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College football 2018: Biggest X-factor on every Top 25 team

By Derek Grochowski

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Miles Sanders (24) of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs for a gain in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Miles Sanders (24) of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs for a gain in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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NORMAN, OK – NOVEMBER 11: Oklahoma Sooners QB Kyler Murray (1) before during a college football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs on November 11, 2017, at Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK. (Photo by David Stacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NORMAN, OK – NOVEMBER 11: Oklahoma Sooners QB Kyler Murray (1) before during a college football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs on November 11, 2017, at Memorial Stadium in Norman, OK. (Photo by David Stacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

4. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma Sooners

No Baker Mayfield, no problem for the Oklahoma Sooners. Kyler Murray is here and ready to be the Sooners x-factor this season. Stepping in for a number one overall pick is not easy, especially at the quarterback position.

Mayfield led one of the highest-powered offenses in college football last season all the way to the College Football Playoff, eventually losing to Georgia in the first round. If Oklahoma wants to be a contender for the National Championship once again Murray will need to play close to a Mayfield level.

He is not your typical quarterback prospect; he has already been drafted into the MLB by the Oakland Athletics. As you can imagine he has the arm talent to be effective. He is slightly undersized but the Texas A&M transfer is ready for the spotlight. Mayfield was good running the ball but it really is where Murray excels. Last season in limited snaps at Oklahoma Murray showed off his talent on the ground. He averaged 10 yards a carry on 14 attempts. For comparison, Mayfield only averaged around three yards a carry but had a much larger sample size.

Adding in more quarterback options to run could give the Sooners another wrinkle to their offense and make them even more dangerous. Murray is not the second coming of Mayfield but he is capable of having a very successful season.

With a lot of pieces gone from Oklahoma’s offense, Murray will be their x-factor and be responsible for carrying them back to the playoffs this season. Their first real test will come in week two of the season when the UCLA Bruins come to Oklahoma. It is the Sooners only real out of conference test before diving into a difficult Big 12 schedule this year.