College football season is nearing, and the 2024 campaign could be one for the ages. Conference realignment is in full effect — headlined by the Oklahoma Sooners, joined by the Texas Longhorns, joining the SEC. Those are the moves that kicked off the movement, as the Oregon Ducks, Washington Huskies, UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans head to the Big Ten.
How both the Sooners and Longhorns are being talked about heading into their inaugural SEC campaign has been interesting. The Longhorns are rolling into the conference with hype, while the Sooners are seemingly being left behind. With SEC media days taking place, we now have a media poll laying out the predicted order of the conference.
Oklahoma Sooners predicted mid-table during SEC Preseason Media Poll
Unsurprisingly, the Longhorns were ranked No. 2 in the SEC Preseason Media Poll. What is surprising, but not unexpected, was the Sooners’ No. 8 ranking. They went 10-2 in the regular season a year ago and even defeated Texas in Red River Rivalry. Now, the SEC is full of depth and Oklahoma does have a gauntlet of a schedule — but Brent Venables is headed into his third year with the program and has shown improvement since his arrival.
READ MORE: Where do Oklahoma Sooners Land in CFB Pre-Season Top 25?
With new coordinators on both sides of the ball, the Sooners are set to be an even better team than last season, even if it doesn’t directly show with their record. The new-look air raid offense, led by first-year starting quarterback Jackson Arnold, could absolutely tear up defenses if the offensive line can hold, and the defense will be stout with an improved line and strong secondary.
A mid-table finish seems shocking for a blue blood program that dominated its previous conference, but it doesn’t seem that far off.
On3’s Thomas Goldkamp reacted to each of the rankings. After praising the sophomore QB in Arnold, he then wrote about the team’s defense.
“The Sooners have some serious pieces defensively and could put their stamp on the 2024 season in that way. Both linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman are elite leaders, and they’ll be counted on to keep Oklahoma pushing through its first SEC slate,” Goldkamp wrote of the Sooners’ ranking.
It’ll be interesting to see the SEC with the arrival of Oklahoma and Texas, and they’ll certainly add to the elite depth of the incredible conference.
READ MORE: Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart Praises Oklahoma Sooners, Jackson Arnold
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