Can Oklahoma make the playoff with two losses?
Many declared Lincoln Riley’s Oklahoma Sooners, and the Big 12’s playoff hopes in general, dead in the water after they lost twice in their first three games of the season. Against all odds, the Sooners are just a few lucky breaks away from defying the odds and ending up ranked in the top four.
The latest playoff rankings might not look that great for the Sooners, who stand seven spots away from that No. 4 seed, but this could be a blessing in disguise, as Oklahoma is now just a handful of results away from falling backward into a playoff spot after a sluggish start.
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Oklahoma has improved since a slow start to the season
After starting the season off 1-2, the Sooners have won out, as Spencer Rattler has finally found a groove in Riley’s offense. If they win the rest of their games, including a takedown of Matt Campbell and Iowa State, they would have a legit path to the playoff, should a lot of lucky breaks go their way.
If Texas A&M loses to Tennessee, that would give them two losses and no conference championship, ruling them out. Cincinnati has the best chance of making the playoff of any Group of Five team, but a loss in the AAC championship against Tulsa would end Luke Fickell’s dream of making it into the playoff.
Provided that Notre Dame beats Clemson for the ACC title, and both Alabama and Ohio State win the rest of their games in order to hold onto their three spots, Oklahoma would have a conference championship on their resume, and that could propel into another playoff spot.
The Sooners might not be as dominant as they were in previous seasons, and their porous defense remains a problem, but another Big 12 title in tandem with some god-level luck might be enough to help them once again sneak into the playoff.
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