On Monday the Oklahoma Sooners will take to the practice field for the first spring practice. Lincoln Riley is looking to get back to the College Football Playoffs after a one-year hiatus in 2020. The team lost back-to-back games to open conference play that took the train off the tracks. The team was able to get back on track but the damage was done for the CFP resume. Is this year’s team the best squad to finally get that elusive CFP semifinal victory?
Recently College Football News ranked all 130 teams in college football ahead of spring football. The Sooners lead the charge once again in the Big 12 Conference with two other conference teams joining the mix inside the top 15. Only the Clemson Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide find themselves listed above the Sooners.
College Football News Pre-Spring Rankings:
No. 3- Oklahoma Sooners
What CFN Says…
This might just be Lincoln Riley’s best team yet. The passing game should be unstoppable with QB Spencer Rattler getting to work with a receiving corps that could be the best in college football. Oh, by the way, the defense is going to be special again, too.
What Sooners Wire says…
The return of Kennedy Brooks and the addition of Eric Gray will help solidify the backfield along with Seth McGowan. They will be key weapons for Spencer Rattler, who is going into his second-straight season as the starter at quarterback. The emergence of Marvin Mims and a healthy Austin Stogner to go with the bevy of wide receivers should make the offense one to watch yet again.
The defense returns the top pass rusher according to Pro Football Focus in Nik Bonitto. Isaiah Thomas will take over the role of edge rusher vacated by the departing Ronnie Perkins. The backend will be tested early and often due to the losses of Tre Brown, Tre Norwood, and Brendan Radley-Hiles from last year’s team. D.J. Graham will look to break out in 2021 and be the ballhawk that they will miss with no Brown or Norwood on the field.
The remaining Big 12 teams:
No. 14- Texas Longhorns
No. 15- Iowa State Cyclones
No. 28- Texas Christian Horned Frogs
No. 32- Oklahoma State Cowboys
No. 41- Kansas State Wildcats
No. 60- Texas Tech Red Raiders
No. 63- West Virginia Mountaineers
No. 69- Baylor Bears
No. 84- Kansas Jayhawks
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