2014 College Football Picks and Predictions: Oklahoma Sooners Season Preview

2014 College Football Picks and Predictions: Oklahoma Sooners Season Preview: Most college football programs would love to contend for conference titles and major bowl bids, but for head coach Bob Stoops and his Oklahoma Sooners, failure to compete for a national title the past couple of seasons has caused the program’s status as a perennial power to come into question. However, the Sooners took a big step toward returning to national prominence last season, topping Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to finish the year 11-2.The BCS bowl win was a nice start, but with the college football playoff set to begin in 2014, the Sooners will try to return to the top of the college football world by making a run at a national title.

The Good News:

After injuries and indecision, the Sooners appear to have finally found their quarterback of the future in Trevor Knight. Knight’s monster four-touchdown performance against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl showcased his potential, and in 2014, he will be given the reins of an offense that returns three starters along the offensive line and has receiver Sterling Shepard among its many weapons. As much upside as the Sooners’ offense has, it is the defense that should be the real strength of this team. Eight starters are back for a unit that was the best in the Big 12 a year ago, including three linebackers and both cornerbacks. The schedule is also very favorable, and the Sooners draw the conference’s other top team, Baylor, at home and also play Kansas State at home.

The Bad News:

Five-star freshman Joe Mixon was supposed to be the next Adrian Peterson and become the workhorse in the backfield, but he was suspended for the season. Oklahoma will now need someone to step up at the position and provide stability to the running game in order to give the offense some balance. Depth at the quarterback spot is also an issue with former starter Blake Bell converting to tight end. However, there are plenty of other teams in the country that would also be in trouble if their starting quarterback went down so a majority of Oklahoma’s question marks are at the running back position.

Outlook:

After struggling with inconsistent quarterback play, the Sooners look like they have a reliable option under center in 2014 in Knight. More importantly, Oklahoma has the pieces in place around Knight to have a big season. The offensive line is stout, and the defense should be one of the best in the country. Yes, it would be nice for a workhorse back to emerge, but the ground game should be effective even with a committee approach. Meanwhile, the schedule is as friendly as any team from a major conference could ask for. In terms of talent, Baylor is the only team that should be able to hang with the Sooners, and having the game in Norman gives Stoops and company a golden opportunity to win that game and run the table. The Sooners may not be the best team in the country, but they are a really good team with a really favorable schedule.

Prediction: 12-0, Big 12 Champions