2021 Preview: Can No. 5 Oklahoma Ride Rattler, Depth to the Playoff?

Led by Heisman Trophy candidate Spencer Rattler, the Sooners are very much in the mix for the national title.

Seven months after the confetti fell on national champion Alabama, a new college football season is nearly here. As part of Sports Illustrated's 2021 preview content, we're rolling out scouting reports for all of SI's preseason top 25 teams, featuring all the names, storylines and big games you need to know. Starting with No. 25 Nevada and running through No. 1 Alabama, we'll be featuring five teams per day from Monday through Friday.

The Big Story: Oklahoma

Another year marks another potential Heisman winner in Norman. This will be Spencer Rattler’s second season with Lincoln Riley and the Sooners, and barring any injury woes, Rattler could very well join Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray as Oklahoma signal-callers to win the trophy. Rattler tossed 28 touchdowns in 11 starts last season, and his weapons this year should be even better than Oklahoma’s 2020 crew. Another Big 12 title is likely for the Sooners. If Rattler is as good as advertised, a two-decade national championship drought could be broken in the process.

Can’t Miss

The offensive talent on display for the Sooners should be overwhelming for the rest of the Big 12. Kennedy Brooks, who opted out in 2020, will join Tennessee transfer Eric Gray in what could be the nation’s top running back tandem, and there is no shortage of talent at receiver. Arkansas transfer Mike Woods should make an instant impact, joining returning starters Marvin Mims and Theo Wease in a startlingly deep receiving corps. Riley has built an offensive machine in Norman in recent years. This season’s version could be the best one yet.

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Key Question: Can OU match its offensive excellence on the other side of the ball?

Riley’s squad has become defined by its offensive prowess over the last half decade, but 2021 could mark the best Oklahoma defense of the Riley era. Linebacker Nik Bonitto could win Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and he leads a dynamic front seven alongside defensive tackles Perrion Winfrey and Isaiah Thomas. The secondary remains a bit in flux, potentially serving as the position group that will swing Oklahoma’s season. If this is anywhere near a top-25 defense in 2021, a national championship is very much in play.

X-Factor: Consistency

Will we see enough from Oklahoma to run the table in the Big 12? No team in the conference sports even a similar crop of talent, but that hasn’t stopped the Sooners from incurring hiccups in previous seasons. Turnover troubles led to a pair of losses to Kansas State and Iowa State last season, and a similar issue led to Oklahoms’s lone regular-season loss in 2019. The Sooners’ pass-heavy attack overwhelms nearly every opponent in sight. But a couple of poor decisions from Rattler could very well lead to an unexpected loss in Big 12 play.

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Date to Circle: Nov. 27 at Oklahoma State

There is no real threat looming on Oklahoma’s nonconference calendar, and the Sooners should take care of business against Texas on Oct. 9. The most difficult challenge for Riley & Co. could come in the season finale, where a trip to Stillwater could lead to an upset in Bedlam. Perhaps Oklahoma State can dethrone its intrastate rival as December approaches.

The Bottom Line

This is the deepest Oklahoma roster in recent memory, and Iowa State stands as the lone contender in the Big 12. The College Football Playoff is a fair expectation. A national title is very much in play. 

More Top 25 Team Previews:

• No. 23 Texas
• No. 9 USC
• No. 7 Iowa State

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