Oklahoma Sooners dip in final 1-131 rankings from The Athletic
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For hopefully the final time of the season, we are looking at where the Oklahoma Sooners fell in a certain publication’s weekly rankings after their Cheez-it Bowl loss to Florida State.
This time, it’s The Athletic’s turn. These rankings are done each week by Chris Vannini and, to no surprise, the Sooners have fallen quite far from where they started in the rankings back in August.
After starting the year at No. 10, the Sooners landed at No. 47 after their bowl game defeat. On the bright side, it could be much worse for OU. There are multiple Big 12 teams behind them in the rankings, and after all the transfer portal additions and departures, it’s going to be a very different team in 2023.
Up top, the rankings are as one would expect. The reigning national champion Georgia Bulldogs are No. 1, TCU is No. 2, Michigan is No. 3, and Ohio State is No. 4.
The Big 12 shaped up about as you’d expect, with TCU and Kansas State leading the way and West Virginia and Iowa State bringing up the year.
So let’s take a look at each and every team in the Big 12 and where they will finish the 2022 season in The Athletic’s rankings (subscription required).
2. TCU Horned Frogs
Dec 3, 2022; Arlington, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan (15) lays on the field after being stopped short of the goal line by the Kansas State Wildcats defense during overtime at AT&T Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The clock struck midnight on the TCU Horned Frogs magical season. What happened against Georgia shouldn’t take away from everything they accomplished, including delivering the Big 12’s first win in the College Football Playoff. Losing Garrett Riley, Max Duggan, Quentin Johnston, and Kendre Miller will put TCU in a bit of a reset but look for the Frogs to stay competitive in 2023.
12. Kansas State Wildcats
Nov 26, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Will Howard (18) hands off to running back DJ Giddens (31) against the Kansas Jayhawks during the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
It may have taken four years, but Kansas State reaped the rewards of hiring Chris Klieman with their first Big 12 championship in a decade.
26. Texas Longhorns
Oct 8, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) throws during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Texas is back on the winning side of things, but after their start, the finish wasn’t what many expected. Still, Steve Sarkisian has things looking up in Austin. The Longhorns will be a lot of people’s frontrunners for the Big 12 title in 2023.
36. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Oct 1, 2022; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Donovan Smith (7) drops back to pass during the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Texas Tech’s rise in year one of Joey McGuire could be a sign that the Red Raiders are ready to take the next step. If Tyler Shough can stay healthy and play in 2023 the way he finished 2022, Tech may contend for the Big 12 title.
46. Baylor Bears
Nov 25, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Blake Shapen (12) throws a pass during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Baylor’s fall from grace was surprising. A team with arguably the best offensive and defensive lines in the conference couldn’t put it together week to week and the defense regressed in Dave Aranda’s third season in Waco.
47. Oklahoma Sooners
Dec 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) throws a pass against the Florida State Seminoles during the second quarter in the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports
Things didn’t go according to plan for Oklahoma, but five of their seven losses came by seven points or less. Much closer to an eight or nine-win team than one would imagine just looking at the record.
48. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
The Oklahoma State Cowboys’ finish to the 2022 regular season left a lot to be desired. It was so bad that defensive coordinator Derrick Mason decided he was done with football for the time being after one season in Stillwater.
56. Kansas Jayhawks
Nov 19, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) drops back to pass as Texas Longhorns defensive end Ovie Oghoufo (18) defends during the first half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
All good things must come to an end. Everything was coming up roses for the Kansas Jayhawks after their start to the season. Then, unlike in 2021, the Jayhawks struggled down the stretch.
74. Iowa State Cyclones
Nov 26, 2022; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Hunter Dekkers (12) hands off to running back Eli Sanders (6) against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
No offense, great defense. Sounds about like the opposite of the Oklahoma Sooners in 2022. Life without Brock Purdy and Breece Hall was eye-opening for those in Ames.
75. West Virginia Mountaineers
Nov 12, 2022; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Isaiah Coe (94) celebrates following a tackle during the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
If the West Virginia Mountaineers had turned to Garrett Greene earlier in the season, could they have had a better outcome in 2022? We’ll never know.
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