OU's schedule features five teams ranked in the top 25 and top individuals at every turn.
NORMAN, Okla. -- Last week, compiled what college football's preseason magazines are saying about the Sooners. This week, we provide their take on each of OU's 2011 opponents.
Once again, Oklahoma's schedule is loaded with some of the nation's best teams and individual players. Of the Sooners' 12 opponents, five are ranked in the top 25 by at least one publication, including three among the top 10. OU will also face seven potential Heisman candidates and a host of projected All-Americans.
Following is an opponent-by-opponent capsule with information compiled from the four preseason magazines:
Tulsa Golden Hurricane | September 3 | Norman, OK
National Projection: Athlon: 62 | Lindy's: 56 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: 35
Preseason All-Americans: WR/KR Damaris Johnson (Athlon, Phil Steele - 1st)
National Position Rankings:
Phil Steele: QB - 10th, OL - 17th, DB - 25th, LB - 27th, WR - 30th
Quick Outlook:
"Tulsa is a threat with all of its offensive weapons and special teams player extraordinaire Damaris Johnson." - Lindy's
Florida State Seminoles | September 17 | Tallahassee, FL
National Projection: Athlon: 4 | Lindy's: 5 | Sporting News: 7 | Phil Steele: 10
Heisman Watch: QB E.J. Manuel (Steele - 14th)
Preseason All-Americans: DE Brandon Jenkins (A, L, SN, PS - 1st); PR Greg Reid (SN - 1st, A, PS - 3rd); OL Andrew Datko (SN - 2nd, PS - 4th); LB Nigel Bradham (SN, PS - 3rd); K Dustin Hopkins (PS - 3rd)
National Position Rankings: Athlon: DL - 2nd, DB - 3rd, WR/TE: 10th; Lindy's: DL - 1st, OL - 3rd, DB - 3rd;
Steele: DL - 1st, DB - 5th, RB - 8th, LB - 18th, WR - 20th, OL - 20th
Quick Outlook:
"With 18 starters returning - including three of four defensive linemen and everyone in the secondary - FSU is well-armed." - Sporting News
Missouri Tigers | September 24 | Norman, OK
National Projection: Athlon: 25 | Lindy's: 23 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: 38
Preseason All-Americans: TE Michael Egnew (A, L, PS - 1st, SN - 2nd); K Grant Ressel (A - 2nd); DL Jacquies Smith (L - 2nd); DE Brad Madison (A - 3rd); LB Zavier Gooden (PS - 4th)
National Position Rankings: Athlon: DL - 6th, WR/TE: 7th, OL - 9th, LB - 10th; Lindy's: DL - 5th, WR - 9th; Steele: WR - 12th, OL - 14th, LB - 21st, DL - 26th
Quick Outlook:
"Whoever wins the quarterback duel in August will be surrounded by what might be MU's most experienced cast since the start of the Pinkel regime." - Lindy's
Ball State Cardinals | October 1 | Norman, OK
National Projection: Athlon: 111 | Lindy's: 113 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: NA
Preseason All-Conference: DB Sean Baker (A, L, SN, PS - 1st); DB Jason Pinkston (L, SN - 1st, PS - 4th); RB Eric Williams (SN - 1st, PS - 3rd); LB Travis Freeman (A - 2nd, PS - 3rd); OG Kitt O'Brien (PS - 3rd); P Scott Kovanda (PS - 4th)
Quick Outlook:
"The win total might be similar to last year's, but Ball State is on the right track. Lembo is a proven winner who should have his program relevant in the tough MAC West in the near future." - Athlon
Texas Longhorns | October 8 | Dallas, TX
National Projection: Athlon: 24 | Lindy's: 28 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: 18
National Position Rankings: Athlon: LB - 3rd, DL - 10th; Lindy's: LB - 4th, DL - 8th; Steele: LB - 3rd, DL - 5th, DB - 17th, OL - 19th, WR - 27th, RB - 32nd
Quick Outlook:
"They will get much better QB play and finally have a feature RB in true freshman Malcolm Brown." - Phil Steele
Kansas Jayhawks | October 15 | Lawrence, KS
National Projection: Athlon: 81 | Lindy's: 85 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: NA
Preseason All-Conference: TE Tim Biere (PS - 2nd); KR D.J. Beshears (PS - 3rd); RB James Sims (PS - 4th); C Jeremiah Hatch (PS - 4th); OT Tanner Hawkinson (PS - 4th); LB Steven Johnson (PS - 4th)
Quick Outlook:
"Although this is a much stronger KU team with 15 returning starters in Gill's second season, the schedule does them no favors." - Phil Steele
Texas Tech Red Raiders | October 22 | Norman, OK
National Projection: Athlon: 39 | Lindy's: 32 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: 49
Preseason All-Americans: OG Lonnie Edwards (Athlon - 3rd)
National Position Rankings: Lindy's: OL - 8th; Steele: OL - 16th
Quick Outlook:
"Freshmen figure to be a big part of Texas Tech's program this season, as the Red Raiders scored the highest-rated class in school history." - Sporting News
Kansas State Wildcats | October 29 | Manhattan, KS
National Projection: Athlon: 73 | Lindy's: 61 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: NA
Preseason All-Conference: S Ty Zimmerman (A, L, SN - 1st, PS - 3rd); LB Arthur Brown (PS - 1st); RB Bryce Brown (PS - 2nd); DL Brandon Harold (PS - 3rd); CB David Garrett (PS - 3rd); PR Tramaine Thompson (PS - 4th); S Tysyn Hartman (PS - 4th); P Ryan Doerr (PS - 4th)
National Position Rankings: Steele: DB - 27th, RB - 34th, LB 34th
Quick Outlook:
"Getting the most from less-than-ideal conditions is what has made Snyder the coach he is. And in 2011, he should have a little more to work with." - Sporting News
Texas A&M Aggies | November 5 | Norman, OK
National Projection: Athlon: 11 | Lindy's: 13 | Sporting News: 9 | Phil Steele: 8
Heisman Watch: RB Cyrus Gray (SN - 8th); WR Jeff Fuller (PS - 19th)
Preseason All-Americans: WR Jeff Fuller (L, PS - 2nd; A, SN - 3rd); RB Cyrus Gray (SN - 2nd; PS - 4th)
National Position Rankings: Athlon: RB - 3rd, WR/TE - 4th, OL - 4th, DB - 7th; Lindy's: QB/RB - 4th, WR - 4th, DB - 6th; Steele: WR - 4th, RB - 9th, OL - 10th, QB - 24th, LB - 36th, DL - 37th
Quick Outlook:
"If the Aggies can continue to improve defensively and maintain their high-powered offense, this is a team that could win the school's first outright league title since 1998." - Athlon
Baylor Bears | November 19 | Waco, TX
National Projection: Athlon: 47 | Lindy's: 34 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: NA
Heisman Watch: QB Robert Griffin (Athlon - 10th)
Preseason All-Americans: QB Robert Griffin (Athlon - 3rd)
National Position Rankings: Athlon: QB - 3rd, WR/TE - 8th; Steele: QB - 6th, WR - 11th, OL - 12th
Quick Outlook:
"Griffin leads the list of returning players. All he has done is lead a culture change at Baylor." - Sporting News
Iowa State Cyclones | November 26 | Norman, OK
National Projection: Athlon: 63 | Lindy's: 73 | Sporting News: NA | Phil Steele: NA
Preseason All-Americans: OL Kelechi Osemele (PS - 1st; L, SN - 2nd)
National Position Rankings: Steele: DB - 16th
Quick Outlook:
"The depth is as good as it's been at ISU in some time." - Lindy's
Oklahoma State Cowboys | December 3 | Stillwater, OK
National Projection: Athlon: 12 | Lindy's: 7 | Sporting News: 12 | Phil Steele: 19
Preseason All-Americans: WR Justin Blackmon (A, L, SN, PS - 1st); OL Levy Adcock (L - 1st, A - 2nd); P Quinn Sharp (L - 1st, A, PS - 2nd, SN - 3rd); S Markelle Martin (A, SN - 3rd, PS - 4th)
National Position Rankings: Athlon: OL - 2nd, WR/TE - 3rd, QB - 5th; Lindy's: OL - 2nd, WR - 3rd, DB - 9th; Steele: WR - 2nd, OL - 3rd, QB - 7th, DB - 7th
Quick Outlook:
"Many of the key figures from last year's special season are back, prompting dreams of a Big 12 championship and more." - Athlon
A = Athlon | L = Lindy's | SN = Sporting News | PS = Phil Steele
Notes:Rankings - Sporting News only lists the top 25, Phil Steele only the top 40, thus why some rankings are listed as NA. All-Americans - Lindy's only lists a 1st and 2nd Team, Phil Steele lists four. Position Rankings - Sporting News does not list position rankings, Athlon and Lindy's only rank the top 10, Phil Steele ranks the top 40.
