CFB Playoff 2015-2016: Previewing Orange Bowl

Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

It is easy to understand why there was anxiety around the Oklahoma football program entering 2015-2016. The Sooners were coming off a 8-5 year, a year in which they were a trendy Playoff pick. They were coming off major staff changes, that included bringing in 32-year-old Lincoln Riley as offensive coordinator. They were losing a number of players to the NFL, and above it all were the face of a university going through questions after a video of a racist frat went viral. And yet, what happened? The Sooners used Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield to engineer an improbable and entertaining rise to the College Football Playoff, where they will get their shot at taking down the nation's top squad, the Clemson Tigers in an Orange Bowl set to be a great one.

Mayfield arrived from Texas Tech to Norman as a walk-on. He had his moments at Texas Tech, but Kliff Kingsbury would soon fall in love with another young quarterback, Davis Webb, essentially forcing Mayfield out. Mayfield came out of nowhere to take over the quarterback job from incumbent Trevor Knight and threw 3,389 yards and 35 touchdowns. Just as impressive is the fact that he had just five interceptions and showed amazing efficiency despite being in air raid offense. Mayfield is a fearless, exciting player and Clemson's defense will have their hands full containing the junior. They will also have their hands full with the two-headed backfield, headed by Samaje Perine. Perine is a bulldog, amazingly strong for his size, but also possessing great speed and explosiveness. He will be joined by youthful Joe Mixon, who has had some moments this season. Expect big things as well from receiver Sterling Shepard. Shepard is truly a great story, a guy who grew up with the Oklahoma program and had to endure some tough years earlier in his career. Now though, he is the star receiver on the Big 12 Champion Sooners. The Tigers will attempt to counter Shepard with their top defensive back Mackensie Alexander, a proven NFL prospect. The former five-star recruit has amazing agility and great awareness, but Shepard should still find ways to make plays. Expect junior college transfer Dede Westbrook and underrated Durron Neal to help out Mayfield in the lethal Oklahoma passing game as well.

On the other side, Clemson is far from a slouch on the offensive side of the ball. Sophomore Deshaun Watson, along with a suffocating defense, was a major reason why the Tigers went 13-0 and finished off the regular season with the nation's No. 1 spot. Watson built on a very promising true freshman year by throwing for 3,512 yards and 30 touchdowns and also showing he can be very dangerous with his legs, helping him finish off third in Heisman voting. Oklahoma's defense has been productive all season long, and it will be interesting to see how they handle Watson. The Sooners do have a number of solid players in their front seven that should help them succeed. Joining Watson is back Wayne Gallman, who put together a quietly huge year. With many teams focused intently on Watson, Gallman took advantage and ran for 1,332 yards and 10 scores. Gallman isn't an absolutely electrifying player, but he is a hard runner that can move the chains consistently. The Sooners will have to stop a number of Clemson weapons on the perimeter, mainly Artavis Scott, who has been Watson's favorite target over the past two years. Expect cornerback Zack Sanchez to be the one tasked with slowing down Scott. Sanchez has long been an established defensive back for Oklahoma, and has been even better this season.

While both teams will get a lot of attention because of their offenses, the talent on the other side of the ball is undeniable. Behind underrated defensive coordinator Brent Venables, Clemson held opponents to just 20 points per game, and showed a knack for forcing turnovers. Not only will Alexander play a big role in defending Shepard, but expect a big day from defensive end Shaq Lawson (in what should be his final game in a Tiger uniform) and the experienced crop of linebackers Clemson possesses. For Oklahoma, Sanchez will obviously play a huge role, as will linemen Charles Tapper. But, the player that may wreak the most havoc in this one is Eric Striker. Striker made a name for himself in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama in 2014, and is a physically imposing outside linebacker. Striker is blessed with a powerful first step and incredible stamina. He should definitely be dialed in and ready to get after Watson. Expect Clemson to install special blocking packages just so tame Striker.

In the two Playoff semifinals, this matchup holds the most intrigue for me. Not only does it feature two exciting offenses that can put points up in a hurry, it features two interesting squads. Clemson isn't familiar to being the team everyone wants to take down nationally, and it will be interesting to see how they adjust. Meanwhile, Oklahoma feels like a underdog, and is on absolute fire since a midseason drubbing at the hands of Texas. The more I watch Oklahoma, the more I see last year's Ohio State team. So many of the pieces fit together. Mayfield represents Cardale Jones, a highly doubted, but strong-armed and strong-willed quarterback. Mixon and Perine represent Ezekiel Elliott running all over opposing defenders. And, Shepard represents Devin Smith from a year ago, a senior ready to go out in a big way. Clemson is a heck of a football team and they might win against either Michigan State or Alabama. But, they drew a motivated and hungry Oklahoma team that nobody wants to play.
Oklahoma, 35 Clemson, 31

College Football Preview 2015-2016: 19. Oklahoma Sooners

Samaje Perine

19. Oklahoma Sooners 


2014-2015 Record: 8-5 (5-4 Big 12)
Coach: Bob Stoops, 17th year (168-44 overall)
Schedule
Roster
Recruiting Rundown
Key Losses: DT Jordan Phillips, OT Tyrus Thompson
Heisman Hopeful: RB Samaje Perine
Breakout Player: QB Baker Mayfield

A flaming end to the 2013-2014 season left many Oklahoma fans and college football experts (including me) thinking big entering 2015. Many saw Bob Stoops' program as a College Football Playoff favorite and the clear-cut team to beat in the Big 12 beginning last year. But, things unraveled and while there were some highlights, an extremely poor defense and inconsistent QB play left the Sooners at a mediocre 8-5. After last season's disappointment, expectations will be tampered in Norman this year, but championships are still regular goals in Oklahoma. Perhaps lessened expectations, the addition of an impact transfer, along with new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, could mean the Sooners take major steps this year and give Baylor and TCU a run for their money in the Big 12.

Backfield: A breakout 2014 Sugar Bowl saw Trevor Knight on many Heisman watch lists entering 2015 despite a rather pedestrian regular season. Though, as some expected, the quarterback was never able to meet those expectations. He wasn't terrible; the redshirt sophomore still managed to throw for 2,300 yards and 14 touchdowns throughout the year. Interceptions and poor decision-making was a serious problem (12 interceptions a year ago) and he never showed the confidence or "swagger" he showed against that star-studded Alabama defense in the 2014 Sugar Bowl. Entering 2015, that leaves the quarterback situation in an interesting place. Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield is now fully eligible and he has the chance to push Knight for the starting gig. In Kliff Kingsbury's first year as head coach at TTU, Mayfield dazzled at times, using his big arm and exciting playmaking to push the Red Raiders off to a hot 7-0 start. An impressive spring game only further pointed to the fact that Mayfield may be ready to push Knight off the starting gig. In first-year offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley's system, Mayfield could truly shine. Riley is bringing back Oklahoma's "Air Raid" attack that produced Heisman Trophy winners like Sam Bradford and Jason White. Mayfield has the big arm and awareness to be able to get the ball down the field to Oklahoma's big play receivers constantly. Sophomore Cody Thomas is the other option in the quarterback competition, but he is definitely seen as the long shot. While the quarterback situation is talented and interesting but murky, the tailback position is certainly a strength. Since Demarco Murray and Adrian Peterson years ago, the Sooners have been searching for a true game-changing back. They certainly have found one in sophomore Samaje Perine, who earned All-American honors in 2014-2015. Perine would finish with 1,713 yards on the year, including breaking the NCAA single game rushing record against Kansas after Melvin Gordon had broken it a week earlier. Perine is the perfect mix of speed and strength and he has excellent vision. It is truly amazing that he managed to put together such an impressive first year with Oklahoma, he will only grow and improve with the Sooners. That is a scary, scary thought for the rest of the Big 12. Perine is very much a serious Heisman candidate, especially in a conference not known at all for having suffocating defenses. Oklahoma's leading returning rusher beyond Perine is going to be redshirt junior Alex Ross, who managed 595 yards last year on nearly seven yards per carry. Ross is also an extremely explosive athlete who is always ready to bust open up huge runs. Before last season, Joe Mixon's college football career was in a terrible place, before it had even begun. A big-time recruit for Stoops and the Sooners, Mixon was accused of punching a woman in the face at a bar and many called for his dismissal from the program. Mixon ended up being suspended for the entirety of 2014, but now has an opportunity to put his career in Norman on the right track. He will be an intriguing change-of-pace to Perine and Ross.

Receivers: Riley's new system could have real success in Oklahoma not just because of Mayfield's big arm, but because of the abundance of playmakers that the Sooners have on their roster. That list begins with senior Sterling Shepard, who earned All-Big 12 honors last season after picking up 51 catches for 970 yards, along with five touchdowns. The veteran clearly proved to be an explosive weapon through the air, averaging 19 yards every catch. Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider Shepard did it with Knight struggling often. Clearly Oklahoma's top receiver, Shepard should do even more damage to opposing defenses in the Sooners' new scheme. Joining Shepard will be fellow senior Durron Neal, who is the Sooners' second returning leading receiver. Neal also proved to be a very explosive weapon last year, showcasing world class speed and tremendous athleticism en route to 513 receiving yards. With defenses focusing more on Shepard most likely, Neal could sneakily put up huge numbers. Big things are expected in 2015 from sophomore Michiah Quick. A pretty big recruit for Stoops and Oklahoma from Fresno, Quick showed some real potential. He recorded 25 receptions for 237 yards in 2014 as a true freshman despite being pretty deep in the depth chart. Quick's name fits very well; the sophomore is extremely quick and explosive. He is still growing as a route runner and has to improve as a run blocker, but he has all the tools to be a breakout candidate for Oklahoma this year. Also returning is going to be sophomore K.J. Young (19 catches, 225 yards in '14) who is joined by JUCO transfer Dede Westbrook. Rated the No. 4 junior college receiver by ESPN, Westbrook has all the talent to immediately make an impact in Norman. He is arriving from Blinn College, the same junior college that produced Cam Newton before Auburn. The tight end position could be a question for the Sooners this year, with the departure of Blake Bell. The former quarterback, who earned the nickname the "Belldozer" for his powerful goal line QB sneaks, was very good in his transition to tight end last season. He caught four touchdown passes and averaged over 13 yards per reception. It will be interesting to see what he tries to do at the next level (he was selected in the fourth round by San Francisco). His departure opens the door for two redshirt freshman to battle for the job, in Carson Meier and Mark Andrews. Both are very similar players; they aren't overwhelmingly dangerous in the passing game but are big, physical weapons in the red zone who are very strong blockers. Meier may have the leg-up in the competition, but Riley will likely try to utilize both in a multitude of ways.

College Football Power Rankings (Post-Week Three Edition)

1. Florida State Seminoles -- Luckily for the 'Noles, they were gifted with a bye, one week before their huge meeting with Clemson, which will essentially decide the ACC Atlantic race.

2. Oregon Ducks -- Led by Heisman frontunner Marcus Mariota, the Ducks had no issues with the sneaky Wyoming Cowboys. While the offense continues to put up crazy numbers, the defensive improvement has been key for Oregon in taking the next step. 

Trevor Knight

3. Oklahoma Sooners -- Tennessee isn't exactly a huge win but is a victory over a pretty good Power Five school, giving the Sooners a huge resume booster, after they were beating up on Tulsa and Louisiana Tech. While Trevor Knight and the offense continues it's assault on opposing defenses, the electric play of linebacker Eric Striker and the defense has been fun to watch.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide -- The Tide has no issues with lowly Southern Mississippi, as Amari Cooper and the offense ran all over the Golden Eagles. Though, the Tide have their biggest test of the year to this point upcoming in the Florida Gators, eager to prove themselves after escaping with a victory against Kentucky yesterday.
5. Auburn Tigers -- The Tigers were also helped out with a bye week, one week before a huge game on a Thursday night against the Kansas State Wildcats. Nick Marshall and the Auburn ground game will have to be on full force to come away with a victory over the 'Cats, who are always ready for an upset.
6. Texas A&M Aggies -- Once more, Kenny Hill and the Aggies had no issues, blowing past Rice without any problems. The redshirt sophomore now has over 1,000 yards through the air and has proven that the Aggies will put up a serious fight in the SEC West, along with Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Ole Miss.
7. Baylor Bears -- Even with Bryce Petty not 100 percent, the Bears blew out a decent Buffalo team, winning 63-21. Now, Petty appears to be healthy (backup Seth Russell did one heck of a job in his absence) and the Bears' explosive offense could get even more lethal, with a bye week before their Big 12 opener against Iowa State.
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish -- Although the Irish didn't completely dominate Purdue, they played well enough to win comfortably, improving to 3-0 on the year. Everett Golson is becoming a popular Heisman dark horse, while the defense continues to be stout, allowing just over 10 points a game.
9. LSU Tigers -- To nobody's surprise, LSU's defense is playing fantastic, as it shut out Lousiana-Monroe this past week. While the offense certainly has some room for improvement, true freshman Leonard Fournette is slowly improving, while big play threat receiver Travin Dural stretches defenses.
10. Michigan State Spartans -- The Spartans were yet another team with a bye this week, after their tough loss to Oregon last week. Upcoming meetings with Eastern Michigan and Wyoming should give the Spartans some momentum again before their first conference showdown with Nebraska on October 4th.
11. UCLA Bruins -- Even with Brett Hundley missing a huge chunk of the game, UCLA found a way to hold off Texas and get a nice resume boosting victory. Unfortunately, Hundley could miss some serious time and the offensive line is still a major concern.
12. Ole Miss Rebels -- The Rebels' high-flying offense continues to put up big numbers, especially through the air, where they are averaging 365 yards per game. The Rebels get one more cupcake game (against Memphis) before a huge game against Alabama, which has serious SEC West implications.
13. Georgia Bulldogs -- The Bulldogs were a few centimeters away from beating South Carolina and improving to 2-0 with two big victories on their resume. Unfortunately, the loss to the Gamecocks hurts, and puts pressure on Georgia to come back and absolutely dominate Troy this next weekend.
14. Arizona State Sun Devils -- In their conference opener, the Sun Devils rolled over the struggling Colorado Buffaloes, but it wasn't devoid of bad news. Stud QB Taylor Kelly took some major hits and he might miss some time. Luckily, ASU has so many offensive weapons (RB D.J. Foster, WR Jaelen Strong) they can make up for Kelly, if he does miss any time. The good news is that ASU gets some extra time before a huge Thursday night, September 25th battle with UCLA.
15. Stanford Cardinal -- One week removed from a devastating loss to USC, the Cardinal responded by blowing out a terrible Army team, 35-0. Quarterback Kevin Hogan, who struggled against the Trojans, responded in a big way, tossing four touchdowns against the Black Knights' porous defense.
16. South Carolina Gamecocks -- The Gamecocks have really had a daunting early season-schedule (Texas A&M, East Carolina and Georgia all are Top 25 teams), so to come out of it 2-1 is really impressive. The pass defense, which was abused by the Aggies' Kenny Hill and ECU's Shane Carden, held Hutston Mason to under 200 yards, a big reason why South Carolina managed to sneak away with a win.
17. USC Trojans -- While beating Stanford was huge for the Trojans, it clearly took a out of them. The defense looked tired and worn and the offense couldn't get anything going on the ground, all contributing to a stunning loss to Boston College. Hopefully with some more rest and a bye week, Steve Sarkisian's club will come out firing against the Oregon State Beavers.
18. Wisconsin Badgers -- One week after getting their first victory of the year over Western Illinois, Wisconsin had a bye week. Now, they get a home meeting with a sneaky Bowling Green team, who used their explosive offense to take down Indiana this past week. Even at home, the Badgers have to be on upset alert.
19. Missouri Tigers -- Maty Mauk continues to put up huge numbers for the Tigers in his first full season as starter, tossing four touchdowns against a decent UCF team, making it 12 touchdowns on the year. While Mauk leads the offense, the defense is causing turnovers and playing very well, holding the Knights to just 10 points.
20. Ohio State Buckeyes -- The Buckeyes responded with a vengeance against the struggling Kent State Golden Flashes, taking them down 66-0, one week after losing to Virginia Tech. With questions starting to emerge about his job security, QB J.T. Barrett played great. Though, the possible loss of defensive end Noah Spence for a long time hurts the defense.
21. Kansas State Wildcats -- Much like their opponent, Auburn, the Wildcats got a bye one week before their Thursday night showdown. For K-State, QB Jake Waters must continue to make big plays with his arms as well as with his legs, while defensive end Ryan Mueller must lead the rush defense.
22. Nebraska Cornhuskers -- The 'Huskers are absolutely feasting on their soft non-conference slate, blowing out 0-3 Fresno State this week. One main reason: tailback Ameer Abdullah is running all over opponents and putting up Heisman numbers. With the Big Ten in shambles, Nebraska could realistically emerge as the West Division favorite.
23. Clemson Tigers -- It was also a bye week for Clemson, who was coming off a great performance against South Carolina State, winning 73-7. The offense still has its questions even after those 73 points, but the defense could keep them in the game against FSU.
24. BYU Cougars -- While BYU clearly outplayed Houston, the Cougars only escaped with a slim victory over John O'Korn and Houston. That type of play against a Group of Five school may hurt BYU's playoff chances, but a win is a win. One thing is clear: Taysom Hill is a legit Heisman candidate, if he can stay healthy.
25. East Carolina Pirates -- The Pirates have emerged as the best team in the American Athletic, after stunning Virginia Tech this past week, led by veteran quarterback Shane Carden. They remind me a lot of Central Florida in 2013, a team with a great, dual threat quarterback and big-play wide receivers, whose lone loss on the year was a close one to South Carolina (the Pirates' only loss at this point: South Carolina).

Others Receiving Votes
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Florida
Oklahoma State
Louisville
TCU
Duke
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati
Marshall

College Football Preview: 20. Oklahoma Sooners

20. Oklahoma Sooners                                     

Blake Bell

The Sooners finished off 2012 10-3 last season which was a slight disappointment. Though they still won the Big 12 title even with an inconsistent defense and struggles in the fourth quarter. Record-setting quarterback Landry Jones is gone and there are gaps all over the defense. But even with all these questions the Sooners are still expected to contend and even possibly make a push for another Big 12 title.

Backfield:  With Jones gone the quarterback position is wide open but it appears junior Blake Bell is the favorite. Nicknamed "The Belldozer" for his powerful red zone scrambles Bell has proved he can dominate on the ground but he only attempted 16 passes in 2012. Bell has a strong arm but hasn't proven that he can use it yet. If Bell doesn't prove he deserves the job, coach Bob Stoops could lean towards sophomore Kendal Thompson who is also more of a scrambler. Luckily for the Sooners the rest of this backfield is stacked and is a definite strength. Senior Damien Williams had a total of 946 yards last season in a pass-happy offense. With Oklahoma breaking in a new quarterback all of his stats could skyrocket. Freshman Keith Green will be relied on to an impact player from the start. Not a lot of teams can say that there fullback is an impact player but with senior Trey Milliard, Oklahoma can. Milliard is a focal point of the offense and can run and is a strong receiver out of the backfield.

Recievers: The return of senior Jalen Saunders should really help out Bell or whoever starts. Saunders had 62 receptions and had 829 yards in only 9 games last year. If he stays healthy and plays the full season he is a no-doubt All-Big 12 threat. Sophomore Trey Metoyer also returns after a disappointing 2012. Metoyer was a big-time commit for Bob Stoops and staff and was supposed to be the next Ryan Broyles but was just average a year ago. Metoyer still has potential and is a real downfield threat. The question is; will a quarterback be able to get the ball downfield? The Sooners could rely on incoming freshman Dannon Cavil, a four-star threat who is big and plays more like a tight end. The return of Jaz Reynolds after a year-long suspension should definitely help this offense become more explosive. 

Offensive Line: Up front, the Sooners should have on the best offensive lines in the Big 12 even with the loss of Lane Johnson. The other four starters return including senior center Gabe Ikard who should anchor the unit. Ikard is athletic and mature and has proven he can handle great interior pass rushers. With his smarts and talent he could end up a starter on Sundays. The rest of this line isn't as talented as Ikard but has gained valuable experience and has a number of solid players. Junior Tyrus Thompson is massive and should hold down the right tackle spot. On the other side the Sooners should rely on junior Daryl Williams who will play an important role in protecting the quarterback's blind side. Williams is also gigantic but not very athletic but he has the potential for a big year. Oklahoma should also benefit from the returns of two impact guards, Tyler Evans and Nila Kasitati, both who missed all of 2012 with torn ACLs. 

Defensive Line: This should be a little bit of a weakness for this squad. It needs to be strong in order to help improve this defense because it needs to get pressure on opponents. There are no proven pass rushers but there is potential for stardom. Junior Chuka Ndulue proved to be an impact player through much of 2012, recording 5 sacks and being a force throughout. There is talent at end with guys like sophomore Mike Onuoha and Rashod Favors. Both are young and have some growing up to do but can apply pressure. Along with Ndulue sophomore Jordan Phillips should be a beast inside. Phillips is more of a run stuffer than Ndulue but can also disrupt backfields. The Sooners got a big pick up in Moore, Oklahoma product D.J. Ward. The four-star find has great instincts and is very strong even tough he isn't too big. 

Linebackers: Whether the Sooners run a 4-2-5 or a 3-4 or any scheme linebackers will play an important role. Senior Corey Nelson's career has been a great one here in Norman and he hopes to end it with a bang. Nelson proved to be the leader of the corps and proved that he can be an impact player no matter the score, evidenced by a 9 tackle performance in the team's loss to Notre Dame. The long time contributor has proven that he can rack up a lot of tackles but needs to be more of a pass rushing threat this year. Sophomore Frank Shannon will start alongside Nelson. Shannon had a solid 2012 and should continue to improve this year. He is also a sure tackler and makes play all over the field. Another sophomore, Eric Striker, should be able to make an impact when given the opportunity. Junior outside linebacker Aaron Franklin is a little more of a pass rusher than Nelson but isn't as experienced and doesn't have great instincts. Depth could be an issue for this unit but it's top couple 'backers are strong enough to help out in the run game.

Aaron Colvin

Secondary: The high point of the off season for the Sooners was when senior Aaron Colvin decided to return for his senior year. Colvin was the team's best defender throughout 2012, recording 4 interceptions and 61 tackles and should be shutdown at the cornerback position. The other cornerback slot should be manned by sophomore Cortez Johnson, an athletic corner with big time potential. Johnson is pretty big for a corner, at 6-2 which should help him against the long, big receivers of the Big 12 after spending time at Arizona. Senior Gabe Lynn looks like he will be the starter at the free safety position. Lynn has a nose for the ball and will be able to lay a hard hit once in a while. Junior Julian Wilson is an athletic defensive back who has proven he can make some highlight reel plays. Oklahoma got a steal when they landed a California product in safety Hatari Byrd. Byrd is a smart, athletic presence who chose Oklahoma over USC, UCLA and Cal. Byrd proved that the Sooners and Stoops can even be forces in recruiting on the West Coast. Defensive coordinator Mark Stoops will lean heavily on Colvin but another defensive back has to step up, perhaps Johnson.

There is talent in Norman, like usual. Though if the quarterback position is weak and the defense doesn't improve it will be tough to be a contender in the tough Big 12. If the Sooners can get through a tough end of the season stretch (Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State on the road) it is still possible that Oklahoma can grab a Big 12 title.

College Football Preview: The Big 12

Ranking the Big 12
1. Oklahoma
2. West Virginia
3. Oklahoma State
4. TCU
5. Kansas State

Seth Doege, Texas Tech

Overview: Oklahoma stumbled in 2011 after many (including me) had them number one in the nation. Though a Big 12 title is pretty much a lock thanks to the return of prolific quarterback Landry Jones. Also back is explosive receiver Kenny Stills, sure tackling Tom Wort and strong defensive back Demontre Hurst. The Big 12 is tougher than the Big East but don't expect West Virginia to struggle at all. Geno Smith has a huge arm that will get his amazing receivers, Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin, the ball. The defense is definitely a problem but this offense is so good that this defense could be the worst in the Big 12 and the Mountaineers would still win 10 games. Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon are gone but Oklahoma State is still dangerous. Now, it appears they will run the ball a lot with back Joseph Randle who has speed and power. The defense is decent, but the secondary is stacked with Brodrick Brown and Justin Gilbert. Gilbert is also an excellent returner on special teams. Wes Lunt or Clint Chelf will likely be fighting for Weeden's spot as leader of the Cowboys.  TCU is in a tougher conference but the Horned Frogs should still win 10 plus games. Casey Pachall could end up being just as good as Andy Dalton and they have a stacked backfield even if Ed Wesley doesn't play with Waymon James and Matthew Tucker. Gary Patterson loves defense and he has a good unit with pass rusher Stansly Maponga and linebacker Kenny Cain. Collin Klein is back which means Kansas State will win a lot of games. Along with Klein is back John Hubert and a number of good receivers with Tyler Lockett and tight end Travis Tannahill. This defense is decent with Arthur Brown and shutdown corner Nigel Malone.  Texas doesn't know who their quarterback is but if they can figure that out they will win games thanks to the backfield. Malcolm Brown will excel and Jonathan Gray appears ready to play in the Big 12 and won't need much of an adjustment period. This defensive line features two sack machines in Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor. 2011 was the Year of the Bear in the Big 12 but Baylor will fall back to earth a bit. Nick Florence is likely the main faced with the task of replacing incredible RG3. Florence should do good though as he has excellent receivers headed by seniors Terrance Williams and Lanear Sampson. The defense is good with senior Gary Mason and Chance Casey. Texas Tech was looking like a true contender after beating Oklahoma last season but 5-7 was not their goal. Seth Doege and most of this prolific offense is back which means a bowl bid is a realistic possibility. Iowa State will likely start Jared Barnett who led the upset of OSU last season. He'll improve a lot in his second season. This Cyclones team has a whole lot of talent especially in the linebacker core with A.J. Klein and Jake Knott. Kansas has a new coach in Charlie Weis and hopefully more wins. Dayne Crist will likely start but he doesn't have too much talent around him to work with.

College Football Preview: 4. Oklahoma Sooners

4. Oklahoma Sooners Returning Starters: 15 Returning Star: QB Landry Jones Key Loss: WR Ryan Broyles Player to Watch: QB Landry Jones Few teams were more disappointing then the Oklahoma Sooners of 2011-2012. Starting of the season number one, the Sooners had a Heisman canidate at QB (Landry Jones), a star receiver (Ryan Broyles) and a fantastic linebacker (Travis Lewis). Now the Sooners hope they have matured enough to have a successful 2012 season. Jones is back for his senior season and is hoping that '12 will go a lot smoother than last year. Jones has a good arm and is dominant when he is on, but, when he isn't he constantly turns the ball over. He struggled without Broyles to through to last season. The Sooners backfield was inconsistent without a leader like Demarco Murray. Dominique Whaley is back but will not play much this season due to injury. That leaves the door open for junior back Roy Finch. Finch looked decent in his playing time last season. He may improve this year thanks to a great fullback and line. Fullback Trey Milliard will lead the way for Finch. Milliard is big and bulky and perfect for the Sooners offense. Receiever Broyles may be gone but Jones still has good hands to throw to thanks to junior Kenny Stills. Stills had a strong sophomore year and will be constantly targeted. Junior Jaz Reynolds also makes his return giving Jones another consistent option. Oklahoma lost tight end James Hanna who was a good blocker. The offensive line is strong losing just one starter. Center Gabe Ikard is one of the nation's best at that position. Senior Lane Johnson, Adam Shead and Tyler Evans complete the rest of the line. The defense has some questions but is still a decent unit. On the line, the Sooners are okay. Tackle Casey Walker and senior Jamarkus McFarland stuff runners up the middle but the pass rush is one the weaker side. Junior Tom Wort had a strong sophomore year and will help stopping the run. Corey Nelson can make plays all over the field. The defensive back has talent but is still pretty inconsistent. Senior Demontre Hurst may be the best defender on the team. Heisman Hopeful: Landry Jones Big 12 Rank: 1st

Fiesta Bowl Prediction

7 Oklahoma vs. UConn
QB Comparison:
Oklahoma's Landry Jones 4,289 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, 11 interceptions
UConn's Zach Frazer 1,202 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 4 interceptions
RB Comparison
Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray 1,121 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns
UConn's Jordan Todman 1,574 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns

Defensive Comparison: Oklahoma has end Jeremy Beal who attacks opposing quarterbacks and is hard to block. Travis Lewis is a alert stopper in the middle and create and finish turnovers as he did against Nebraska in the Big 12 championship. Quinton Carter can stuff of teams in the secondary. UConn has an extroadinary load of talent at linebacker. All Scott Lutrus and Lawrence Wilson. Both will chase down DeMarco Murray and pressure Landry Jones. They are unnaturally fast for their position.

Overlook: Oklahoma has had a series of BCS letdowns over the years streaming from Boise State, West Virginia and Florida. They don't want to add UConn to that list. They have a Sam Bradford-like QB now in Landry Jones and a good back in Murray who can also catch passes out of the backfield. Ryan Broyles is a good receiver. UConn won just 8 games but could have won more if Zach Frazer had better year (5 TD passes). Jordan Todman led the team having a monster year. Even if the Huskies defense can hold the Sooners to less than 30 the offense likely won't score more than 20.
Oklahoma, 28 UConn, 18

Official College Football Preview:Oklahoma Sooners

4. Oklahoma Sooners Key Game:Texas,10/17/09

The Sooners have some holes. With a new offensive line Heisman winner Sam Bradford will have to be very aware. Luckily, he'll have Trent Williams, the only returning starter will protect his blind side. The Sooners don't have great options for Bradford, the star is tight end Jermaine Greshaim. That will probably kill Bradford's chances of another Heisman. Despite, some of these holes the Sooners are still as talented as ever and Bradford will lead them to another BCS run.