On this episode of Rise & Shine College Football, Jason Watkins is joined by special guest Eric “Coop” Cooper to break down a shocking boost of confidence from none other than Phil Steele — who has the Oklahoma Sooners in his Top 10 preseason rankings! Are the Sooners really ready to contend in Year 2 of SEC play, or is Steele buying high on Brent Venables’ vision?
Jason and Coop will contrast Phil Steele’s optimism with the data-driven caution of friend-of-the-show The College Football Professor, as the panel weighs both sides of the Sooner hype train.
PLUS: The guys unpack the latest wave of NIL regulations, aimed at finally curbing booster-led pay-for-play schemes — and how these new rules could reshape SEC recruiting battles across the board.
And don’t miss the recruiting showdown between Oklahoma and LSU for elite 2026 QB Bowe Bentley, and what his looming decision could mean for the future of Jaden O’Neal and the Sooners' quarterback pipeline.
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