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5 reasons Oklahoma Sooners will upset Ohio State Buckeyes

By John Buhler

Sep 10, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) warms up prior to action against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) warms up prior to action against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 10, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes players prepare to take the field during warmups prior to the game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes players prepare to take the field during warmups prior to the game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Ohio State is a young team

Meyer might be the best in-game tactician in college football today, but he has a young team to work with in 2016. Ohio State lost 11 players to the 2016 NFL Draft, five of whom went in the first round.

That is an absurd amount of turnover for one football team to overcome for an early season road showdown. Thankfully for the Buckeyes, they have an experienced signal caller in Heisman hopeful quarterback J.T. Barrett. Barrett is good enough to keep the Buckeyes in games early in the season while they figure out who their next great players are.

In all fairness, the Buckeyes offense should be fine against Oklahoma on Saturday. Ohio State’s biggest issue comes on the defensive side of the ball. Three of the five players taken in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft were defensive stars for the Buckeyes: defensive end Joey Bosa, cornerback Eli Apple, and outside linebacker Darron Lee.

Defensive coordinators Luke Fickell and Greg Schiano will have their work cut out for them on Saturday against Mayfield, Mixon, Perine and the rest of the vaunted Sooners offense under Lincoln Riley. Oklahoma’s balanced offensive attack will be troublesome for an inexperienced Buckeyes defense.

Next: 1. A must-win game for Oklahoma, Bob Stoops, and the Big 12

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