[mm-video type=video id=01fcveyfa1d66dfxdwcy playlist_id=01eqbz7cqqgxy50qwt player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fcveyfa1d66dfxdwcy/01fcveyfa1d66dfxdwcy-50d2ad7a504f75edb45cf3bcadeb0a5b.jpg]
Head coach Lincoln Riley has seen a lot of success since he took over for the legendary Bob Stoops. The one thing missing from his 45-8 career coaching record is the elusive CFP semifinal victory. Looking at the team he has with the Oklahoma Sooners, this might be his best shot.
Jerry Palm of CBS Sports put together his preseason bowl projections and has OU returning to the CFP after a one-year hiatus. The only problem is Oklahoma draws the defending national champions in the opening round.
Palm has Oklahoma as the No. 4 seed facing No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Orange Bowl — a bowl game the Sooners football program is very familiar with. The Crimson and Cream have played in that particular bowl game 20 times. The last time they received a bowl bid to the Orange Bowl, Oklahoma faced Alabama. The Tide won that contest, 45-34, but lost to Clemson in the title game.
[listicle id=30639]
Alabama should be in the Orange Bowl facing future conference mate and No. 4 seed Oklahoma. The Sooners have been the dominant team in the Big 12, winning the last six conference championships; they are favored to extend that streak to seven. That game should be in Miami instead of the Cotton Bowl (technically closer for Alabama) because playing in Arlington, Texas, could be perceived to be an advantage for Oklahoma, which is even closer to the stadium.
The Iowa State Cyclones are projected to receive another New Year’s Six bowl game appearance against Georgia in the All-State Sugar Bowl.
[vertical-gallery id=34701]