Pre-Season AP Poll

[Max Power]

1. Gonzaga
2. Baylor
3. Villanova
4. Virginia
5. Iowa
6. Kansas
7. Wisconsin
8. Illinois
9. Duke
10. Kentucky
11. Creighton
12. Tennessee
13. Michigan State
14. Texas Tech
15. West Virginia
16. North Carolina
17. Houston
18. Arizona State
19. Texas
20. Oregon
21. Florida State
22. UCLA
23. Ohio State
24. Rutgers
25. Michigan

Others receiving votes:
LSU 146, Memphis 69, Florida 69, Alabama 50, Indiana 48, Louisville 41, Richmond 40, Stanford 14, Providence 9, Saint Louis 8, Auburn 8, San Diego State 6, Connecticut 6, BYU 4, Loyola Chicago 3, Seton Hall 2, UNC Greensboro 1, Northern Iowa 1

 

[AdaSooner]

I hope the fact that OU didn’t get a single vote in this poll will motivate our players to prove the pollsters wrong.

Am I saying this Sooner team is good enough to receive a few votes? Yes, yes I am! I have been wrong before, so it won’t bother me one bit if my confidence in this year’s team misses the mark. But, with all but two players back from last year, and one of them already replaced by a transfer who proved he was better in a head to head matchup last season, I believe I’m right this time. Guess we’ll know before long.

 

[skyvue]

I hope the fact that OU didn’t get a single vote in this poll will motivate our players to prove the pollsters wrong.

Am I saying this Sooner team is good enough to receive a few votes? Yes, yes I am! I have been wrong before, so it won’t bother me one bit if my confidence in this year’s team misses the mark. But, with all but two players back from last year, and one of them already replaced by a transfer who proved he was better in a head to head matchup last season, I believe I’m right this time. Guess we’ll know before long.

I'll admit that I don't follow recruiting as closely as some, so perhaps texas and Tech brought in amazing recruiting classes -- I trust someone will educate me on this point, if needed -- but OU finished last season with the same record as texas, a better record (by one game) than Tech and with a higher seed than both in the Big 12. And yet both are ranked and we don't get a vote. To me, that simply makes no sense.

I guess Tech's probably still riding the wave of their 2019 success (though I would think that would have faded by the second year), but how texas gets the benefit of the doubt year after year baffles me. I complain about it every year, so perhaps I need to just get over it, but I truly don't get it. They've done nothing to deserve the ranking they get every single year.

 

[BCSooners]

I'll admit that I don't follow recruiting as closely as some, so perhaps texas and Tech brought in amazing recruiting classes -- I trust someone will educate me on this point, if needed -- but OU finished last season with the same record as texas, a better record (by one game) than Tech and with a higher seed than both in the Big 12. And yet both are ranked and we don't get a vote. To me, that simply makes no sense.

I guess Tech's probably still riding the wave of their 2019 success (though I would think that would have faded by the second year), but how texas gets the benefit of the doubt year after year baffles me. I complain about it every year, so perhaps I need to just get over it, but I truly don't get it. They've done nothing to deserve the ranking they get every single year.

Texas has all starters back and a top 10 recruit, I still think they'll underachieve. Tech has a ton of good transfers & a 5 star, if they can gel they'll be really good.

 

[Soonerguy06]

Texas has all starters back and a top 10 recruit, I still think they'll underachieve. Tech has a ton of good transfers & a 5 star, if they can gel they'll be really good.

I agree 100%. Texas consistently recruits better and underachieves. That second UT game was the biggest heartbreaker of our season, IMO, should have and would have won that had we hit 2 clutch FF in the final seconds. I believe we will be ranked at some point, I just hope we don't succeed initially and then falter like we've been known to do lately. Super excited to hear the NTexas transfer is eligible!

 

[coolm]

people are sleeping on OU when they shouldnt be. with gibson eligible and Reeves in his 2nd year after xfer this could be a good team. it certainly deserves some votes in the top-25.

 

[AdaSooner]

people are sleeping on OU when they shouldnt be. with gibson eligible and Reeves in his 2nd year after xfer this could be a good team. it certainly deserves some votes in the top-25.

My point exactly, Coolm. Thank you!

Skyvue is also spot on in his appraisal of Texas. I get why the Whorns are ranked this season. What I don’t get is why Shaka continues to be given a pass every year. He is a classic example of an underachiever. Above average recruiter, below average coach.

 

[coolm]

I get why the Whorns are ranked this season. What I don’t get is why Shaka continues to be given a pass every year. He is a classic example of an underachiever. Above average recruiter, below average coach.

meh, I remember so many here railing on Scott Drew constantly for the same. But he's grown into it now. Maybe that's the plan for Shaka. you can't luck into that great chemistry he developed with his VCU team every season. different factors and pressures at UT. he'll grow into it also if they give him the time. Barnes sure did.

 

[Eielson]

meh, I remember so many here railing on Scott Drew constantly for the same. But he's grown into it now. Maybe that's the plan for Shaka. you can't luck into that great chemistry he developed with his VCU team every season. different factors and pressures at UT. he'll grow into it also if they give him the time. Barnes sure did.

I don't see Drew and Smart as comparable at all. Drew took on a Baylor team that was clearly 12th out of 12 in terms of coaching destination. Shaka took over a job that was 2/12 by a wide margin -- yet in his five years, he is 90-78, hasn't won more than 21 games, hasn't been top 25 once, and has had four straight years with a losing record in conference.

Drew, on other hand, took over a dumpster fire program reeling from a scandal that cost them multiple scholarships. Other than the first four years where any coach would have been running in quicksand, Drew's floor seasons have been comparable to Shaka's ceiling season (21ish wins).

 

[coolm]

I don't see Drew and Smart as comparable at all. Drew took on a Baylor team that was clearly 12th out of 12 in terms of coaching destination. Shaka took over a job that was 2/12 by a wide margin -- yet in his five years, he is 90-78, hasn't won more than 21 games, hasn't been top 25 once, and has had four straight years with a losing record in conference.

Drew, on other hand, took over a dumpster fire program reeling from a scandal that cost them multiple scholarships. Other than the first four years where any coach would have been running in quicksand, Drew's floor seasons have been comparable to Shaka's ceiling season (21ish wins).

your point's well taken. their program situations differed ... I was just saying that a coach grows into the position also.

 

[AdaSooner]

your point's well taken. their program situations differed ... I was just saying that a coach grows into the position also.

You were right about Drew, he certainly grew into his position. The jury is still out on Smart. He gets a pass right now because he’s the coach at Texas. If he continues to underachieve with the recruits he gets, Longhorn fans may call for his head at some point.

 

[TheMont]

Texas Tech lost four contributors, but they are ranked so highly because they have some solid pieces returning (Benson, Edwards, Shannon [on the All Big-12 Freshman Team last year) and some VERY anticipated transfers, headlined by Mac McClung, who was Georgetown's leading scorer last year (he dropped 33 points on osu in Stillwater). He will be eligible to play immediately this year and should be very, very good for Tech.

 

[AdaSooner]

Texas Tech lost four contributors, but they are ranked so highly because they have some solid pieces returning (Benson, Edwards, Shannon [on the All Big-12 Freshman Team last year) and some VERY anticipated transfers, headlined by Mac McClung, who was Georgetown's leading scorer last year (he dropped 33 points on osu in Stillwater). He will be eligible to play immediately this year and should be very, very good for Tech.

I don’t know much about TTU this season, but McClung is really good. I saw him twice on television last year. Unbelievable hops and athleticism. Think Cade Davis on steroids. Seriously, he’ll bring a level of excitement to every Big 12 arena this season.

 

[WichitaSooner]

You were right about Drew, he certainly grew into his position. The jury is still out on Smart. He gets a pass right now because he’s the coach at Texas. If he continues to underachieve with the recruits he gets, Longhorn fans may call for his head at some point.

I think UT definitely gets a pass, much like their football team, as far as consistently being rated too high in the preseason. I don’t necessarily think Smart gets a pass, though. He gets a lot of criticism, as well he should. I still think he may have been fired had they not surged late last season to get back in the tournament picture.