Oklahoma football: Six reasons Sooners will win a sixth straight title

Oklahoma football is in a familiar place this weekend: Playing in the Big 12 Championship.

After an abbreviated nine-game schedule over three months while navigating through the trials and uncertainties of a COVID-19 pandemic, Iowa State is the only thing that stands between the Sooners and a sixth straight Big 12 football championship.

The numbers are seemingly all in Oklahoma’s favor. All except two very important ones, that is:

• Iowa State beat the Sooners earlier this year, 37-30, at Iowa State. and
• The Cyclones finished with a better conference record to unseat OU as the outright conference champion.

One Big 12 coach (who preferred to remain anonymous and is not from either of the two teams vying for the 2020 conference championship) said this earlier this week about the matchup:

“I would say Oklahoma is a slight favorite, but it wouldn’t shock me at all if Iowa State wins.”

I’ve seen picks going both ways regarding the Big 12’s contribution to Championship Saturday, but It’s now time to dispense with the pros and cons and all the armchair punditry building up to the big game and let the players decide it on the playing field.

One thing is certain: A Big 12 champion will be crowned on Saturday.

Here are six reasons Oklahoma won’t be denied its sixth consecutive Big 12 title:

DE Ronnie Perkins

Perkins, the heart and soul of the much-improved Sooner defense, will be a huge factor on Saturday and, along with a defensive line group that includes Isaiah Thomas and Perrion Winfrey and edge rusher Nick Bonitto, will apply constant pressure on Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy, who has been susceptible to pressure this season. Perkins did not play in the earlier game at Iowa State. The OU defensive front has 27 sacks in its last six games to lead the country over that time span.

Sooner run defense

Iowa State has the country’s rushing leader in Breece Hall, who is averaging 135 rushing yards per game and has gone over the century mark in eight of 10 games this season, including 139 against Oklahoma. The Sooners are allowing just 88.1 rushing yards per game, best in the Big 12 and fourth nationally, and will hold Hall below his season average in the Big 12 Championship.

QB Spencer Rattler

When Oklahoma and Iowa State met earlier in the season, Rattler was starting just his third collegiate game at quarterback and his first on the road. Rattler played reasonable well in that game, with 300 passing yards and two touchdowns and 20 rushing yards. He unfortunately threw an interception with just over a minute remaining and the Sooners in Iowa State territory and driving for what might have been a score that would have tied and extended the game.

Rattler has shown he has exceptional skill sets. Now he is starting to align the experience factor with his superlative talent and skill and fearless confidence, which is a prime reason, along with outstanding defensive play, why the Sooners were able to run the table the rest of the way after the regular-season loss to the Cyclones.

The Oklahoma quarterback is the X-factor for the Oklahoma offense on Saturday. If he has a strong game, OU will win.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson

Stevenson, who like Ronnie Perkins, missed the Iowa State game, has added a giant boost to the Oklahoma rushing attack. He’s an experienced running back who led the country last season, averaging 8.0 yards per carry. He is averaging close to six yards per carry this season and, importantly, is credited with six touchdowns in his four games back in the lineup. His size and agility makes it difficult to get him to the ground. He may not have break away speed, but if he gets into the secondary with a full head of steam, good luck bringing him down before a huge gain. He also is a threat catching passes out of the backfield, both in check-down situations and in designed pass plays.

The Sooners are at their best running the ball when they complement Stevenson’s bruising “thunder” style with the change-up “lightning” style that T.J. Pledger provides with his quickness and speed.

Lincoln Riley

Riley is widely recognized as one of the best offensive minds in college football. He may have been outcoached in the first meeting this season with Iowa State, but it won’t happen twice. Plus, he has the experience factor, having played in this game, and even bigger championship games, much more often than ISU coach Matt Campbell and his staff. That also goes for the other OU coaches and many of the Oklahoma players.

Expect Riley, who doubles as the Sooner offensive coordinator, to have a few new looks and surprises for the Iowa State defense.

K Gabe Brkic

In the earlier game with Iowa State, Oklahoma reached ISU territory on all but two drives, but had to settle for field goals on three of the drives. Touchdowns are always the preference, but three points are better than no points when the scoring opportunities are there. In a highly competitive championship game, a field goal, and even an extra point, could prove to be the deciding factor.

Brkic is as reliable as they come. He leads the Big 12 in both field-goal attempted and field goals made (16 out of 21), and he made a 51-yarder in the game at Iowa State. He is also 40 for 40 in extra-point attempts.