No. 1 Oklahoma

Flying in under the radar come the Oklahoma Sooners. After an uncharacteristically sub-par season, it’s out of sight, out of mind — but not for long. Due in large part to a ruinous rash of injuries in 2005, there are 22 players back who drew at least one starting assignment last fall, compared to only 17 with starting experience going into last season. OU won six of its last seven games, including a 17–14 victory over sixth-ranked Oregon in the Holiday Bowl. In addition, the 2006 Sooners welcome back their top passer, rusher, receiver, tackler and sack man from ’05.

Quarterback Rhett Bomar took the reins on offense in Game 2 as a redshirt freshman and got better and better as the season wore on. In his 12 appearances, with 10 starts, he threw for 2,018 yards — a school freshman record — and 10 touchdowns, and he has just begun to tap his enormous potential.

Two years ago, running back Adrian Peterson set an NCAA freshman record with 1,925 rushing yards, averaging 5.7 per carry with 15 touchdowns. Last fall, he was hampered by an ankle injury all season, missing all or most of four games, and still ran for more than 1,000 yards with a five-yard average and 14 scores. Peterson is the best ball-carrier in America, and no one else is close.

Five of the top seven receivers are back, including sophomores Malcolm Kelly, Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson. Kelly led the way with 33 catches, and the three averaged over 15 yards per catch combined. Converted quarterback Paul Thompson and tight end Joe Jon Finley round out the receivers’ playing group.

There is only one full-time starter back on the offensive line — right tackle Chris Messner — but most of the new men have game action under their belts. Tackle Branndon Braxton started three games last season, guard J.D. Quinn started four and center Jon Cooper started two.

Linebackers Rufus Alexander, a first-team All-Big 12 returnee, and Zach Latimer combined for 186 tackles, including 23 for a loss and nine sacks, in 2005 and form the cornerstone of the defense. Larry Birdine and John Williams, both of whom sat out last year with injuries, return at end along with C.J. Ah You and Calvin Thibodeaux, who started in their stead. Ah You was the runaway choice as league Newcomer of the Year and was Defensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl. Thibodeaux turned in a team-high 10 sacks for the season.

Reggie Smith spent most of the 2005 campaign as a true freshman starter at strong safety and again will join Darien Williams in the deep zones. D.J. Wolfe started all 11 games at cornerback last year after switching from running back and responded with 65 tackles, along with five for a loss. He also picked off two passes, running one back for a touchdown, and broke up 10 others.

After tuning up at home against UAB and Washington, the Sooners travel to Eugene for the first challenge of the season — a Sept. 16 rematch of last year’s Holiday Bowl with Oregon. Iowa State and Texas Tech both must come to Norman, and there is no Nebraska on the 2006 slate.

And don’t forget the Red River Shootout against Texas in Dallas on Oct. 7.

Athlon’s Pick: National champions

Returning starters
4 offense, 8 defense, both kickers

Yoots
Oklahoma was one of the youngest teams in DI-A last season, with 12 true freshmen seeing game action and 11 drawing at least one starting assignment.

Bring ’em on
The Sooners played the toughest schedule in the nation last year, based on cumulative records of their opponents as compiled by the NCAA. OU played seven teams that ended up in the 2005-06 postseason.

Pack ’em in
Oklahoma led the Big 12 in attendance in 2005 with an average of 84,331 fans at six home games.

2006 Schedule
S. 2 UAB
S. 9 Washington
S. 16 at Oregon
S. 23 Middle Tennessee
O. 7 #Texas
O. 14 Iowa State
O. 21 Colorado
O. 28 at Missouri
N. 4 at Texas A&M
N. 11 Texas Tech
N. 18 at Baylor
N. 25 at Oklahoma State
#Dallas, TX

2005 Results (8–4, 6–2 Big 12)
S. 3 TCU L 10–17
S. 10 Tulsa W 31–15
S. 17 at UCLA L 24–41
O. 1 Kansas State W 43–21
O. 8 at Texas L 12–45
O. 15 at Kansas W 19– 3
O. 22 Baylor W 37–30
O. 29 at Nebraska W 31–24
N. 12 Texas A&M W 36–30
N. 19 at Texas Tech L 21–23
N. 26 Okla. State W 42–14
D. 29 #Oregon W 17–14
#Holiday Bowl