The SEC is absolutely loaded in talent in 2025. Texas is a national title contender, but so is Alabama, Georgia, and a handful of other teams. They could end up with a few teams in the College Football Playoff, continuing to cement their status as the premier college football conference. They're also making moves in baseball and basketball, but that's unrelated.
So what does that mean for a team like Oklahoma? The Sooners aren't necessarily a legitimate title contender, but they're a good team. Does being good amount to anything when the schedule is stacked and the conference loaded? According to Sports Illustrated's preseason poll, it does, but not much.
They just snuck on as the 25th team in the top 25. The argument was, "It would not be a surprise if Oklahoma became one of the most improved teams in the country simply as a result of having an offense that goes from atrocious to slightly above mediocre. The SEC slate is always difficult, but the overall talent level is better in what promises to be a 2025 season that will go a long way in determining whether Brent Venables’s massive buyout gets paid in December or not."
A talented roster getting back to its bread and butter (because the Sooners historically have had good offenses) a little bit should help them stay relevant, and even if they lose some games to the best programs in football, they should still be one of the better teams in college football this year.