The Oklahoma Sooners aren't having the start to the season they hoped for, falling to 2-2 and 0-1 in SEC play after a 41-13 loss to Georgia. Their College Football Playoff hopes are fading, even if they're not completely eliminated. And that's because they have a tough road to travel with five games against teams ranked in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll after Week 4.
Could the Sooners make the playoff? It's still technically possible. However, an offense that ranks No. 111 in the nation in scoring doesn't provide much confidence.
With the schedule the Sooners face, the big question is: can Oklahoma make it to 6-6 and earn a bowl berth? USA TODAY Sports' Erick Smithstill believes it's possible. He has the Sooners heading to the Duke's Mayo Bowl
in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they'll face the Clemson Tigers.
All-time, the Sooners are 2-3 against the Tigers, with their wins coming in 1963 and 1972. Oklahoma is 0-2 against Dabo Swinney, losing in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015 while Brent Venables was still the defensive coordinator for the Tigers.
Since opening the season with a 51-10 loss to LSU, Clemson has won three in a row, defeating Georgia Southern, North Carolina, and Cal. This week, the Tigers take on No. 4 Miami but won't face another team that's currently ranked in the top 25. Clemson's path to the postseason is a lot clearer than Oklahoma's.
For the Sooners, what their season looks like will likely depend on what happens the next couple of weeks as they prepare for the Red River Showdown against No. 1 Texas. Find a way to win, and that creates all kinds of possibilities for the rest of the year. Drop a third game, and it becomes increasingly difficult to reach bowl eligibility.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma still bowl bound in latest projections from USA TODAY Sports
