In the 2024 preseason, the Sooners were ranked among the top four SEC teams. Football Power Index on ESPN
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Less than 30 days from now, on July 1, Oklahoma will formally join the SEC Conference, which is regarded as the best conference in college football.
In the years since Texas and Oklahoma formally announced their move to the SEC, a much has been written about the humiliation the Sooner football program will face playing in the top conference and against some of the best teams in college football.
In addition to developing the recruiting, talent development, operational processes, and culture necessary to contend at a high level in the SEC, Brent Venables has been building and shaping the Oklahoma squad. When Venables took over a Sooner program that was beginning to take two steps back for every step ahead, there were many questions and worries. However, many of those issues have been addressed, and in a way that looks positive going forward.
Nobody really believes that Oklahoma will enter the SEC and win 14 conference titles since 2000, like it has done in the Big 12, but there are growing signs that the Sooners could surprise a lot of people with their performance in the competitive SEC football landscape.
Before the 2024 season, a lot of the nation’s top 25 teams were projected far too early and after the spring, which will result in significant conference realignment revisions. Oklahoma State is predicted to finish in the middle of the 16-team SEC this next season, in the range of 7-8-9, according to the majority of those early rankings and projections.
As the new season approaches, one of those metrics that has a more optimistic outlook on Oklahoma football is the 2024 ESPN College Football Index. It’s worth seeing if you haven’t already. Oklahoma projects as the No. 8 team in the nation going into the 2024 season, per the most recent FPI, which is a potential indicator of a team’s strength during the course of the whole college football season.
The FPI calculates a team’s numerical value based on how many points above or below the season average they are. Now, the Sooners’ FPI stands at 17.2. That is the fourth-best squad in the SEC for the 2024 season and, get this, the eighth-best club out of the 134 FBS teams that are taken into account for the ranking. Oklahoma is ranked lower than just Georgia (No. 1), Texas (No. 3), and Alabama (No. 5).
We’ll find out in three months how feasible this is, especially considering that the SEC has one of the most challenging conference schedules for 2024. However, Sooner supporters have something positive to hang their hat on for the time being at least.
Prior to the SEC move, Steve Sarkisian reveals his plans for Texas.
GRANT BRICKERJUN 5, 2024, 7:06 PM EDT ORIGINAL CHAT
Steve Sarkisian is preparing for his inaugural season in the SEC. The Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns will join the conference in autumn.
Texas had a successful conclusion to its final Big 12 season. After defeating the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 Championship game, the Longhorns secured their spot in the College Football Playoffs.
Even though the playoffs did not go as planned, the season was nevertheless a triumph. Quinn Ewers will return to the quarterback position for Texas in 2024, along with a host of other interesting weapons.
In a Wednesday interview with Sirius XM, Sarkisian talked about the initial phases of reconstructing Texas. He set out to build a team capable of going up against the best college football teams every single week. Building a team capable of winning national championships was Sarkisian’s aim.
Chris Del Conte, the athletic director of the University of Texas at Austin, and head coach Steve Sarkisian celebrate following the Big 12 Championship game’s 49-21 victory over Oklahoma State at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, December 2, 2023 in Arlington.
Chris Del Conte, the athletic director of the University of Texas at Austin, and head coach Steve Sarkisian celebrate following the Big 12 Championship game’s 49-21 victory over Oklahoma State at AT&T Stadium on Saturday, December 2, 2023 in Arlington.
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“When I started working here, I had meetings with our president, Jay Hartzell, and Chris Del Conte to discuss what we needed and how to build it. You discuss your plan,” Sarkisian remarked. “We’re going to need to assemble a team that can play with and eventually defeat Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, Ohio State, and Notre Dame,” I stated at the time. Since those are the enduring teams that are contested in the championship round. To go win a national title is Texas’s aim.
Before heading to the SEC, Jay Hartzell, the president, and Chris Del Conte, the athletic director for Texas, questioned Sarkisian about what was required. Sarkisian had Texas exactly on schedule at that point.
“‘So what needs to change?’ they asked when they revealed to me that we were planning to go before the SEC. “Nothing,” I replied. Since we were already constructing for that purpose.” stated Sarkisian.
Texas’ first game of the season is scheduled for August 31 against Colorado State. On September 28, it will play Mississippi State in its first SEC match.