NORMAN — Oklahoma was ranked No. 1 in Sports Illustrated’s “way-too-early” 2016 college football top-25 preseason rankings released Monday.
The Sooners finished the 2015 season ranked No. 5 in the major polls after winning the Big 12 championship and reaching the College Football Playoff semifinals, where they lost a 37-17 Orange Bowl contest against Clemson.
OU definitely appears poised for another run at the playoff in 2016, with key offensive weapons like quarterback Baker Mayfield and running backs Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon set to return.
There are questions about Oklahoma’s receiver corps after losing Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal, but the Sooners do return second-leading receiver Dede Westbrook, playmaking tight end Mark Andrews and added Penn State transfer Geno Lewis.