Here is that Anthlon article where the Sooner are #1

[milesl]

Great pic of Peterson, they will get 2 sales out of me, their Big 12 issue and National preseason college football previes
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/

the article addy is here
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/8624/sooners-the-choice-for-preseason-no-1

and here is the article

Sooners the choice for preseason No. 1


Athlon Sports
Published: May 24, 2006 - 5:32am
No. 1 Oklahoma

Flying in under the radar come the Oklahoma Sooners. After an uncharacteristically sub-par season, it’s out of sight, out of mind — but not for long. Due in large part to a ruinous rash of injuries in 2005, there are 22 players back who drew at least one starting assignment last fall, compared to only 17 with starting experience going into last season. OU won six of its last seven games, including a 17–14 victory over sixth-ranked Oregon in the Holiday Bowl. In addition, the 2006 Sooners welcome back their top passer, rusher, receiver, tackler and sack man from ’05.

Quarterback Rhett Bomar took the reins on offense in Game 2 as a redshirt freshman and got better and better as the season wore on. In his 12 appearances, with 10 starts, he threw for 2,018 yards — a school freshman record — and 10 touchdowns, and he has just begun to tap his enormous potential.

Two years ago, running back Adrian Peterson set an NCAA freshman record with 1,925 rushing yards, averaging 5.7 per carry with 15 touchdowns. Last fall, he was hampered by an ankle injury all season, missing all or most of four games, and still ran for more than 1,000 yards with a five-yard average and 14 scores. Peterson is the best ball-carrier in America, and no one else is close.

Five of the top seven receivers are back, including sophomores Malcolm Kelly, Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson. Kelly led the way with 33 catches, and the three averaged over 15 yards per catch combined. Converted quarterback Paul Thompson and tight end Joe Jon Finley round out the receivers’ playing group.

There is only one full-time starter back on the offensive line — right tackle Chris Messner — but most of the new men have game action under their belts. Tackle Branndon Braxton started three games last season, guard J.D. Quinn started four and center Jon Cooper started two.

Linebackers Rufus Alexander, a first-team All-Big 12 returnee, and Zach Latimer combined for 186 tackles, including 23 for a loss and nine sacks, in 2005 and form the cornerstone of the defense. Larry Birdine and John Williams, both of whom sat out last year with injuries, return at end along with C.J. Ah You and Calvin Thibodeaux, who started in their stead. Ah You was the runaway choice as league Newcomer of the Year and was Defensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl. Thibodeaux turned in a team-high 10 sacks for the season.

Reggie Smith spent most of the 2005 campaign as a true freshman starter at strong safety and again will join Darien Williams in the deep zones. D.J. Wolfe started all 11 games at cornerback last year after switching from running back and responded with 65 tackles, along with five for a loss. He also picked off two passes, running one back for a touchdown, and broke up 10 others.

After tuning up at home against UAB and Washington, the Sooners travel to Eugene for the first challenge of the season — a Sept. 16 rematch of last year’s Holiday Bowl with Oregon. Iowa State and Texas Tech both must come to Norman, and there is no Nebraska on the 2006 slate.

And don’t forget the Red River Shootout against Texas in Dallas on Oct. 7.

Athlon’s Pick: National champions

Returning starters
4 offense, 8 defense, both kickers

Yoots
Oklahoma was one of the youngest teams in DI-A last season, with 12 true freshmen seeing game action and 11 drawing at least one starting assignment.

Bring ’em on
The Sooners played the toughest schedule in the nation last year, based on cumulative records of their opponents as compiled by the NCAA. OU played seven teams that ended up in the 2005-06 postseason.

Pack ’em in
Oklahoma led the Big 12 in attendance in 2005 with an average of 84,331 fans at six home games.

2006 Schedule
S. 2 UAB
S. 9 Washington
S. 16 at Oregon
S. 23 Middle Tennessee
O. 7 #Texas
O. 14 Iowa State
O. 21 Colorado
O. 28 at Missouri
N. 4 at Texas A&M
N. 11 Texas Tech
N. 18 at Baylor
N. 25 at Oklahoma State
#Dallas, TX


2005 Results (8–4, 6–2 Big 12)
S. 3 TCU L 10–17
S. 10 Tulsa W 31–15
S. 17 at UCLA L 24–41
O. 1 Kansas State W 43–21
O. 8 at Texas L 12–45
O. 15 at Kansas W 19– 3
O. 22 Baylor W 37–30
O. 29 at Nebraska W 31–24
N. 12 Texas A&M W 36–30
N. 19 at Texas Tech L 21–23
N. 26 Okla. State W 42–14
D. 29 #Oregon W 17–14
#Holiday Bowl

[melbitoast]

I like the predicition and all, but they must have written this article before spring ball began. Reggie Smith will not be playing safety, and only 1 kicker is returning. Everything else is great, but seeing these errors makes me wonder if it's worth the money to buy. It just means that every other team's analysis will be slightly flawed as well. JMO.

[picasso]

I like the predicition and all, but they must have written this article before spring ball began. Reggie Smith will not be playing safety, and only 1 kicker is returning. Everything else is great, but seeing these errors makes me wonder if it's worth the money to buy. It just means that every other team's analysis will be slightly flawed as well. JMO.
that's how it is every year dude. that's why their mag is one of the first published this time of year.

[OUGreg723]

Pretty cool. I dont give a dam what we're ranked though. I have always thought that athlons was one of the most accurate mags..

[Collier11]

I am interested in their Puke State article, it probably reads like this?....Oklahoma state struggled under first year coach Mike Gundy and will probably continue to struggle this year, but with a close game/moral victory against OU in the annual Bedlam game, osu will be deemed to have a very sucessful season!

[soonerhubs]

I am interested in their Puke State article, it probably reads like this?....Oklahoma state struggled under first year coach Mike Gundy and will probably continue to struggle this year, but with a close game/moral victory against OU in the annual Bedlam game, osu will be deemed to have a very sucessful season!
heh

[melbitoast]

that's how it is every year dude. that's why their mag is one of the first published this time of year.

I know, and I've bought Athlon every year. However, this is the first year where I have seen such a major error. I would imagine it would have an affect on their sales. I typically buy 3-4 different preseason publications every year, and the one of the reasons I'll buy one over another is because of accuracy.
I suppose it's all a mute point though. I do know that I won't buy Athlon this year though. Probably check out Lindy's and The Sporting News instead.

[Octavian]

So the youngest team in the country played the nation's most difficult schedule....and the record of 8-4 should really have an asterick.

Should be interesting...we'll see.


Oklahoma led the Big 12 in attendance in 2005 with an average of 84,331 fans at six home games.

And this occurred in a down year. Good job, hillbillies. ;)

[melbitoast]

So the youngest team in the country played the nation's most difficult schedule....and the record of 8-4 should really have an asterick.

Should be interesting...we'll see.



And this occurred in a down year. Good job, hillbillies. ;)
...and I only see that avg attendance going up! :D

[oumartin]

and I only see that avg ticket price going up

fixed that for you :D

[Socrefbek]

So the youngest team in the country played the nation's most difficult schedule....and the record of 8-4 should really have an asterick.

:texan: Obviously a poor coaching job! ......... Just ask Nic! :rolleyes:

[freshchris05]

fixed that for you :D


haha yeah! it's awesome that we are no. 1... anyyone kow where we rank in stadium capacity??? if u can list all 12 schools....

[Czar Soonerov]

Scary Good. :twinkies:

[#1-Erin-Higgins-Fan]

Why is Penn State not ranked?

[goingoneight]

Why is Penn State not ranked?

because the 2005 season kind of hit the highest part of the hill for them. Kind of like us in 2004. They've got some reloading to do. An seeing as 2005 was the first major JoePa success in I dunno how long, it may take a while to reload. If they ever can. Ohio State Kinda grabs all the good'uns up North. ;)