ESPN analysts Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard predicted Oklahoma would win the national championship on College Gameday on Saturday.
The College Gameday crew makes their National Title predictions. "I got Oklahoma and Lincoln Riley finally with all these tweaks ... They've made adjustments to the defense. They beat Alabama in the national championship." — Kirk Herbstreit#OUDNA | #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/qRgIEN1q9s
— Sooner Gridiron (@soonergridiron) August 28, 2021
The Sooners are No. 2 in the AP Top 25 Poll to start the season, led by redshirt sophomore quarterback and Heisman hopeful Spencer Rattler.
"I got Oklahoma and Lincoln Riley finally with all these tweaks. ... They've made adjustments to the defense."
Under head coach Lincoln Riley, OU is 0-4 in the College Football Playoff, with its most recent loss to eventual champion LSU in 2019. But with the addition of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch in 2019, the Sooners' defense has improved into a strength, finishing No. 29 in total defense last season.
Oklahoma also returns AP Preseason First-Team All-American linebacker Nik Bonitto, along with receiver Marvin Mims, who was a FWAA Freshman All-American last season.
