Happy Thursday, friends and fans!

A pair of Oklahoma Sooners have been named preseason D-I All-Americans by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Redshirt senior pitcher Jason Ruffcorn was named to the NCBWA First Team, while redshirt junior outfielder Tanner Tredaway was named to the NCBWA Third Team.

Also on Thursday, redshirt freshman infielder Peyton Graham was named to the 2021 USA Golden Spikes Award watch list.

With so much star power and returning experience on this year’s squad, OU Baseball figures to have another strong season. The fun begins for the Sooners this Saturday at 1 p.m. CT in Corpus Christi, Texas against TAMUCC.

Now for today’s Hot Links! Skip Johnson has the nation’s top reliever in his bullpen, ‘Ice’ Trae eclipses 4K, Naomi strikes Serena again and more!

OU Links

• In case you missed it, Lincoln Riley and the rest of Oklahoma’s coaching staff had themselves an epic snow-down on Owen Field. I’m not sure who won, but whichever team DeMarco Murray played for was clearly at a decided advantage. Also, I’m pretty sure Riley and Cale Gundy each threw a pick on the day. I’m not saying, I’m just saying.

• According to Pro Football Focus, rising redshirt junior RUSH LB Nik Bonitto is the nation’s No. 1 returning defensive lineman. That group up front for the Sooners should be nasty in 2021.

• Oklahoma senior pitcher Jason Ruffcorn was recently ranked as the nation’s top overall reliever heading into the 2021 college baseball season, according to D1Baseball. Boomer!

• While Patty Gasso’s Sooner Softball team routinely sets program and NCAA records, winning championships remains the primary goal. OU Daily’s Braden Giesecke has more.
• On Wednesday, former Sooner point guard Trae Young dropped 40 as his Atlanta Hawks defeated the Boston Celtics, 122-114. In doing so, he became the fastest Hawk to reach 4,000 career points in franchise history.

Around the Sports World

• The Philadelphia Eagles have traded former No. 2 overall pick QB Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts for a pair of draft picks over the next two cycles.
• Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres have agreed to a 14-year, $340 million contract extension. It’s the third-highest deal in MLB history.
• Once again, Naomi Osaka defeated the legendary Serena Williams, this time in the Australian Open semifinals.
• Former Michigan Wolverines starting QB Joe Milton has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal. As an early grad transfer, Milton has three years of eligibility remaining.
• The NFL has reportedly increased the 2021 league salary cap minimum to $180 million, up from $175 million one year ago.

Follow Crimson & Cream Machine on Twitter!