New offensive coordinator, new quarterback, new attitude, new South endzone construction at Oklahoma's Memorial stadium.
But man, even with all the changes at Oklahoma, doesn't it feel like that 8-5 season of 2014 is like a fungus that won't clear up?
Saturday we get to see if there's any sort of hangover, ill-effects or general malaise left over from losing in the Russell Athletic Bowl. To a back-up quarterback.
Might as well look forward. Expectations vary heading into 2015, but here are 25 things that are sure to happen Saturday when the Sooners open the season against Akron.
1. More than once you'll get confused as to which Bowden coaches the Zips. I'm still not sure. Standby on that. As for the Sooner sideline, 2. you won't see Mike Stoops yelling or carrying on with any players on the sideline. He's going to be in the press box. OK, that one was easy. It's early.
Speaking of early, 3. Akron gets the first points of the game. 4. And doesn't score again. 5. Baker Mayfield accounts for the first Oklahoma touchdown and it will come before the halfway point of the first quarter. 6. He won't do "The Whip" after that first score. Thankfully.
By that time, 7. Joe Mixon will have had a carry. 8. Sterling Shepard will have had a catch and 9. you will have checked plane reservations for the possibility of a New Year's Day bowl game.Go ahead and get it now while the rates are reasonable. While you're at it, it's time to put something down on Samaje Perine to win the Heisman. 10. After he runs for 150-plus yards Saturday, the sophomore running back will be in the picture.
11. By halftime, when the Sooners are up by 17 or more, 12. you're back on the interwebs scouting Tennessee. Hard to blame anyone for looking ahead. Bob Stoops will be. And it will be obvious as 13. OU won't throw more than five passes in the second half. Wouldn't want to show too much, right? The result means 14. the hefty Pay-Per-View price wasn't really worth it. But you had to watch, didn't you? It's OK. No one's blaming you.
The good news is, when a game is over by halftime like this one will be, we'll get the chance to see a lot of faces for the Sooners. 15. including Trevor Knight. Remember him? 16. You'll talk about that one time he won the Sugar Bowl. You had to do it, didn't you? No one's blaming you. Knight will play extensively in the second half and 17. he will also make a showing in the first half. 18. You'll see Dahu Green make a catch and 19. Mixon return a punt. 20. Eric Striker will force a fumble and 21. Frank Shannon will make his first appearance since 2013 . In the end, 22. OU winds up averaging more than 5.5 yards per carry.
It's the season opener but 23. for the most part, the Sooners will be sharp and 24. the offense will be good (more than 425 total yards). 25. Oklahoma covers the 31 points points and extends its home winning streak to one in a row.
OU 44, Akron 3
Follow Andrew Gilman on Twitter: @andrewgilmanOK
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