Oklahoma Sooners running back Samaje Perine (32) scores on a fourth-quarter run during the Oklahoma Sooners vs. Texas Longhorns NCAA football game at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday, October 11, 2014. (Louis DeLuca/The Dallas Morning News)
While most expect the Big 12 to be a two-horse race between emerging TCU and Baylor, one national analyst is sticking with a traditional power.
ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit selected Oklahoma as one of four teams to make the second College Football Playoff after the Sooners finished just 8-5 a year ago.
In his annual “Herbie Awards” ahead of the 2015 season, Herbstreit picked OU to finish among the top four, along with LSU, Arizona State and his alma mater, Ohio State. He also picked the Buckeyes to repeat as national champions.
The analyst has the Sooners, Tigers, Sun Devils and Buckeyes taking their respective conferences with ACC winner Georgia Tech being left out among Power Five champions.
Herbstreit also selected a few local players as nominees for his “awards.”
Baylor earned the most honors locally with four nominations. The analyst named Seth Russell the winner of “Breakout Star,” while Shawn Oakman earned the title of “Looks the Part.” Corey Coleman earned nominations for “Most Exciting Player” and “Ultimate Game Changer,” awards given to Georgia Tech’s Justin Thomas and Ohio State’ Ezekiel Elliot respectively.
Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine also appeared in the “Ultimate Game Changer” category, while wide receiver Sterling Shepard was nominated for the “Ultimate Herbie,” an award given to Notre Dame’s Joe Schmidt.
Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett made an appearance in the “Best Pass-Rusher” category, but lost to Ohio State’s Joey Bosa. TCU wide receiver Kolby Listenbee earned a nomination for “Best-Kept Secret,” an award given to Western Kentucky’s Brandon Doughty.
Click here to see the full list of awards.
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