The 2021 Oklahoma Sooners will be chasing the elusive first win in the College Football Playoffs. They finished just outside of the rankings prior to their selection to the Cotton Bowl Classic as part of the New Years Six bowl games. Can they return to Arlington, Texas, next season to take their shot at a national championship?

In 2020 the fanbase saw their team fall out of the top 25 after losses to Kansas State and Iowa State to begin the year in Big 12 play. They would rattle off eight-straight wins to climb into the top six by season’s end. It all started when redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler was given a reality check against the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry. Upon his return in the second half after a brief benching, Rattler led the Sooners to the 53-45 four-overtime victory to start the streak.

Another year wiser, the quarterback is slated to be the frontrunner for the Heisman trophy. Rattler will try and lead them to the promised land, an event that has eluded them since the days of the BCS. Sooners Wire takes a look at the schedule to provide a way-too-early game by game breakdown and prediction for the 2021 season.

December 14, 2019 6:14 pm The Heisman Trophy, first awarded in 1935 under a different name, was given to the top college football player in America on Saturday night in New York City.

Sept. 4: at Tulane Green Wave

1. The early ACC predictions for the 2021 college football season feature Clemson atop the league once again. The Tigers should be a heavy preseason favorite to claim the league title, with North.
2. The 2019 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season.The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium (nicknamed Death Valley) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and competed in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) where they were led by their third-year head coach Ed Orgeron.

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The first meeting between Oklahoma and Tulane since the Sooners 56-14 win in 2017. This time it will take place in Louisiana but just like their first-ever meeting they will be too much for the Green Wave.

Prediction: Oklahoma 52-21

Sept. 11: Western Carolina Catamounts

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The first-ever meeting with the Oklahoma Sooners and FCS team Western Carolina. This should be treated more like a scrimmage with the starters being out relatively early.

Prediction: Oklahoma 56-3

Sept. 18: Nebraska Cornhuskers

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The final week of the nonconference schedule provides a rivalry renewed with Nebraska coming to Norman. These teams haven’t played since the Big 12 Championship in 2010. The Sooners own the all-time record 45-38-3. Oklahoma rolls in this game to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Prediction: Oklahoma 48-13

Sept. 25: West Virginia Mountaineers

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These two schools didn’t meet last season due to COVID-19 but the Sooners will open Big 12 play against the Mountaineers at home. Oklahoma has owned the series since they joined the conference with a perfect 8-0 record. The last loss game in the 2008 Fiest Bowl. Seems like every year Oklahoma drops a game they shouldn’t and this feels like that game.

Prediction: West Virginia 31-30

Oct. 2: at Kansas State Wildcats

(Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman)

The Kansas State Wildcats and head coach Chris Klieman have owned the Oklahoma Sooners the past couple of seasons. OU owns the all-time series 76-21-4. Given that the Sooners drop the previous games in this prediction, this is where the run begins. A more experience Spencer Rattler bounces back against KSU.

Prediction: Oklahoma 38-21

Oct. 9: Texas Longhorns (Red River Rivalry in Dallas, TX)

(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

When these two schools get together in Dallas, you can pretty much throw the record and rankings out the window. The Texas Longhorns will introduce a new coach and quarterback to one of the best rivalry games in all of college sports. Oklahoma hangs on late for the victory in this game.

Prediction: Oklahoma 45-38

Oct. 16: Texas Christian Horned Frogs

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The Texas Christian Horned Frogs are always a threat on the defensive side of the ball but are losing a good chunk of their key personnel. The youth and inexperience will show up as an explosive offense takes advantage, much like last season when Marvin Mims exploded at the second level.

Prediction: Oklahoma 41-14

Oct. 23: at Kansas Jayhawks

Heisman Front Runners 2019

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This is very much a one-sided affair when these two schools get together. Oklahoma owns the all-time mark 78-27-6. The last time Kansas won the game it came in 1997. Given that the Jayhawks haven’t bested the Sooners in 20 years leads me to believe this isn’t the year. Oklahoma wins big.

Prediction: 56-20

Oct. 30: Texas Tech Red Raiders

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The Sooners look to extend their streak against Texas Tech to a perfect 10 games. In 2011 the Red Raiders were able to pull off the win in Norman. Since then Tech is 0-4 and their games have been close just once, 38-30 back in 2013. Can new transfer quarterback Tyler Shough do enough for the offense to compete? Not likely.

Prediction: Oklahoma 63-35

Nov. 13: at Baylor Bears

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Baylor was a team that played the Sooners close in Norman last season. Not due to their offense but Dave Aranda’s defense made it tough on the OU offense. Can he do the same and get a little more from his offense? With a new offense and new quarterback, it might take a year to two to catch up. Oklahoma wins a close one in Waco, Texas.

Prediction: Oklahoma 28-17

Nov. 20: Iowa State Cyclones

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This might be the toughest game on the schedule and it comes sandwiched between Baylor and Bedlam. The Iowa State Cyclones defeated Oklahoma last year in Ames, Iowa. Can they do it again? They have played them tight since 2017 and the Cyclones return most of their team from a year ago. Retribution is on the mind of the Sooners.

Prediction: Oklahoma 31-27

Nov. 27: at Oklahoma State Cowboys (Bedlam)

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The Bedlam series has been all Oklahoma as of late. The Cowboys haven’t beat the Sooners since 2014 in Norman. Their last win in Stillwater came in 2011, can they do it in 2021? No Tylan Wallace, no Chuba Hubbard. That makes it increasingly tough. Another big win coming for the Oklahoma Sooners in Bedlam.

Prediction: Oklahoma 45-27

2019 Heisman Standings

Dec. 4: Big 12 Championship Game

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The Oklahoma Sooners have won six-straight Big 12 Championships so it is only fitting that they return. Seeking No. 7, it feels like a rematch of Oklahoma-Iowa State is on the table once again. Making it the first team to challenge Oklahoma in a consecutive season. Until someone actually beats the Sooners in this game, we will roll with them again.

Prediction: Oklahoma 27-21

Will they make the College Football Playoffs?

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The ultimate goal for the Oklahoma Sooners is to get back into the College Football Playoffs and win a semifinal matchup. Sooners Wire has Oklahoma finishing 12-1 on the season and that is good enough to be selected as a top-four team in the playoffs. If they can get over the snide remains to be seen.

The Heisman Trophy, first awarded in 1935 under a different name, was given to the top college football player in America on Saturday night in New York City. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, the overwhelming favorite to win, became the first Tigers star to win the award since Billy Cannon in 1959.

Which school has produced the most Heisman Trophy winners since 1935? Here’s a full rundown of every Heisman winner:

Schools with the most Heisman winners:

Ohio State: 7

Oklahoma: 7

Notre Dame: 7

USC: 6

Army: 3

Auburn: 3

Florida: 3

Florida State: 3

Michigan: 3

Nebraska: 3

Nine schools tied with 2: Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Navy, Texas, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Yale, LSU

21 schools tied with 1: Baylor, BYU, Boston College, Colorado, Chicago, Houston, Iowa, Louisville, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, South Carolina, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, TCU, UCLA

Winners by year:

2019: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

2018: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

2017: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

2016: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

2015: Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama

2014: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

2013: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

2012: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

2011: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

2010: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

2009: Mark Ingram Jr., RB, Alabama

2008: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

2007: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

2006: Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State

2005: Reggie Bush, RB, USC (vacated)

2004: Matt Leinart, QB, USC

2003: Jason White, QB, Oklahoma

2002: Carson Palmer, QB, USC

2001: Eric Crouch, QB, Nebraska

2000: Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State

1999: Ron Dayne, RB, Wisconsin

1998: Ricky Williams, RB, Texas

1997: Charles Woodson, CB, Michigan

1996: Danny Wuerffel, QB, Florida

1995: Eddie George, RB, Ohio State

1994: Rashaan Salaam, RB, Colorado

1993: Charlie Ward, QB, Florida State

1992: Gino Torretta, QB, Miami

1991: Desmond Howard, WR, Michigan

1990: Ty Detmer, QB, BYU

1989: Andre Ward, QB, Houston

1988: Barry Sanders, RB, Oklahoma State

1987: Tim Brown, WR, Notre Dame

1986: Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami

1985: Bo Jackson, RB, Auburn

1984: Doug Flutie, QB, Boston College

1983: Mike Rozier, RB, Nebraska

1982: Herschel Walker, RB, Georgia

1981: Marcus Allen, RB, USC

1980: George Rogers, RB, South Carolina

1979: Charles White, RB, USC

1978: Billy Sims, RB, Oklahoma

1977: Earl Campbell, RB, Texas

1976: Tony Dorsett, RB, Pittsburgh

1975: Archie Griffin, RB, Ohio State

1974: Archie Griffin, RB, Ohio State

1973: John Cappelletti, RB, Penn State

1972: Johnny Rodgers, WR/RB, Nebraska

1971: Patt Sullivan, QB, Auburn

1970: Jim Plunkett, QB, Stanford

1969: Steve Owens, FB, Oklahoma

1968: O.J. Simpson, HB, USC

1967: Gary Beban, QB, UCLA

1966: Steve Spurrier, QB, Florida

1965: Mike Garrett, HB, USC

1964: John Huarte, QB, Notre Dame

1963: Roger Staubach, QB, Navy

1962: Terry Baker, QB, Oregon State

1961: Ernie Davis, HB/LB/FB, Syracuse

1960: Joe Bellino, HB, Navy

1959: Billy Cannon, HB, LSU

1958: Pete Dawkins, HB, Army

1957: John David Crow, HB, Texas A&M

1956: Paul Hornung, QB, Notre Dame

1955: Howard Cassady, HB, Ohio State

1954: Alan Ameche, FB, Wisconsin

1953: Johnny Lattner, HB, Notre Dame

1952: Billy Vessels, HB, Oklahoma

1951: Dick Kazmaier, HB, Princeton

1950: Vic Janowicz, HB, Ohio State

1949: Leon Hard, End, Notre Dame

1948: Doak Walker, HB, SMU

1947: Johnny Lujack, QB, Notre Dame

1946: Glenn Davis, HB, Army

1945: Doc Blanchard, FB, Army

1944: Les Horvath, HB/QB, Ohio State

1943: Angelo Bertelli, QB, Notre Dame

1942: Frank Sinkwich, HB, Georgia

1941: Bruce Smith, HB, Minnesota

1940: Tom Harmon, HB, Michigan

1939: Nile Kinnick, HB/QB, Iowa

1938: Davey O’Brien, QB, TCU

1937: Clint Frank, HB, Yale

1936: Larry Kelley, End, Yale

1935: Jay Berwanger, HB, Chicago

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