BCS Bowl Predictions: 10 Reasons Why Oklahoma Wins It All

With the initial BCS Poll only two weeks away, its never too early to start making predictions. There are currently 12 unbeaten teams in the FBS and a host of deserving one-loss teams, making the race as wide open as ever.

Top 10 mainstays Oklahoma, Alabama and LSU form a scrambled triumvirate atop most polls. Oklahoma dominated the preseason, but despite convincing wins in their first four games, have dropped to the second or even third spot behind LSU and Alabama.

The drop in the polls wasn't so much a sleight to the Sooners, but more of a deserved boost for the the two SEC schools whose defenses are nearly Sunday caliber.

Despite the slip, head coach Bob Stoops and the Oklahoma Sooners control their own destiny and are firmly poised to make yet another run at the crystal ball.

Here are 10 reasons (not named Landry Jones) why Oklahoma will earn their eighth national championship.

Favorable Schedule

By favorable, I don't mean easy. As the rankings sit now, there are six ranked opponents on the Sooners' schedule, including their Week 3 opponent Florida State.

"Favorable" might not be the word that comes to mind first but bear with me.

Despite the array of ranked teams on the remaining schedule, the rest of the year is by no means a gauntlet.

Anything can happen during the Red River Rivalry in Dallas this weekend, but the Longhorns are a far cry from the squads that have beat the Sooners four of the last six meetings.

Sure, they seem to have improved coming off their laughable 5-7 debacle last season, but wins this season against Rice, BYU (barely), UCLA and Iowa State aren't exactly anything to write home about. The Sooners should handle the Longhorns by 10+ points.

Two of the remaining four ranked teams, Kansas State and Baylor, have bolstered their rankings feeding on FBS underlings. Texas A&M is writing the book on second-half meltdowns during their farewell tour in the Big 12, having given up double-digit halftime leads in consecutive week losses.

That leaves Oklahoma's only real testOklahoma State. Given the lopsided nature of this rivalry (82-16 lifetime), the current eight-game winning streak for the Sooners and OU's propensity to rain on OSU's parade like a monsoon at the Rose Bowl, it is difficult to pick against big brother here.

A succession of winnable games against ranked teams will keep OU's reputation high all year. Just ask Boise State if they'd rather have their hum-drum schedule or a Big 12 slate like that of the Sooners.

Like I said, favorable.

Emergence of Kenny Stills

Coming into the senior year of a legendary Sooner career, WR Ryan Broyles was no secret. Everyone in the country knows that the soon-to-be all-time NCAA leader in receptions is going to get his targets.

The big question in Norman before the season, however, was whether or not anyone was going to step up from a crop of young receivers oozing with potential but lacking considerable reps.

True sophomore California-native Kenny Stills has done just that, firmly positioning himself as the the No. 2 guy for QB Landry Jones. Kenny seems to have it all—great hands, crisp routes, deep-threat speed and a knack for big plays.

Having another serious threat on the field has been key to moving the ball for this offense in the early going. Florida State's quick, talented defense followed their game plan and held Broyles to only 55 yards on seven catches. Things looked dismal as Landry struggled to move the team down the field.

Kenny Stills saved the day for the Sooners, amassing 125 yards on seven catches, including an end-zone jump-ball that broke the fourth quarter tie.

In many cases, a No.1 receiver is only as good as his No.2. This duo will keep the Sooners offense moving all year long.

The Running Game

The biggest preseason question mark on Oklahoma's roster was who was going to emerge from an impressive stable of top recruits to the fill the NFL-sized shoes voided by Demarco Murray. After four weeks, the answer is as clear as it is unexpected.

Despite being surrounded by four and 5-star studs, Dominique Whaley, a walk-on transfer from rural Langston University (where he was second string!) has impressively risen to the top. His story, while incomplete, has Disney written all over it.

The guy isn't even on scholarship (yet) but is averaging 5.4 YPC with seven touchdowns while getting the lion's share of the carries. He has shown brutal power running up the middle and in goal-line sets while displaying top-notch speed and elusiveness on the outside.

His abilities mesh perfectly with fellow running backs Brennan Clay and Roy Finch who were both expected to start by many fans. Freshman Brandon Williams finally saw the light of day in mop-up duty against Ball State last week and looked very slippery.

FB Trey Millard has literally busted onto the scene in the Sooners' backfield. Fans unaware of his abilities leading up to the Missouri game were quickly educated when Trey flattened a Missouri defensive back while carrying the ball down the sideline. The poor guy just bounced right off the bruiser like an unsuspecting bug on a windshield.

To win it all, a team must be able to run the ball. It gives you the ability to keep a defense in check with play-action and to control the clock in a close game. Oklahoma can and will do just that this year.

Depth at Offensive Line

At last, Sooner Nation can rejoice!

The offensive line has been the Achilles Heel of the last several OU squads. The team hasn't ever lacked talent, but depth has continually kept potentially legendary lineups grounded. Offensive lineman are oft-injured assets to any team that must be able to be replaced when they inevitably go down.

Bob Stoops has finally accumulated enough talent that, barring a complete disaster, will be able to make it through a season.

Senior Jarvis Jones returned last week from injury to help make the team a solid four-deep at the tackle position. He joins rock-solid senior Donald Stephenson, athletic junior Lane Johnson and talented freshman Daryl Williams in rotation at the vital position. 

The Sooners boast a deep, talented guard lineup as well. Stephen Good, Gabe Ikard and Tyler Evans have spent the last few seasons plugging gaps all along the line but have finally been able to settle down on the interior of the line this season.

All-Big 12 center Ben Habern went down against Missouri and will be out another month with a broken bone in his forearm. An injury like this would have crippled the unit in years' past, but Gabe Ikard slid over last week against Ball State, playing exceptionally. Tyler Evans took his spot at guard and the team moved on without missing a beat.

O-Line depth is rare commodity that could prove to be the final piece to a championship puzzle for the Crimson and Creme.

The Sharks

During heated summer practices (literally and figuratively) between the offense and defense this preseason, a friendly rivalry was created between the wide receivers and the defensive backs. It became each unit's sole purpose to embarrass the other.

In response to the challenge, the defensive backs dubbed themselves the "Sharks," borrowing inspiration from the powerful, agile killer.

Corner backs Jamell Flemming, Demontre Hurst and Gabe Lynn, safeties Aaron Colvin, Sam Procter and Javon Harris and 2010 Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, nickel back Tony Jefferson, all combine to form the Sharks.

Early criticism of the group came from three instances of broken coverage in the first two games, two against Tulsa and one against Florida State.

Looking at the big picture, however, the Sharks have more than held up their end of the bargain. In four games, they have held opposing quarterbacks to 219 yards per game while completing only 50 percent of their passes.

Five interceptions and 16 pass deflections add to their short but stellar 2011 resume. To finish it off, they have helped in producing an impressive 15.2 points against average that ranks 14th in the country.

The true test lies ahead in a conference that has become known for wild offensive numbers. Whether or not they can handle the likes of Baylor's Robert Griffin III and Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden (both on the road) will form the legacy of this talented group.

Austin Box

Over the summer, senior middle linebacker Austin Box tragically passed away, leaving a hole on the field and in the hearts of the players and fans. There is no doubt the memory of their fallen comrade is on the minds of the players every game.

In his honor, at each game this year, a member of the defense is chosen to wear Austin's No.12 instead of their usual number. Tom Wort, Frank Alexander, Javon Harris and Corey Nelson have taken their turn so far this season.

Being able to "get up" for every game is something many teams, including the Sooners in past seasons, struggle with. This unique ritual will keep Austin's memory alive all season and have the players focused each and every time they step on the field, no matter the opponent.

Coaching

A team could have all the talent in the world, but if you can't get them organized in such a way to fully take advantage of that talent then you've got big problems on your hand.

Head coach Bob Stoops has long been regarded as one of the top coaches in the country. It takes a village, however, to raise a family.

The coaching tree that Bob planted when he arrived in Norman in 1999 has been an impressive one. Off the top of my head, I count eight FBS head coaches that spent time under Stoops as an assistant.They are doing something right in Norman.

Almost all of the transfers have been from the offense. He has maintained much more consistency among the defense, keeping Brent Venerables (D-Coordinator), Bobby Jack Wright (D-Ends), Jackie Shipp (D-Line) and Jerry Schmidt (Strength) on his staff from the day one in Norman.

Former Sooner legend and current co-offensive coordinator Josh Heupel has teamed up with Jay Norvell to continue the tradition of monstrous offensive production. The latest wrinkle has been the no-huddle, hurry-up dimension that has helped the Sooners lead the nation in offensive plays per game in 2010... by a long shot. They sit atop the charts this year as well.

Does this experienced defensive coaching staff, epically productive offensive group and nationally renowned gipper have what it takes to mold this talented team into championship form?

If they don't then I'm not sure who does.

Senior Leadership

While the team is relatively short on seniors, the elders of the group are tall on experience and leadership. Senior linebacker Travis Lewis is by far the emotional leader of the team, but fellow grey-hairs Ryan Broyles, Frank Alexander and Donald Stephenson have stepped up to lead a group of talented youngsters through a tough Big 12 slate.

A championship can't be won on talent alone. Talent can't grab you by the face mask when you slack off on a drill during practice. Talent can't get you refocused after making a costly error on the road.Talent can't help a unit regroup after a starter gets injured.

These intangibles are key to building the kind of team that can win a championship, and the Sooners' cup is overflowing.

The Computers

We could sit here all night and debate which team is better or more deserving. The only thing that actually matters, though, is what number the BCS computer spits out for each team at the end of the regular season.

This is and has always been a good thing for the Sooners, who consistently play one of the toughest schedules in the country. The potential top 10 showdown with Oklahoma State at the end of the year will likely be for the conference crown, giving them one last ratings boost right before the final numbers are crunched.

No matter how much they run up the score, teams like Boise State, Wisconsin and Stanford will suffer because of the weak conferences they play in. They can cry "unfair" all they want, but if it comes down to it at the end of the year and there is a log-jam of undefeated teams at the top of the polls, the computers have always favored the tougher schedule.

Fate

I put this slide at the end because this is where any non-Sooners fan will probably just roll their eyes and look for a new slideshow. But gosh darnit, it's our time!

Since the 2000 season when Bob Stoops won it all in his second year, Sooner Nation has been cut down by letdown after tragic letdown.

Mile-high expectations have consistently been met with equally devastating heartbreak. I'm afraid one more year of this and the fanbase might revolt. Or go insane. Or both.

The program has suffered some painful and humiliating defeats since winning their seventh championship, including Kansas State in 2003, USC in 2004, West Virginia in 2007 and Tim Tebow in 2008.

We have watched all-time college greats like Jason White, Tommie Harris, Jamal Brown, Adrian Peterson and Sam Bradford leave a trail of personal hardware but fail to win the big one.

It is time, oh wicked sister of twisted fate, to reward us for our patience. All it will take is one silly little crystal ball.

Eric Pennell is a Featured Columnist for the Oklahoma Sooners who also covers OKC Thunder Basketball (someday...) and EPL Soccer. Read more of his articles here. Follow him on Twitter.