Where does Greg McElroy have Oklahoma in his preseason Top 25?

The Oklahoma Sooners enter the 2024 season with more fanfare than they did a year ago. It’s Year 3 of the Brent Venables era. OU bounced back in 2023 with a 10-3 mark after an unacceptable 6-7 season in 2022.

The Sooners exit the Big 12 and enter the SEC this season, causing many national analysts to doubt how high Oklahoma could finish with a brutal schedule. Still, they’re firmly in the Top 25 entering the season with a chance to prove the naysayers wrong.

One ESPN college football expert believes the Sooners have work to do to get into the College Football Playoff in 2024. Greg McElroy is the host of the ESPN podcast “ Always College Football ” and is a part of ESPN’s No. 2 broadcast booth for college football, providing color commentary alongside Sean McDonough’s play-by-play.

The former national championship-winning quarterback released his preseason Top 25 rankings , placing the Sooners at No. 17.

Oddly enough, this is one spot behind rival Oklahoma State and just ahead of current Big 12 members Utah and Kansas State. McElroy has the Sooners eighth in the SEC before the season. OU’s new conference had 10 of the 25 teams in McElroy’s list, the most of any conference.

The No. 17 ranking would mean the Sooners would be on the outside looking in at the inaugural 12-team playoff. Fortunately, it’s not about where you start, it’s about where you finish.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @AaronGelvin .