Oklahoma Football: Week 1 proves Sooners are Big 12 title favorites again

NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 02: Tight end Grant Calcaterra #80 of the Oklahoma Sooners celebrates a touchdown against the UTEP Miners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated UTEP 56-7. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images) /

3. Dominance over Oklahoma State and Kansas State

Oklahoma’s biggest challengers are the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Kansas State Wildcats. The degree to which the West Virginia Mountaineers can actually contend this year depends on how they fare against the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Kansas State and Oklahoma State both looked great in Week 1 action. The Cowboys topped Tulsa and KSU quarterback Jesse Ertz led the Wildcats to a win over Central Arkansas. Both teams are ranked inside the AP Top 25 and will finish at or near the top of the Big 12 standings.

The Sooners have not lost to either Oklahoma State or Kansas State in the last two seasons. Oklahoma State and Kansas State got the best of Oklahoma in 2014, but that was really an off year for the Sooners.

Next: 2017 Big 12 preseason predictions

When Oklahoma is good, they tend to dominate some of the top teams in the Big 12. The conference has some quality challengers in the middle of the pack. Yet, the basement of the conference standings could be packed.

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