The time for talking season will be done once the Oklahoma Sooners take the field against the Tulane Green Wave on Sep. 4. That day will start their journey to return to the national championship glory that has eluded them for more than 20 years now.
They’re one of the best teams in the country heading into the 2021 season, and while they may not land number one in all of the polls, all it takes to find their way to number one is to “just win, baby.”
Win the football games on your schedule, and the ranking and championships will take care of themselves. One publication that is a big fan of the Oklahoma Sooners with more than a couple of weeks left till the start of the regular season is Pro Football Focus. The data-driven site has the Sooners number one in the country on their preseason power rankings.
Oklahoma has cracked a spot in the College Football Playoff four times since its inception seven years ago but has yet to earn a spot in the National Championship Game. This year could be different with the Spencer Rattler‘s return being a key reason why. The quarterback returns after earning the best single-season passing grade by a first-time starter of the PFF College era in 2020 (92.5). Rattler has a little bit of former Texas Tech Patrick Mahomes in him, both stylistically and situationally. He has an ultra-quick, effortless release to pair with jaw-dropping arm talent and elite playmaking ability on the move. The Sooners’ secondary is their biggest concern, but their pass-rush unit might just be enough to stabilize that side of the ball. – Anthony Treash
While the secondary might be a concern, it’s all relative. With Woodi Washington and D.J. Graham taking over at the outside cornerback spots, the Sooners have a couple of long, playmaking corners on the outside that will benefit greatly from the Sooners’ strong pass rush.
The Sooners offense will put the defense in situations where they’ll be able to pin their ears back and get after the passer because they’ll be playing with big leads in most, if not all, of their games.
Spencer Rattler got more comfortable as the 2020 season went along and cut down on some of the mental miscues that led to his benching in the Red River Shootout. With a full offseason in Lincoln Riley’s system after 2020’s COVID shortened spring and abbreviated fall camp, the Sooners are getting a much better prepared and experienced starting quarterback.
The Heisman Trophy winner is set to embark on what could be an award-laden season that will have the Oklahoma Sooners contending for the national championship in 2021.
[listicle id=35905]