Fansided

College football rankings: Post-spring Top 25 – Clemson, Alabama vie for top spot

By Cody Williams

SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts against the Clemson Tigers in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi's Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 07: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts against the Clemson Tigers in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi's Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
23 of 26
Next
Jalen Hurts Oklahoma
MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 29: Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up prior to the game against the Oklahoma Sooners during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
  • Notable Losses: Kyler Murray, Cody Ford, Ben Powers, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Bobby Evans, Dru Samia, Rodney Anderson, Austin Kendall (transfer)
  • Notable Returners: CeeDee Lamb, Kennedy Brooks, Caleb Kelly, Kenneth Mann, Parnell Motley, Trey Sermon, Brendan Radley-Hiles, Kenneth Murray
  • 2019 Recruiting Class Ranking: 6th

For the second-straight season, the Oklahoma Sooners are seeing their Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback head to the NFL Draft. After the 2017 season, it was Baker Mayfield that went to the pro ranks. Following this past season, Kyler Murray decided to follow along the same path, spurning professional baseball in the process.

Losing Murray seemed like it could absolutely put the Sooners and head coach Lincoln Riley behind the 8-ball for the 2019 season, especially with Austin Kendall entering the transfer portal. However, Oklahoma’s prayers were answered when former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts announced that he would be transferring to Norman as a graduate, making him eligible to play immediately.

Despite losing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to the NFL Draft, though, Hurts — who went 26-2 as a starter for Nick Saban at Alabama — the incoming quarterback has some big weapons. CeeDee Lamb returns at wide receiver while running backs Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks are also back. Moreover, their highly rated recruiting class includes two of the best receivers in the class, headlined by Jadon Haselwood.

If that weren’t good enough for Riley and the Sooners, this team also returns 10 of their 11 starters from the defense in 2018, meaning that group should be able to take a step forward. Though there are questions to answer on the offensive line, Oklahoma is sitting pretty yet again as they eye the 2019 season.

Home/College Football Rankings