In a recently released Big 12 preseason poll, the Oklahoma Sooners took the top spot to win the conference this upcoming 2016 NCAA football season.
After a successful run last college football season, the Oklahoma Sooners were picked to finish first again in a recent Big 12 preseason poll. Various media representatives covering the league voted in the poll and the Sooners took the top spot over TCU by 36 votes, according to Big 12 Sports.
Oklahoma also received 24 of 26 first-place votes in the preseason poll, finishing ahead of TCU and in-state rivals Oklahoma State. Baylor and Texas rounded out the top five. However, OU has 13 starters back for this coming season including talented junior quarterback Baker Mayfield. If he continues to play at the level he did last season or better, he could very well be among those on the Heisman watch in the upcoming season.
While Mayfield will be key to this team’s offense, their talented rushing tandem shouldn’t be slept on. Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon will be in place along with three of the five starting linemen from last season. With the way OU was running the ball the second half of their 2015 season, that momentum could carry right into their play for 2016’s schedule.
For their previous season, Oklahoma went 11-2 overall and 8-1 in the conference, with their sole loss coming to Texas. OU not only won the conference title but gained a spot in the 2015 College Football playoff semifinals. The Sooners would go on to lose to Clemson 37-17 in a game played on New Year’s Eve.
The NCAA football season for 2016 starts up in early September. Oklahoma is scheduled for their first national television appearance on Sept. 3 via ABC where they’ll be on the road at Houston, giving fans and analysts a good early look at this team’s power as far as the Top 25 goes. Expectations will certainly be high for this team as they had into their latest campaign, with fans likely to be looking towards the playoffs once again.
Expectations will certainly be high for this team as they had into their latest campaign, with fans likely to be looking towards the playoffs once again.
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