Alright Sooner Nation, Gather ‘Round: Tier 3? Challenge Accepted

A monologue deviation of the Sooner Nation Podcast "Alright Sooner Nation, gather ‘round—because we’ve got something to talk about... ESPN dropped their massive pre-season FBS rankings... One hundred thirty-six teams. Twenty different tiers. And our Oklahoma Sooners? They’re parked right in Tier 3. Now, I know what some of you are thinking—Tier 3? That’s not where Oklahoma football is supposed to be. But let’s pump the brakes for just a second. This isn’t a death sentence. This isn’t the AP putting you at Number 24 and calling you a fringe contender. No—this is a challenge. This is a call to arms. David Hale over at ESPN calls this section of the rankings, quote: ‘Someone in the S.E.C. has to lose games, too.’ And you know what? He’s right. The S.E.C. is absolutelyy loaded. In this league, somebody’s gonna take some lumps—even good teams. Look, last season we got our welcome gift to the S.E.C.—a nice, cold slap in the face. A 6-7 record... Same eight S.E.C. opponents this year, but now throw in a little non-conference cherry on top—Michigan. Yeah, the pride of the Big 10. And they’re coming to Norman on September 7th. So if you’re looking for a cupcake game in that schedule, keep looking, because it’s not there. Here’s who’s above us in those first two tiers: Georgia, Alabama, Texas, LSU. No surprises there. Then you’ve got us lumped in with Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. That’s not bad company—but it’s also proof that the margin for error is microscopic. And that’s the thing about the S.E.C... It’s not like the Big 12, where you could drop a game and still have a fairly clear path to a title shot. Here, you lose twice and you’re scrambling. You lose three times, and you’re out of the conference picture completely. But let’s zoom out for a second. The national perception right now is this: Oklahoma is talented, yes. Physical, maybe... Prooven in the S.E.C.? Not yet. That’s what this season’s about—turning that ‘not yet’ into ‘absolutely.’ And here’s how you do it: - First, John Mateer has to settle in at quarterback. You can’t have your offense in limbo during this schedule. - Second, Jaydn Ott has to be the thunder in the backfield. I’m talking about taking over games in the second half, wearing defenses down, and breaking tackles when it matters. - Third, Brent Venables’ defense has to keep Oklahoma in games when the offense stalls. In the S.E.C. you will stall. It’s inevitable. But if you can weather those storms, you can steal wins. The good news? The 12-team playoff changes the math. In the old format, you could forget about making the playoff with more than one loss. Now, a two-loss S.E.C. team can absolutely get in—maybe even three losses if the résumé is strong enough. But that also means you’ve got to beat other Tier 3 teams. You can’t just hang with them. You’ve got to bury them. This year’s schedule gives Oklahoma plenty of chances to prove it belongs in the upper echelon. The S.E.C. heavyweights? You’re gonna see them... The new rivals? You’re gonna see them, too. And every one of those games is going to be a test of depth, of discipline, and of pure willpower. See, here’s the truth—Tier 3 isn’t where Oklahoma wants to end up, but it’s where they’re starting this journey. The climb is in front of them. And the difference between climbing up or sliding down could be one bad snap, one missed tackle, one turnover in the fourth quarter. So, Sooner Nation, here’s the mission: survive the gauntlet, yes—but don’t just survive it. Punch back... Win the games you’re not ‘supposed’ to win. Make life miserable for the Alabamas and the Texases of the world. And when December comes around, make sure ESPN’s next tier list has to move you up. Because this season isn’t just about proving you belong in the SEC—it’s about proving you can thrive here. And for Oklahoma, there’s no better time to start than right now." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices