Oklahoma falls in latest USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll
The Oklahoma Sooners are still perfect and sit at 8-0 (5-0 Big 12 Conference) after rallying to top Kansas, 35-23.
However, suffice it to say that performance by OU in Lawrence, Kan., left the pollsters less than impressed. Oklahoma dropped two spots to No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
Kansas led 10-0 at halftime over Oklahoma which was the Jayhawks’ largest lead over an FBS team this season. Yesterday was KU’s first double-digit lead over OU since 2013.
The Sooners were shutout in the first half for the first time in the Lincoln Riley era and for the first time since the 2014 season. Oklahoma’s FBS-long first-quarter scoring streak was also snapped after 32 consecutive games.
Freshman quarterback Caleb Williams helped engineer the second-half comeback for OU. He threw for 178 yards on 15-of-20 passing attempts with two touchdowns against one interception.
Williams also dazzled with his 40-yard touchdown run where he split would-be Jayhawks tacklers on a 4th-and-3 snap to put OU in front 28-17 at that stage of the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma outscored Kansas 35-13 after halftime.
Still, Oklahoma floundering around for a half opened the door for Cincinnati and Alabama to leapfrog them into the No. 2 and No. 3 slots, respectively. Georgia remains No. 1 in the USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, while Ohio State rounds out the top five.
OU is joined in the poll by fellow Big 12 Conference members Oklahoma State, Baylor and Iowa State. The Cowboys are next-highest out of the Big 12 at No. 15, the Bears No. 18 and the Cyclones back into the poll at No. 23.
Here is a look at the full coaches poll after this week’s slate of games.
Full USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll:
Rank | Team | Record | Points | Change |
1 | Georgia | 7-0 | 1,600 (64) | – |
2 | Cincinnati | 7-0 | 1,469 | +1 |
3 | Alabama | 7-1 | 1,439 | +1 |
4 | Oklahoma | 8-0 | 1,430 | -2 |
5 | Ohio State | 6-1 | 1,338 | – |
6 | Michigan | 7-0 | 1,313 | – |
7 | Michigan State | 7-0 | 1,208 | – |
8 | Oregon | 6-1 | 1,139 | +2 |
9 | Ole Miss | 6-1 | 1,019 | +3 |
10 | Iowa | 6-1 | 1,008 | +1 |
11 | Notre Dame | 6-1 | 950 | +2 |
12 | Kentucky | 6-1 | 857 | +1 |
13 | Wake Forest | 7-0 | 838 | +2 |
14 | Texas A&M | 6-2 | 736 | +3 |
15 | Oklahoma State | 6-1 | 684 | -6 |
16 | SMU | 7-0 | 535 | +3 |
17 | Penn State | 5-2 | 517 | -9 |
18 | Baylor | 6-1 | 509 | +2 |
19 | Pittsburgh | 6-1 | 487 | +4 |
20 | San Diego State | 7-0 | 431 | +1 |
21 | Auburn | 5-2 | 418 | +1 |
22 | UT-San Antonio | 8-0 | 219 | +3 |
23 | Iowa State | 5-2 | 190 | +3 |
24 | Coastal Carolina | 6-1 | 134 | -8 |
25 | North Carolina State | 5-2 | 73 | -7 |
Dropped from the rankings:
No. 24 Clemson
Others receiving votes:
UL Lafayette 42; Brigham Young 42; Arkansas 41; Houston 27; Arizona State 27; Virginia 23; Oregon State 13; Florida 13; Fresno State 10; Air Force 9; Appalachian State 5; Texas 3; Liberty 3; Utah 1
