Big Ten Football: 5 biggest potential upsets of the 2017 season

4 of 6

NORMAN, OK – SEPTEMBER 17: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners runs out of the pocket away from Nick Bosa #97 of the Ohio State Buckeyes at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 17, 2016 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /

3. Oklahoma at Ohio State (Sept. 9)

Much like Michigan, Ohio State will be will be challenged early in the season by an non-conference foe.

On Sept. 9, Ohio State, the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, will be facing off against No. 9 Oklahoma at Ohio Stadium. In what is sure to be must-see TV, this game could potentially have a huge impact on the Buckeyes chances of returning to the college football playoffs and the Big Ten conference championship game.

Meet the Sooners

Oklahoma returns one of the most veteran squads in all of college football.

Lincoln Rily’s squad isn’t projected to start a single freshman on offense, and only one on defense. Leading Oklahoma’s offense is senior quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield, a serious contender for the 2018 Heisman Trophy, has led the Sooners to a 22-4 record in his two years as a starter, and this season could be the year he finally pulls it all together for Oklahoma. After ranking ninth in the nation in total passing yards with 3,965 yards, 40 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2016, Baker drew attention from the NFL, before deciding to return to college football to lead his squad for one final season.

The team boasts an impressive stable of veteran ball handlers and highly recruited underclassmen whom could help to optimize Rily’s air raid offense, as well as a veteran offensive line. If the team is going to win in 2017, it surely won’t be because of a lack of offense.

On defense, the Sooners field a newly formed 4-3 defense lead by 11-year veteran defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. Unlike the offense, which finished second in total offense in 2016, Oklahoma’s defense didn’t even finish in the top 50 in total defense. After failing to impress in 2016, Oklahoma made the decision to transition to a 4-3 defensive front, in order to better attack opposing offenses and get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Why it could be an upset

Anytime two top-10 teams face off, it’s going to be a tight competition.

Both Oklahoma and Ohio State have had success in both the passing and rushing games over the last few years, and this trend doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon.

So expect this game to be a high scoring affair.

The one major difference that could turn the tides in this week two game could be the experience factor. Oklahoma’s veteran offense will be facing off against an incredibly inexperienced defense, that included three new starters in the defensive backfield alone. While these players are definitely talented, it seems unlikely that they will be able to mesh well enough as a unit to truly keep up with the Sooner’s air raid attack on a consistent basis so early in the season.

Ohio State’s secondary varies greatly from Oklahoma’s veteran secondary, which boasts three seniors and a sophomore. If Oklahoma new 4-3 defense is even able to be average in the forthcoming season it could be enough for them to win the Big 12 and make the jump to the college football playoffs. And that path runs through Ohio State.

Home/Big Ten