The Big 12 has changed a lot since the Baylor Bears beat the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the conference title game, but one thing has remained constant: the Oklahoma Sooners are at the top of the food chain in the conference.
USATODAY Sports’ Erick Smith has the Sooners on top in his spring power rankings, speaking highly of new head coach Brent Venables and his offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby.
While this does seem like a reasonable ranking, the Big 12 isn’t exactly a pushover this season. Though both lost important pieces, expect Oklahoma State and Baylor to keep pace with Oklahoma at the top of the conference. Each has experienced quarterbacks at the helm in Spencer Sanders and Gerry Bohanon. Each has a good defense that will keep games close. And each has a good head coach that knows what it takes to win games in the Big 12.
Oklahoma State and Baylor check in at two and three on the list respectively with the Texas Longhorns sitting a five.
It’s a credit to Brent Venables’ leadership that after everything that happened after Bedlam, he’s been able to stabilize so much: the recruiting classes, the offense, the players that stayed, everything.
Sooners fans will get their first real taste of the Venables area at the OU Spring Game on Saturday.
Now the Sooners are right back where they belong: at the top of the conference competing for a national championship.
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