It’s the middle of August and that means football season is just around the corner (19 days away, to be exact). As a new season of Oklahoma football approaches, there’s anticipation with a dash of unease in Sooner Nation.
After all, this will be the first season in a while without quarterback magician Baker Mayfield, who is now doing his thing for the Cleveland Browns. Those are big shoes to fill for either Kyler Murray or Austin Kendall, and chances are the offense may take a slight step back. But enough talent returns across the board to alleviate those concerns.
The far bigger concern is the defense. Will the uptick in recruiting translate to results on the field? It’s been a while since Oklahoma had a dominant, elite defense, and fan patience is wearing thin. For the Sooners to return to the College Football Playoff and finally bring home that elusive eighth national title, it’s imperative for the defense to improve.
With that, we take a look at the first four games on Oklahoma’s 2018 schedule: