Oklahoma Sooners drop in final US LBM Coaches Poll of 2023
The 2023 season has come and gone, and what a ride it was. Michigan went undefeated and won the national championship. Georgia failed to make the playoff. Jordan Travis’ injury provided the biggest “what if?” of the season.
The Oklahoma Sooners improved in 2023, earning Brent Venables’ first 10-win season as a head coach. After their win over Texas, it felt like the playoff was a reasonable expectation. But losses to Kansas and Oklahoma State in back-to-back weeks spoiled what looked to be an incredible turnaround.
Still, it was a strong season that gives the Sooners a lot to look forward to as they get ready for the SEC.
Now that the season’s concluded let’s take a look at where the Sooners landed in the final US LBM Coaches Poll of the 2023 season.
More: Sooner Nation reacts on Social Media to Michigan’s national title win
Michigan Wolverines (15-0)
Previous: 1
Amid all of the controversy, the Michigan Wolverines rebounded from their loss to TCU in last year’s College Football Playoff to go undefeated and win their first national title since 1998.
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Washington Huskies (14-1)
Previous: 2
Washington’s offensive line couldn’t keep Michael Penix clean and the defense couldn’t stop Michigan’s rushing attack. The trenches are still the most important factor in college football success.
Georgia Bulldogs (13-1)
Previous: 6
The three-peat was foiled by Alabama in the SEC title game, but the Bulldogs made a statement in their win over an undermanned and outmatched Florida State team.
Texas Longhorns (12-2)
Previous: 3
Texas had a fantastic season and nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback to beat Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinals. They’ll have a huge retooling to accomplish at the skill positions and along the defensive line, which is where they were at their best.
Alabama Crimson Tide (13-2)
Previous: 4
This wasn’t the best Alabama team of Nick Saban’s tenure. Still, they ended Georgia’s winning streak and reached the playoff. With Jalen Milroe returning, the Tide are likely a shoe-in for the expanded playoff in 2024.
Florida State Seminoles (13-1)
Previous: 5
Florida State suffered the most from opt out season. The team they put on the field for their matchup with Georgia hardly resembled the squad that went undefeated and won the ACC title prior to their showdown with the Bulldogs.
Oregon Ducks (12-2)
Previous: 8
The Ducks‘ only losses on the season came to against the Washington Huskies. They’ll have some quarterback turnover to deal with as Bo Nix departs for the NFL, but the arrival of Dillon Gabriel gives Oregon an opportunity to remain a contender in 2024.
Missouri Tigers (12-2)
Previous: 9
Missouri won six games for the first time under Eli Drinkwitz behind a strong season from Brady Cook and Luther Burden and an incredibly improved defense. Is Mizzou for real? We’ll find out in 2024.
Ole Miss Rebels (11-2)
Previous: 11
Ole Miss had a bit of a breakout season in 2023. Their only losses on the year came against Alabama and Georgia. Jaxson Dart returns for 2024 and Lane Kiffin is crushing the portal yet again with the addition of defensive tackle Walter Nolan. Ole Miss could be a surprise national title contender next season.
Ohio State Buckeys (11-2)
Previous: 7
Ohio State loses the best wide receiver in the game in Marvin Harrison, but welcome Will Howard at quarterback. After three straight losses to Michigan, it’s difficult to assess where the Buckeyes are heading under Ryan Day.
Arizona Wildcats (10-3)
Previous: 14
Arizona had a strong season in 2024, culminating in their Alamo Bowl win over Oklahoma. They’ll be one of the incoming Big 12 teams with a shot to win the league in their first year.
LSU Tigers (10-3)
Previous: 13
Even with Jayden Daniels opting out of the bowl, the LSU Tigers managed to finish the season on a high note. Garrett Nussmeier provided a glimpse of LSU’s future at quarterback with 395 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin.
Penn State Nittany Lions (10-3)
Previous: 10
The Penn State Nittany Lions are one of the teams that will benefit most from the expanded playoff because they’ve struggled to beat Ohio State¸and Michigan in recent years.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-3)
Previous: 16
Notre Dame had another strong season under Marcus Freeman in 2023. They were 3-2 against ranked teams, losing to Ohio State and Louisville this season. If they can find some offensive consistency, they’ll be a treat to make the playoff in 2024.
Oklahoma Sooners (10-3)
Previous: 12
Oklahoma’s second season finished with a loss to Arizona. There were promising steps taken by the defense and even more promising are the returns of defensive standouts Billy Bowman and Danny Stutsman. Can the Sooners keep the offensive fireworks going as they transition from Dillon Gabriel to Jackson Arnold? We say yes.
Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-4)
Previous: 21
Oklahoma State turned around what looked like to be a disastrous season after their loss to South Alabama to make the Big 12 title game and win 10 games under Mike Gundy for the eighth time.
Tennessee Volunteers (9-4)
Previous: 23
Tennessee made a statement in their 35-0 win over Iowa. They’ve shown defensive improvement over the last two years and the offense will continue to play at a high level.
Louisville Cardinals (10-4)
Previous: 15
At one point, Louisville looked like a darkhorse playoff team after a win over Notre Dame put them on everyone’s radar. However, a loss to Pitt the following week derailed their season a bit. They closed the year with losses to Kentucky, a Jordan Travis-less Florida State, and USC in the Holiday Bowl.
Kansas State Wildcats (9-4)
Previous: NR
Avery Johnson threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score in Kansas State’s Pop Tarts Bowl win. The Wildcats didn’t live up to preseason expectations after winning the Big 12 in 2022, still they’ll be a team to contend with in 2024 in the Big 12.
Clemson Tigers (9-4)
Previous: NR
Clemson failed to live up to their own lofty expectations in 2023, losing games to Duke, Florida State, Miami, and North Carolina State. They finished the season strong with six wins in a row, including a win over Kentucky. Still, there are a lot of questions to answer for Dabo Swinney’s squad.
North Carolina State Wolfpack (9-4)
Previous: 18
NC State was one of the hotter teams to close the season, winning five straight before falling to Kansas State in the Pop Tarts Bowl.
Iowa Hawkeyes (10-4)
Previous: 17
Great defense and terrible offense is what characterized the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2023. They’ve finally made an offensive coordinator change, but how long will it take to rebuild the offense to help one of the best defenses in the country?
Kansas Jayhawks (9-4)
Previous: NR
Despite injuries to their starting quarterback Jalon Daniels, the Kansas Jayhawks still had a strong season with Jason Bean at the helm. Lance Leipold has worked wonders in Lawrence. As long as he sticks around, the Jayhawks have a strong football future.
SMU Mustangs (11-3)
Previous: 19
SMU had a resurgent season, winning the American Athletic Conference as they get ready to move to the ACC in 2024.
West Virginia Mountaineers (9-4)
Previous: NR
Neal Brown and the West Virginia Mountaineers were picked to finish 14th in the Big 12 in 2023. They silenced all the doubters, culminating in a win over North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.
