5 reasons Samaje Perine can win 2016 Heisman Trophy
By John Buhler
2. Reigning Big 12 Champions
Given that Oklahoma won the Big 12 in 2015 and the Sooners were the first time in the College Football Playoff era to represent the conference in the tournament, it bodes well for the Sooners’ chances to get back to it in 2016 and already has its star players on the national radar for major awards.
With the Baylor Bears facing major sanctions, Oklahoma is one of a few teams along with the TCU Horned Frogs and in-state rival Oklahoma State Cowboys that can win the Big 12 in 2016. Other programs like the Kansas State Wildcats, the West Virginia Mountaineers, and even the Texas Tech Red Raiders or Texas Longhorns could win the Big 12, but haven’t been consistently strong in recent years to make the College Football Playoff from a conference that doesn’t have a championship game yet.
Should Oklahoma repeat as Big 12 Champions in 2016, it will be hard for the Selection Committee to not include the Sooners in the four-team playoff. Repeating as a Power 5 Champion in this era is still immensely difficult and that aids all involved with Oklahoma significantly.
Being a favorite to repeat as conference champions put players like Mayfield and Perine in the early season spotlight. The more eyes that get to watch big performances from Oklahoma’s star offensive players, the better it is for their potential Heisman reel coming in early December 2016.
Next: 1. Bob Stoops.