Stormin in Norman
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Oklahoma football: How Big 12 race will shake out in 2022

By Chip Rouse

Oct 23, 2021; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; A general view of the Big 12 Conference logo on the field after the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Oklahoma Sooners at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2021; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; A general view of the Big 12 Conference logo on the field after the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Oklahoma Sooners at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 4, 2021; Arlington, TX, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Blake Shapen (12) passes against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the second quarter in the Big 12 Conference championship game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2021; Arlington, TX, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Blake Shapen (12) passes against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the second quarter in the Big 12 Conference championship game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 3 — Baylor Bears (9-3 overall, 7-2 in Big 12)

Like Oklahoma State, Baylor experienced heavy losses, mostly at the skill positions on both offense and defense, and the Bears will be introducing a new starting quarterback. Sophomore Blake Shapen beat out last year’s starter, Gerry Bohanon, for the quarterback job and he’ll be surrounded by a number of new faces at running back and in the receiving corps.

The strength of this season’s edition of the Baylor Bears lies in the trenches on the offensive and defensive lines.

The kicking game is in great hands (or should we say feet?) with Isaiah Hankins, who made 14 of 20 field-goal tries last season and was perfect in 57 extra-point attempts. Hankins is backed up by the school’s all-time career leader in field-goal percentage (76.5 percent), John Mayers. Also back for another season is punter Issac Power, who averaged 45.0 yards per punt a year ago.

Head coach Dave Aranda begins his third season at Baylor. He is 14-9 in his two seasons there and, from all indications, appears to be a great hire for the program. Aranda was the defensive coordinator at both Wisconsin and LSU before, and you could see his handprint all over what was the Big 12’s second-best defense last season.

Baylor has a giant challenge right out of the gate. The Bears head to Provo, Utah, to take on future Big 12 member BYU the second week of the season, and they must travel to Norman, Oklahoma, and Austin, Texas, in the month of November Baylor could be 8-0 or probably, at worst, 7-1 by the time the calendar turns to November.

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