Happy Thursday, friends and fans!

The Big 12 announced its 2020 postseason awards today, and three Oklahoma Sooners were named First Team All-Conference. Those players include redshirt junior H-back Jeremiah Hall, redshirt junior center Creed Humphrey and redshirt sophomore placekicker Gabe Brkic. Humphrey was also named the league’s Offensive Lineman of the Year.

These are significant honors for each of these Sooners, as all are well-deserved. On the flipside, not a single OU defender was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, despite the fact that Oklahoma boasts one of the top units in the conference and some of the most productive players in the nation. I mean seriously, the fact that RUSH LB Nik Bonitto didn’t receive anything beyond an honorable mention speaks volumes to the egregious errors that have been committed here.

While junior DE Ronnie Perkins missed the first five games of the season, he took particular exception to the glaring omission of he and his teammates, and justifiably so.

Spencer Rattler also made public note of the blatant disrespect from the league’s coaches. Despite all the success and plays the redshirt freshman QB has made this season en route to a title game berth, he’s apparently a less deserving choice than Iowa State’s Brock Purdy or Texas’ Sam Ehlinger as an All-Big 12 team member. I can understand the reasoning behind giving the nod to the Cyclones signal caller for the year he and his team have had, but that other selection is nothing more than a lifetime achievement award. You cannot convince me otherwise.

Making the All-Big 12 Second Team for Oklahoma was freshman WR Marvin Mims, redshirt junior OT Adrian Ealy, redshirt junior DE Isaiah Thomas, junior DT Perrion Winfrey, senior CB Tre Brown and the aforementioned Perkins. Thomas’ omission from the first team was about as bad as any other, as he had one of the best seasons of any defender in the Big 12 this season.

You can look over the entirety of the 2020 Big 12 Postseason Awards right here, from who all made the First and Second Teams to which players received honorable mentions. As for the conference title game coming up this weekend, it’s safe to say Oklahoma will be highly motivated on Saturday. Bring your popcorn, folks.

Now for today’s Hot Links! Oklahoma coaches talk signing day, around 21,000 Sooner and Cyclone fans are expected in Arlington this weekend, Les Miles receives vote of confidence from KU AD and more!

OU Links

• Oklahoma’s defensive line has looked like one of the best units in all of college football this season, and according to Pro Football Focus, the Sooners have the grade to back that up.

• After 16 recruits signed to play for OU on Wednesday, Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch spoke in length about the class of 2021. Sooners Wire’s Josh Callaway has more.
• For four-star OT signee Savion Byrd, what ultimately led him to choose Oklahoma was the chance to play for a powerhouse program that has proven to develop its linemen at a quality clip.
• Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby confirmed that there will be about 18,000 OU and ISU fans in AT&T Stadium this weekend plus a few thousand more in suites for the conference championship game during a teleconference on Thursday, writes the Tulsa World’s Guerin Emig.
• The fact that Oklahoma was able to play nine regular season games this fall and reach the Big 12 Championship Game is a remarkable feat. With COVID turning the college football world upside-down, the Sooners pulled off a masterful job when it didn’t seem possible just four months ago. OU Daily’s Chandler Englebrecht has more.

Around the Sports World

• On Thursday, the Oregon Ducks announced their signing of head coach Mario Cristobal to a six-year, $27.3 million contract extension.
• Despite a winless season, Kansas Jayhawks athletic director Jeff Long has given Les Miles a vote of confidence moving forward in year three under the former national championship winning head coach.
• Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward has reportedly suffered a slight fracture in his right (shooting) hand. The 2020-21 NBA regular season tips-off on Tuesday, Dec. 22.
• According to a recent ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Russian athletes will not be able to represent their country’s name, flag or anthem in the next two Olympic Games or at any other world championships.

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