Big 12 Football Forecast: Phil Steele predicts Sooners to take crown

College football writer Phil Steele has released his annual college football preview, and he has a clear favorite out of the Big 12. Oklahoma has won every conference championship since Lincoln Riley took over in 2017. The Sooners have six-straight Big 12 titles and enter 2021 looking for No. 7. Matt Campbell’s Iowa State Cyclones look like the biggest challenger to OU and could meet them in Dallas for the Big 12 Championship Game. Below is Steele’s entire conference rankings:

10. Kansas: The Jayhawks’ success in basketball has magnified the frustrations for Kansas football fans. Kansas hasn’t finished with a winning season since 2008. That was also the last year, it secured more than one conference victory.

T7. Baylor Bears: The Bears lose quarterback Charlie Brewer, who transferred to Utah. They finished just 2-7 in coach Dave Aranda’s first season after a Sugar Bowl appearance the year prior. Baylor is projected to finish at the bottom of the Big 12 football conference after Steele ranked them second in the 2020 preseason.

T7. Kansas State Wildcats: Kansas State returns a veteran offensive line as well as quarterback Skylar Thompson. Deuce Vaughn produced well in his freshman season at running back and should only get better in year two.

T7. Texas Tech Red Raiders: The Red Raiders bring in Oregon transfer Tyler Shough at quarterback. Texas Tech was four plays away from being 8-4 this past season, according to Steele. How big of an impact Shough makes in his first season will be critical to his team’s success.

6. West Virginia Mountaineers: The Mountaineers had the best defense in Big 12 football for 2020. The loss of safety Tykee Smith to transfer is a big blow, but Akheem Mesidor and Dante Stills both return to the defensive line. Can they help WVU break into the top half of the conference this year?

5. Oklahoma State Cowboys: The Cowboys have the fewest returning starters in the Big 12 at 13. The losses of Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace leave quarterback Spencer Sanders without his two most talented skill players. Tre Sterling, Kolby Harvell-Peel and Malcolm Rodriguez return to highlight a defense OSU will lean on more than usual in 2021.

T3. TCU Horned Frogs: Max Duggan is back after leading TCU in both passing and rushing yards this past season. He joins 18 returning starters ― the most in the Big 12 ― in the Horned Frogs’ quest for a conference title. Gary Patterson is one of the top coaches in the conference and TCU is a serious dark horse candidate this season.

T3. Texas Longhorns: The Longhorns lose four-year starter Sam Ehlinger to the NFL, opening the door for either Casey Thompson or Hudson Card to take the reigns of the offense. They were close last year, losing to Oklahoma in an epic four-overtime contest and Iowa State by only three points. Can first-year coach Steve Sarkisian get them over the hump?

2. Iowa State Cyclones: Matt Campbell’s rebuild of Iowa State has been a sight to behold. When he took over in 2016, the Cyclones had finished above .500 just once in the previous 10 seasons. They were ranked as high as No. 8 ― a program-best ― in the AP poll in 2020.

1. Oklahoma Sooners: Oklahoma is the clear team to beat in the 2021 Big 12 football season. A Heisman candidate at quarterback, Spencer Rattler will lead one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Running back Kennedy Brooks returns to the team after missing all of last season.