The Oklahoma Sooners absolutely blew out the UTEP Miners 51-0 in their Week 1 opener, but get this: the AP Top 25 voters *still* dropped them. Seriously, a 51-point shutout and they fell one spot, sliding right out of the top 10 to No. 11. It wasn’t just the AP either, they took a hit in the US LBM Coaches Poll too, despite what seemed like a dominant performance. What gives?
The AP Poll Sent a Clear Message
You can’t argue with 51-0, right? The Sooners looked like they had things dialed in against the Miners. But apparently, the committee wasn’t impressed enough. While Oklahoma was getting pushed down, LSU made a statement with their 51-10 win over Clemson. Lane Kiffin’s crew clearly came out with purpose against Dabo Swinney’s Tigers, earning them a jump from No. 11 to No. 8 and five first-place votes. Meanwhile, Ohio State snagged 46 first-place votes to hold strong at No. 1, and Georgia is chilling at No. 2 despite getting zero first-place votes. Other teams like Notre Dame (4 votes), Texas (2 votes), Indiana (8 votes), Oregon (3 votes), and Miami (1 vote) also got some love from voters. It makes you wonder what more Oklahoma needed to do to stay put, let alone climb.
Hungry Wolverines and a Major Road Test Ahead
Now, the Sooners are heading into a huge road game with a target on their backs, and their next opponent, Michigan, just got a major chip on their shoulder. The Wolverines actually fell *out* of the Top 25 entirely after what’s being called a controversial win over Western Michigan. Think about that: Michigan was expected to be a top-15 team, and now they’re unranked and probably absolutely furious. This isn’t just another game; this is going to be a battle against a hungry Michigan squad desperate to prove their Week 1 was a fluke. It’s on the Sooners to cut through that emotion and just take care of business on the road.
The challenge is real. The Sooners need to show the voters, and themselves, that they belong in the elite. Can they silence the crowd in Ann Arbor and climb back into the top 10 next week? We’re about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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