Ranking the Big 12 &#8211; #1 Oklahoma

Throughout the Summer, HornSports’s Chris Flanagan will countdown the college football season by projecting his season-ending records among Big 12 teams. Holding the top spot in Flanagan’s prognostication is the team north of the Red River in Norman, Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Sooners.

#4 – TCU

#3 – Kansas State Wildcats

#2 – Oklahoma State Cowboys

Why not lower?

The Sooners are loaded, with 7 returning starters on both sides of the ball. The talent in Norman is immense, and while it’s not easy to replace guys like Sterling Shepard and Eric Striker, Bob Stoops is more than capable of do so with a loaded roster at his disposal. There is no reason to believe that any Big 12 team will challenge the reigning Big 12 Champions and steal the conference crown away in December. The Sooners are primed for a national championship season.

Bright spots

Baker Mayfield is the Heisman favorite coming into the season. Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon give the 1-2 punch in the running game that the Sooners need to open up passing and running lanes for Mayfield. Dede Westbrook is looking for a breakout season in his final year and he will be the number one guy for Mayfield in the passing game.

Defensively, Jordan Evans is a man that would make Teddy Roosevelt very proud. He doesn’t talk much but he brings the boom on the football. The Norman native had 83 tackles in 2015, 5 of which were for a loss. The secondary returns 3 of their 4 starters from the 2015 team which gives the Sooners experience in a pass-happy league to shut offenses down.

Season prediction

The Sooners have a very tough schedule. Oklahoma opens in Houston at a “neutral” NRG stadium against a formidable Houston Cougar football team. The University of Houston has taken its fair share of jokes since the Southwest Conference disbanded in the mid-90’s, but the Cougars are anything but a joke these days. This game is a big deal for Houston alumni. Cougars fans will be out in force Week 1.

If they survive that (which they will), then they will have a cupcake game before the main course that is Ohio State. Most national writers aren’t able to hide their grin when talking about Nick Saban or Urban Meyer, but Ohio State isn’t as good this year as they were last year. Sure, they will likely win the Big 10,but they will certainly not be able to keep up with Oklahoma’s ridiculous offense. I fully expect Oklahoma to win that game, as well as every Big 12 contest.

Before you tar and feather me, this is still Oklahoma under “Big Game” Bob, so anything is possible. However, this is Oklahoma’s best chance since 2008 to compete and win the national title. Since this will be the final season without a Big 12 championship game, the Sooners should take advantage of it and they are my pick for the National Championship.

Final 2016 record prediction: 12-0 (9-0 Big 12)