clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Oklahoma Sooners Football: OU tops Big 12 Preseason Poll

New, 2 comments

As expected, Oklahoma is the favorite to win a fifth consecutive Big 12 title.

By Jack Shields
2 comments / new
NCAA Football: Oklahoma Spring Game Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

As expected, the Oklahoma Sooners are the media’s pick to win a fifth consecutive Big 12 title in 2019. OU received 68 of the 77 first-place votes, with No. 2 Texas receiving the remaining nine. I’m not sure who those nine voters are, but I’m guessing one of them rhymes with Geoff Ketchum.

  1. Oklahoma (68) - 761
  2. Texas (9) - 696
  3. Iowa State - 589
  4. TCU - 474
  5. Oklahoma State - 460
  6. Baylor - 453
  7. Texas Tech - 281
  8. West Virginia - 241
  9. Kansas State - 191
  10. Kansas - 89

All-Time Big 12 Preseason Polls

Since the league entered the 10-team format in 2011, Oklahoma has been the preseason pick in seven instances. Prior to that round of realignment, OU was the favorite to win the Big 12 South on seven occasions. Since the league’s formation, the Sooners have claimed the conference title 12 times (or 11 depending on how you feel about 2012), and since OU’s first Big 12 crown (2000), no other program has won more than two.

  • With OU led by the steady hands of graduate transfer QB Jalen Hurts, this pick is more than justified. If not for significant defensive attrition, Texas would have a solid argument, but Hurts’ decision to come to Norman pretty much sealed it in any event.
  • Even with the losses of David Montgomery and Hakeem Butler, Iowa State is a pretty solid pick at No. 3. The ‘Clones are returning all but two total starts along the offensive and defensive fronts combined, and the young Brock Purdy is going to be fun to watch in 2019 (and beyond).
  • No. 5 Oklahoma State has a chance to make some noise if a QB is able to separate himself. I had them ahead of No. 4 TCU, whose offensive ceiling is a bit too low this season. Additionally, don’t be surprised to see some improvement in Jim Knowles’ second season as DC.
  • The bottom three were a no-brainer, as Kansas is Kansas, Kansas State is breaking in a new regime and West Virginia has suffered A TON of attrition.
  • Our own Kamiar Mehrabian’s vote went as follows: 1. Oklahoma 2. Texas 3. Iowa State 4. Oklahoma State 5. TCU 6. Baylor 7. Texas Tech 8. West Virginia 9. Kansas State 10. Kansas. I don’t get the sense that there was much variation in the voting this year.

More From Crimson And Cream Machine

Loading comments...