FILE – In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (2) celebrates a touchdown during an NCAA college football game against Kansas State in Norman, Okla. Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray has star receivers in Marquise Brown and Lamb, yet he doesn’t hesitate to throw to other options.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
The Big 12 is Oklahoma’s to lose until someone takes it from the Sooners, isn’t it?
Oklahoma has won the conference four years running. Lincoln Riley finally did something about the defense this offseason, hiring Alex Grinch from Ohio State (via Washington State). Riley got his next quarterback too, acquiring Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts to hold down the quarterback position for a season. And Riley brings back CeeDee Lamb, Grant Calcaterra, Trey Sermon, Kennedy Brooks and others to support Hurts on the offense.
Will Texas’ Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia resonate enough in Austin to break the Sooners’ streak? Or is the Big 12 fertile for a challenger like Iowa State to usurp Oklahoma? Is Baylor bouncing back fast enough? Is Oklahoma State primed for a return to excellence? Is TCU capable of a memorable charge?
It’s certainly a telling season for a conference still trying to break through in the College Football Playoff. Sporting News’ review of the 2019 season in the Big 12. …
To read the rest of John E. Hoover’s report for Sporting News, click here:
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Columnist John E. Hoover is co-host of “The Franchise Drive” every weeknight from 6-8 on The Franchise in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and appears throughout the day on other shows on The Franchise. Listen at fm107.7 in OKC, fm107.9/am1270 in Tulsa, on The Franchise app, or click the “Listen” tab on The Franchise home page. Hoover also covers the Big 12 for Sporting News and Lindy’s magazine and is a feature writer for Sooner Spectator magazine. Visit his personal page at johnehoover.com.
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