With last seasons 12-2 campaign, Oklahoma improved to 129-31 under coach Bob Stoops. His 80.6 percent win rate is the highest among active FBS coaches, but that isnt enough to keep the fans in Norman happy. They want another national championship, something that has eluded Stoops over the last decade.

Its been said more than a few times since Stoops won a national title in his second season at Oklahoma, but I mean it when I say this year could be the year.

Offense: Eight starters are back from an offensive unit that ranked second in the Big 12 in scoring and total offense last season. The Sooners scored 37.2 points and gained 481.4 yards per game.

Led by quarterback Landry Jones, Oklahoma did most of its damage through the air. It ranked third nationally with 343.4 passing yards per game. Jones is coming off a stellar campaign which saw him complete nearly 66.0 percent of his passes for 4,718 yards with 38 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. With four of five starting lineman back, and one of the best receiving units in the country to work with, Jones has a chance to hoist the Heisman Trophy.

Ryan Broyles is coming off the best season of any wide receiver in school history. He caught 131 passes for 1,622 yards and 14 touchdowns. Kenny Stills is a nice complementary deep threat and tight end James Hanna is a great possession receiver.

The Sooners will miss versatile running back DeMarco Murray, but no drop off is expected in the running game. Oklahoma ranked just 10th in the Big 12 in rushing offense with 138.0 yards per game last season, and there is reason to believe that a committee led by sophomore Roy Finch can do just as well.

Jones is capable of putting the offense on his back, so it will continue to hum as long as the running backs do a good job of blocking and receiving out of the backfield.

Defense: Six starters return from a stop unit that ranked third in the conference in scoring defense and fourth in total defense. The Sooners gave up 21.8 points and 361.9 yards per game.

Senior linebacker Travis Lewis, who has led the team in tackles the last three years, is the leader of the unit. He recorded 109 stops last season.

Lewis is joined in the front seven by playmaking ends Ronnell Lewis and Frank Alexander, whose seven sacks a season ago are the most among returning players.

Starting cornerback Jamell Fleming missed the spring with academic issues, but he has since returned to the team. He made 71 stops and led the squad with five interceptions on his way to earning All-Big 12 honors. Missing the spring allowed sophomore Gabe Lynn to shine. He is currently ahead of Fleming on the depth chart.

Prediction: 1st Place Big 12 Texas isnt what it was when Colt McCoy was running the show and Texas A&M must come to Norman this year. This means a visit to Florida State early in the year and a game at rival Oklahoma State in the season finale are likely the only hurdles standing in the way of an undefeated regular season and spot in the BCS title game. College football lines makes have listed Oklahoma at 9/2 to win the BCS championship.

Crush your sports book this season with the help of Jimmy Boyds expert college football picks!

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