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This story is a part of USA TODAY Sports activities’ 25 days to school soccer countdown.
A fixture within the race for the Faculty Soccer Playoff, Oklahoma’s championship hopes really feel much more reliable because of the expansion of a protection that’s all of the sudden an asset, not a legal responsibility.
Final season noticed the Sooners maintain 5 straight convention opponents to 400 or fewer yards of offense, this system’s longest such streak since 2012. After giving up 40 factors per recreation towards its first three Huge 12 foes, OU allowed simply 17 factors per recreation and 4.2 yards per play in closing 7-0, capped by a 55-20 win towards Florida within the Cotton Bowl.
It is a easy formulation: OU’s offense, plus this protection, makes the Sooners powerful to beat. One Huge 12 staff that will disrupt that equation is Iowa State, the No. 8 staff within the preseason USA TODAY Sports activities AFCA Coaches Ballot and a nationwide championship contender in its personal proper. These two groups high the preseason Huge 12 energy rankings.
1. Oklahoma (2020 report: 9-2)
That final 12 months’s end is seen as a slight disappointment speaks to the requirements in place underneath coach Lincoln Riley. With the nation’s high quarterback in Spencer Rattler to go together with that reborn protection, OU has the components wanted to achieve the playoff and beat Clemson, Ohio State and the perfect the SEC has to supply.
2. Iowa State (9-3)
The notion of ISU as a bunch of plucky underdogs maximizing its expertise behind excellent expertise improvement and execution is barely barely appropriate. The Cyclones are much more gifted than most individuals consider, with a number of gamers ranked among the many nation’s greatest at their positions and maybe a dozen or extra gamers closely within the combine for all-conference honors. In different phrases, it is a staff with the roster to match its preseason rating and compete for the title.
3. Oklahoma State (8-3)
The baseline ought to be set at a Prime 25 end. Ought to much more be anticipated? It’s going to be arduous to crack into the highest two given the groups in place at OU and ISU. However the Cowboys’ protection has made large strides since 2018 and the offense is able to roll at quarterback, working again and the road. OSU does must develop two or extra go-to receivers, nevertheless.
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4. Texas (7-3)
There are a great deal of top-tier recruits on the roster and, in coach Steve Sarkisian, a frontrunner with a monitor report to recommend he can develop an explosive offense. One of many apparent beneficiaries of Sarkisian’s arrival is sophomore working again Bijan Robinson, a preseason USA TODAY Sports activities All-America choose.
5. West Virginia (6-4)
There’s a complete lot to love about WVU, which is perhaps an improved working recreation away from making a critical run at third place within the Huge 12. As common as the bottom assault was in 2020 (3.8 yards per carry), that was a marked enchancment over 2019, coach Neal Brown’s first 12 months, when the Mountaineers ranked 129th nationally in yards per carry and 128th in yards per recreation.
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6. TCU (6-4)
Getting a wholesome and full season from quarterback Max Duggan is obligatory ought to TCU look to reverse three years of relative mediocrity underneath coach Gary Patterson and crack the 10-win mark. The potential is there, particularly given the state of a protection that ought to problem OU and WVU for the title of the league’s greatest. The schedule is unkind, nevertheless, with journeys to Norman, Oklahoma State and Iowa State.
7. Kansas State (4-6)
The room for error is small, and never helped a lot by non-conference video games towards Stanford and Nevada. One key to enchancment in coach Chris Klieman’s third 12 months is the well being of quarterback Skyler Thompson; the Wildcats are a distinct staff with him within the lineup. The offense additionally has an excellent all-around weapon in second-year working again Deuce Vaughn.
8. Baylor (2-7)
Three simple video games to open the 12 months — Texas State, Texas Southern and Kansas — ought to present the Bears with a wanted dose of optimism after successful simply twice in 2020. However is there sufficient right here to climb out of the underside third of the convention? It is dependent upon your religion in second-year coach Dave Aranda and new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, who has the duty of bettering final season’s putrid assault.
9. Texas Tech (4-6)
In a wierd shift, issues over this 12 months’s staff focus much more on offense than with the protection, which brings again 9 starters and a wholesome portion of final 12 months’s two-deep. The offense has regressed in every of coach Matt Wells’ two seasons however might be sparked by a return to the pass-happy fashion embraced by coordinator Sonny Cumbie.
10. Kansas (0-9)
Kansas is unhealthy sufficient to defy description. However there may be hope within the type of new coach Lance Leipold, a confirmed winner drawn to the form of huge constructing undertaking needed in Lawrence. Simply be affected person.
Comply with faculties reporter Paul Myerberg on Twitter @PaulMyerberg
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Huge 12 preseason energy rankings tout Oklahoma, Iowa State
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