Lindy’s said much the same.

“Stoops is closing in on his second national championship. If the SEC powers beat up on one another, don’t be surprised if Oklahoma makes it all the way to Dolphin Stadium (site of the BCS title game),” was the magazine’s rationale for ranking OU No. 4.

It also picked the Sooners to win the Big 12 Conference.

Pro Football Weekly has the Sooners No. 4, but failed to say why. For one, it likes Missouri to win the Big 12. It also likes Texas Tech to represent the South in the conference title game.

“On experience, skill, NFL talent, depth, and any other way you want to measure, no one on the schedule — including Kansas, Texas and Texas Tech — can stay with the Sooners,” Pro Football Weekly said. “But everyone gets up for OU and brings its ‘A’ game, and now, OU needs to realize that it has to find a way to get up for everyone and bring its ‘A’ game, too.”

But if that’s the prediction, then why have Missouri ranked No. 8 and Texas Tech ranked No. 9 in the preseason? Seems like if you believe both are going to beat the Sooners, you should have them ranked higher.

Of course, Pro Football Weekly did rank all 119 Bowl Subdivision teams from top to bottom. For those interested, Baylor, No. 95, is the worst Bowl Subdivision team on the Sooners’ schedule.

OU opens the season against Tennessee-Chattanooga Aug. 30, but it is a Championship Subdivision member.

So, it’s obvious the high expectations that surround OU football will be there again this season. But some believe this will be a year where those expectations won’t be met.

John Shinn

366-3536

jshinn@normantranscript.com