The Oklahoma Sooners have the table spread before them. A team that thumped Alabama in the Sugar Bowl last January developed a lot of momentum and began to recruit at a higher level than it had over the past two to three years. The program feels good about itself. More importantly, it seemed to have solved some problems on offense, specifically how to use multi-threat quarterback Trevor Knight. The Sooners are being picked by many to win the Big 12 and advance to the four-team College Football Playoff. Can this team handle all the pressure associated with that test?
Strengths
The Sooners probably think that Knight is a strength for them. He should be good, but he has to go out and prove it at the start of the season. The best strength of the team is probably its linebackers. That’s where Oklahoma is loaded, with a lot of upperclassmen who went through some hard knocks in the middle portion of last season and got a lot of playing time because of injuries to frontline guys. Oklahoma’s linebackers are seasoned, and the team’s late-season charge last year should make these players even sharper at the beginning of the new season. Oklahoma’s pass defense was strong in 2013, and while the secondary gets a lot of credit for that, the linebackers were able to drop into medium-length and deep-length coverages and contain opposing receivers. The Big 12 is a passing-focused league, so if Oklahoma’s linebackers play the same way they did last year, that’s going to be a plus for the Sooners, with the clarification being that one should expect better from the linebackers early in the season compared to last year.
Weaknesses
The Sooners’ interior defensive line is a problem, as is running back. The Sooners might have been really good against the pass last season, but they were so-so against the run, and that’s part of why Texas was able to spring the upset against Oklahoma in Dallas, the game that Sooner fans really couldn’t stomach a year ago. Oklahoma has to be stronger at the defensive tackle positions, creating enough of a forward push so that the ends won’t have to make as many plays. The Sooners have been so good in the Bob Stoops era mostly because the defensive line set a tone. This was not quite the case for Oklahoma in 2013, so the Sooners have to improve here.
Running back is an issue because heralded freshman Joe Mixon will not be playing this season, a response to an off-field incident in which he hurt another person. Oklahoma has not had a stud running back in many years, and that could leave Knight hung out to dry as a passer, at least enough for it to matter.
Schedule
The Sooners have a fairly easy non-conference schedule before playing all nine teams in the Big 12. The Sooners’ road trip to Tulsa won’t be a tough one. The home game against Tennessee in week three could provide a slight challenge, but Tennessee’s lack of line play will put the Vols at a huge disadvantage against the Sooners. The crucial Big 12 tests for Oklahoma will be the neutral-site game against rival Texas in week seven, followed by a home game against Kansas State in week eight and a home game against Baylor in week 10. If the Sooners have only one loss by the time they get through with the Baylor game, and that loss is not to Baylor, Oklahoma should be able to wrap up a Big 12 title in its final three games against weaker opponents.
Outlook
The Mixon suspension is a key development, and while Oklahoma should be good for 10 wins this season, winning 11 feels like a much bigger mountain to climb. Take the under, just because too many things have to go exactly right for Oklahoma to get 11 or 12 wins.
Pick: Under 10.5 at -120
