Oklahoma Sooners entering 2021 in “championship or bust” territory

The phrase “championship or bust” gets thrown around a lot. It’s a nice idea, but few teams can live in that reality. The goal for every team in college football is ultimately to win a conference or national championship, but for the select few, it is a reasonable expectation.

For the Oklahoma Sooners, they’ve reached “championship or bust” status within the Big 12 as winners of 14 conference titles since 2000 and six straight dating back to 2015. They’re the favorites to win the Big 12 again in 2021, which could be their last if the rumors of a departure in 2022 come to fruition.

With expectations as high as they’ve been since the early 2000s, the Oklahoma Sooners are entering the national “championship or bust” stratosphere.

While they’ve had contenders over the years, the Sooners weren’t always seen as legitimate threats for the national title. The offenses were always elite, but the defenses struggled to hold leads (Georgia) or hang in there altogether (Alabama and LSU).

But as the 2021 college football season starts there’s as much optimism about the Oklahoma Sooners as there has been during Lincoln Riley’s tenure. And that’s a credit to what he and the defensive staff, led by Alex Grinch, have accomplished on that side of the football. All the while maintaining one of the best offenses in college football.

While they may not win the national championship, a pretty difficult task if you’re anyone but Alabama, if they fail to play for the national championship this season, it’ll be a complete disappointment.

Anything can happen in a one-game playoff, but it’s been a long time since the Sooners have been positioned as well as they are entering 2021.

“Championship or bust” gets thrown around far too often, but with the talent and the depth the Sooners are taking into this season, that’s the territory Lincoln Riley and his OU squad finds themselves. For the Sooners, they’re a favorite in the Big 12 and one of the favorites for the national title. It’s full speed ahead going into the 2021 season. The Oklahoma Sooners are national championship contenders. Though they may not have earned “championship or bust” status, anything less this season will feel like a let down.

List

2021 Oklahoma Sooners game-by-game predictions