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Big 12 Football: 3 teams with most to prove in 2020 season

By Jackson Caudell

SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 31: Caden Sterns #7 of the Texas Longhorns celebrates in the second half against the Utah Utes during the Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome on December 31, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - DECEMBER 31: Caden Sterns #7 of the Texas Longhorns celebrates in the second half against the Utah Utes during the Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome on December 31, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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LAWRENCE, KANSAS – OCTOBER 05: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners watches from the sidelines during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KANSAS – OCTOBER 05: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the Oklahoma Sooners watches from the sidelines during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Memorial Stadium on October 05, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

1. Oklahoma

Oklahoma has won five straight Big 12 championships, made playoff appearances in four of the last five years, fielded two of the last three Heisman winners and last year’s runner up and have one of the brightest head coaches in either college or the NFL in Lincoln Riley.

So how on earth could they be the team under the most pressure in the Big 12 this season?

The answer is simple. Looking at the last three playoff games that the Sooners have been in, two have been blowouts and the Rose Bowl against Georgia was lost because of one of the worst defensive efforts I have ever seen from a top ranked team and that’s where my main concern lies.

Can Riley fix the defensive issues on the team and make them a legitimate national championship contender? Riley is not a defensive coach, but as the head coach, he’s responsible for who he hires and the fact of the matter is, they will not win a national championship until the defensive woes are fixed.

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That’s why Oklahoma is under the most pressure heading into this season because they are one of the only teams in the Big 12 with the proper resources to be an annual national championship contender in the conference.

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