Now SI has OU as #1 in football for next season (sort of)

[bullsbro]

The article has us at #1, but their video has us at #2 (where they had us in their last ranking a few weeks ago). Not that it matters much ... ...

http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/01/18/way-too-early-top-25-2016-rankings?xid=nl_siextra

 

[Soonersincefitty]

The article has us at #1, but their video has us at #2 (where they had us in their last ranking a few weeks ago). Not that it matters much ... ...

http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/01/18/way-too-early-top-25-2016-rankings?xid=nl_siextra

Yes, they're desperate for filler material until national signing day, but it is very nice to be held in such high regard any time of the year.

 

[toolsofignorance]

Yes, they're desperate for filler material until national signing day, but it is very nice to be held in such high regard any time of the year.

Wish TCU douche bag was around so we could force feed him his crow!

 

[Plainosooner]

Wish TCU douche bag was around so we could force feed him his crow!

Naw you really do not wish that.

 

[Schoonerman]

I wish some of these talking heads, sports bloggers, etc. would tap the brakes a little on the preseason rankings for OU. It's great to get the preseason love, but Bama and Clemson clearly showed they were far and away better than the other 8 teams in the top 10.

Although OU showed vast improvment over 2014 and made the CFP last year, the 2016 season is shaping up to be one of the toughest we've seen in quite a few years - Houston, tOSU, Baylor, TCU, KSU, OSU, Tech, WVU all went bowling last year and even though texas is down right now, they managed to win the RRS.

 

[Plainosooner]

While I will very likely agree with you in five weeks, in the last two weeks before signing day, I think we should be ranked ahead of every college team and a couple at the bottom of the NFL.

 

[BillyRay]

While I will very likely agree with you in five weeks, in the last two weeks before signing day, I think we should be ranked ahead of every college team and a couple at the bottom of the NFL.

Not sure if you are serious or not...I must be missing something here.....

 

[Plainosooner]

Only serious for the nest two weeks.

 

[Okie70]

Plaino I am ok with OU at #2 but not ahead of Clemson. Too many great players on O coming back and BV showed what he could do with new D players last year. And the Clemson schedule really light- at Auburn in week 1, at Fla. State and Louisville at home. Not an SEC West schedule.

 

[SoonerTulsan]

Plaino I am ok with OU at #2 but not ahead of Clemson. Too many great players on O coming back and BV showed what he could do with new D players last year. And the Clemson schedule really light- at Auburn in week 1, at Fla. State and Louisville at home. Not an SEC West schedule.

"New" starters...but very experienced in his system. We saw what happened against Bama when one of his back 7 was replaced with an pup....wide open Bama receivers and a QB that looked like he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn became a hero. Same thing happened when he coached at OU. We had an experienced back 7 we were strong....very strong. Plug in a Freshman or Sophomore and what appeared to be huge busts in the secondary appeared.

 

[MiccoMacey]

I can see in the hunt for the playoffs, but a lot of that depends on how we do against Ohio State. We get them at home, and they just lost NINE players to the NFL declaring early. That's above and beyond what ever normal attrition they had through seniors. They'll be big and talented but less experienced.

If we win that game, I think it's clear sailing through the rest of the conference. We'll be in the playoffs as the #1 or #2 seed. We get Baylor at home, and TCU is down. There's not another Big Twelve team that could rise up and beat us, IMHO.

 

[Plainosooner]

I am not so sure TCU will be down. Kenny Hill is as good a qb as they have had. Maybe better than Boykin. They will get a lot of injured people back. They will be well coached. Baylor will be terrific. Texas will be better. KState will be better. Tech will be better. There is unlikely to be a breeze through the conference.

 

[MiccoMacey]

Plaino,

We're just going to agree to disagree. I'm not sold on Kenny Hill at all. TCU will be well coached for sure, but I don't think they're a legit threat next year. We get Baylor at home, and as far as other teams like KSU and Texas Tech being better...I might not disagree with you that they'll be better, but they're not so much better that they're a legitimate threat to beat us. Obviously, any team can beat any team. But I like our odds way more. Put it this way, would you put money on Texas Tech straight up right now? Or Kansas State? I just can't see it outside of an upset. And if we're counting upsets, Alabama could/will get upset as well. And Ohio State. And Clemson. And...I think you get my drift.

Out of curiosity, what makes you believe Kenny Hill is going to be better than Boykin?

 

[Schoonerman]

I am not so sure TCU will be down. Kenny Hill is as good a qb as they have had. Maybe better than Boykin. They will get a lot of injured people back. They will be well coached. Baylor will be terrific. Texas will be better. KState will be better. Tech will be better. There is unlikely to be a breeze through the conference.

I'm with Plaino. TCU will be formidable on D next season. Although the lose their three key offensive players, they have recruited well and have guys waiting in wings who will fill in nicely for hte Horned Frogs. Patterson's got some momentum going for his program in Ft. Worth.

 

[MiccoMacey]

I'm with Plaino. TCU will be formidable on D next season. Although the lose their three key offensive players, they have recruited well and have guys waiting in wings who will fill in nicely for hte Horned Frogs. Patterson's got some momentum going for his program in Ft. Worth.

WELL, YOU'RE WRONG TOO!!!!!!!!!

 

[Plainosooner]

There is a difference between saying that a team is good enough to beat us, and betting on them to beat us. Was Ole Miss good enough to beat Bama? Apparently. But not many were willing to bet the rebels even money. Except for KU and Iowa State, any road game next year will be a challenge.

The idea that all the Sooners have to do is beat tOSU and the rest will just fall into place is not valid. And let us not forget the opener at whatever they are calling the Texans home stadium by next August. The Cougars should not be favored, but they will be a worthy challenge.

One national board, I think maybe SI called the Sooner schedule the third toughest in the country next season. Nobody will roll easily through that.

 

[MiccoMacey]

Except for KU and Iowa State, any road game next year will be a challenge.

I get that all games are a challenge, but I think there's a difference between a challenge, and a realistic chance that Team A could beat Team B.

I'm not saying we can play flat and beat any of the teams on our schedule. But you have to assume a certain level of play, for all teams, when picking and choosing a winner, especially this far out. On a normal given day, OU's normal level of play would be greater than anyone else's normal level of play in our conference. And for most conference teams not named Baylor, that level is heads and shoulders better than any opponent on our schedule.

Could OU have an off day, and Texas Tech or Kansas State just be red hot that day? Sure, but I think that's in the upset category.

How many of the teams in our conference were even close to us this year? Three, Texas, Baylor and TCU. And I think Texas showed over the course of the season that their win over us was an upset, a fluke. Kansas, ISU, OSU, KSU, TTech, WVU...none of those teams were even really competitive against OU. Did we lose so much off this year's team to make me think the other teams have gained that much ground on us? Not to me.

Sure, we all know the players and staff have to put the work in to get better this spring and summer, or yes, those other teams WILL catch us. I'm obviously basing my thoughts on the fact that ALL teams will do the required work.

It's not that I don't realize that there are potential upsets, but I'm saying if all teams play to their expected levels of play next year, OU is favored against 11 of them. Ohio State is probably the one I'd say has the upper hand, but as I mentioned, they lost NINE underclassmen. That has to leave a mark on their experience level.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

it taint gonna be easy...

 

[Plainosooner]

West Virginia was hanging around with us, until their best defensive player went out with an injury. After that, it steamrolled. Not that doesn't consider that he should have been disqualfied ten game minutes earlier from an uncalled, but pretty blatant targeting call on the east sideline, but still.

We played TCU and Baylor and OSU missing their best quarterbacks. We saw what that did to us the year before. And let's not forget that Mayfield had at least two concussions in the last 12 weeks.

As strange as it seems, I think KState took us lightly. But since they've won their last two trips to Norman, I'm thinking that they can darn sure compete with us in Norman. I know that Baylor can.

 

[MiccoMacey]

What's cool is we can agree to disagree.

Without you having to admit you're wrong. Even though you are.

 

[Salt City Sooner]

Sans 2008, it's been a knockdown drag out fight to the finish every time we've played TCU under Stoops, & until I see different, I feel pretty safe in assuming that this year will be no different. Tell me we win in Ft. Worth by 1 right now & I'll take it & run so fast heads will spin.

 

[MiccoMacey]

There is a difference between saying that a team is good enough to beat us, and betting on them to beat us. Was Ole Miss good enough to beat Bama? Apparently. But not many were willing to bet the rebels even money. Except for KU and Iowa State, any road game next year will be a challenge.

The idea that all the Sooners have to do is beat tOSU and the rest will just fall into place is not valid. And let us not forget the opener at whatever they are calling the Texans home stadium by next August. The Cougars should not be favored, but they will be a worthy challenge.

One national board, I think maybe SI called the Sooner schedule the third toughest in the country next season. Nobody will roll easily through that.

So, respectfully, name the teams that you predict will beat us. Not can, not might, not could, not will be challenging. That if you had to predict the actual outcome of the game right now with whatever knowledge you have at your possession right now, which team you believe would beat OU.

For me, I'm saying only Ohio State, by less than ten. I think we beat Baylor in a dog fight, especially if Seth Russell comes back for the Bears. I agree WVU will be a tough match up in West Virginia, but I predict we beat them by a TD, maybe more. I think we beat TCU easier than some of the others on this board believe (say a 10-14 point win). Texas, OSU and Houston are two touchdown wins. KSU, TTech, ISU, KU are all more than two TD wins.

You don't have to pick the spread, but if you would, please state who you think will beat OU next season.

 

[Plainosooner]

Let us put it differently. I will pick six schools that it would not take monstrous crazy things happening to be us. Or a devastating key player injury.

Houston, Texas, Baylor, TCU, West Virginia, OSU. And Tech there or KState in Norman are possibilities A notch below that.

Ohio State will be a major challenge for sure, but you already conceded that. There are only three games where we could play poorly and still likely or even sure win. The rest are not anywhere close to a certainty.

I loved the quote from BStoops his first year, coming off Blakes 4 and 8. Somebody asked him to predict the first season record. And he said that he would not, because if he said 10 and 2, the players might wonder which two he expected to lose to.

I am not picking us to lose. Be recognizing the possibility is common sense. This team has lost a bunch of key players. You just never know how a season will progress. Heck, we do not even have OUr signing class in place, much less who is actually on the roster by the end of August.

 

[Okie70]

And KState won in Norman the last two trips. Both flukes. But if you hand the other team the ball in or near your own end zone, flukes happen.

 

[MiccoMacey]

Let us put it differently. I will pick six schools that it would not take monstrous crazy things happening to be us. Or a devastating key player injury.

Houston, Texas, Baylor, TCU, West Virginia, OSU. And Tech there or KState in Norman are possibilities A notch below that.

Ohio State will be a major challenge for sure, but you already conceded that. There are only three games where we could play poorly and still likely or even sure win. The rest are not anywhere close to a certainty.

I loved the quote from BStoops his first year, coming off Blakes 4 and 8. Somebody asked him to predict the first season record. And he said that he would not, because if he said 10 and 2, the players might wonder which two he expected to lose to.

I am not picking us to lose. Be recognizing the possibility is common sense. This team has lost a bunch of key players. You just never know how a season will progress. Heck, we do not even have OUr signing class in place, much less who is actually on the roster by the end of August.

Chicken.

I think we're not far off from each other in that we both recognize that the possibility that we could lose to any team we don't prepare for is a real possibility.

But IF both teams put in the work required, OU beats all the teams on our schedule not named tOSU.

And fortunately....I'm not an OU coach. I get to make predictions without it affecting the team.

 

[Plainosooner]

Well we are, and we aren't. Nobody is going to be maximally prepared each week, and on the road especially stuff happens.

The old Indiana and NFL quarterback, Babe Laufenberg became a really quality sports guy in Dallas, before the CBS affiliate decided they didn't want to pay him any more and replaced him with a cheerleader.

Babe made the rounds as a guest on most sports talk radio in Dallas when he wasn't hosting himself. He'd frequently get asked to pick the Cowboy results for the season in August by multiple shows every year and he usually refused, or qualified his answer by saying it was foolish, because before you could come close to picking a winner in any game, you need to know which players are available that day. I couldn't agree more.

I don't think you can pick a winner for a game ten months from now, no matter how confident you are.

It would be easier picking who the next president will be. And there will be plenty of surprises in that.