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll released last week but find themselves in a prominent position in the preseason AP Top 25 released on Monday. The Sooners landed at No. 18 in the nation, the seventh-highest rated team in the preseason poll. It’s the 26th consecutive season that the Sooners have been ranked inside the top 25, and it is the second-longest streak in the nation behind the Ohio State Buckeyes.

OU’s all-time average preseason AP rank is 7.07, best in the nation (Alabama is second at 7.10).

The Texas Longhorns are the unanimous No. 1 team in the nation heading into the season after they were voted No. 1 in the coaches poll as well. Penn State earned the No. 2 spot in front of Big Ten rival and defending national champion Ohio State, which was voted the No. 2 team in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Rounding out the top five are the No. 4 Clemson Tigers, the prohibitive favorite in the ACC, and the back-to-back defending SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs at No. 5.

The Sooners will play five teams ranked in front of them in the preseason AP Top 25. No. 1 Texas, No. 8 Alabama, No. 9 LSU, No. 13 South Carolina, and No. 14 Michigan. Oklahoma also faces top 25 teams, No. 21 Ole Miss and No. 24 Tennessee.

Oklahoma comes into the season with something to prove after finishing 6-7 in 2024 with an offense that ranked No. 97 in the nation. But Brent Venables and general manager Jim Nagy have rebuilt the offensive side of the ball for new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle. Led by transfer portal additions, quarterback John Mateer and running back Jaydn Ott, the Sooners have a chance to completely re-write the narrative surrounding the program in 2025.

OU opens the 2025 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 30, against Illinois State at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.

Here’s a look at the full preseason AP Top 25 for the 2025 Season.

Preseason AP Top 25 Rank, T e a m , Points, Final Rank 2024 1 Texas 1,552 (25) 4 2 Penn State 1,547 (23) 5 3 Ohio State 1,472 (11) 1 4 Clemson 1,398 (4) 14 5 Georgia 1,331 (1)6 6 Notre Dame 1,325 2 7 Oregon 1,236 (1) 3 8 Alabama 1,179 17 9 LSU 1,174 NR 10 Miami (FL) 889 18 11 Arizona State 791 7 12 Illinois 713 16 13 South Carolina 667 19 14 Michigan662 NR 15 Florida 626 NR 16 SMU 565 12 17 Kansas State 512 NR 18 Oklahoma 463 NR 19 Texas A&M 434 NR 20 Indiana 423 10 21 Ole Miss 370 11 22 Iowa State 309 15 23 Texas Tech 274 NR 24 Tennessee 192 9 25 Boise State 191 8

Others Receiving Votes

BYU, Utah, Baylor, Louisville, USC, Georgia Tech, Missouri, Tulane, Nebraska, UNLV, Toledo, Auburn, James Madison, Memphis, Florida State, Duke, Liberty, Navy, Iowa, TCU, Pittsburgh, Army, Colorado, Louisiana-Lafayette