ESPN College Football

NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. broke down his top-five prospects at each position among juniors and seniors entering the 2013 draft.

You'll need ESPN Insider to see both (here are the juniors) (and here are the seniors), but here's a taste of what you can find among the seniors.

Quarterbacks

• No. 3: Landry Jones, Oklahoma
• No. 5: Geno Smith, West Virginia

Fullbacks

• No. 1: Braden Wilson, Kansas State

Receivers

• No. 2: Terrance Williams, Baylor
• No. 4: Tavon Austin, West Virginia

Offensive tackles

• No. 5: Tanner Hawkinson, Kansas

Centers

• No. 5: Ben Habern, Oklahoma

Inside linebackers

• No. 3: Arthur Brown, Kansas State

Cornerbacks

• No. 5: Demontre Hurst, Oklahoma

Punters

• No. 2: Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State

2011 overall record: 10-3
2011 conference record: 6-3 (T-3rd)
Returning starters: Offense: 8; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners

QB Landry Jones, RB Dominique Whaley, FB Trey Millard, WR Kenny Stills, OG Gabe Ikard, LB Tom Wort, CB Demontre Hurst, CB/S Aaron Colvin, FS Tony Jefferson

Key losses

WR Ryan Broyles, LT Donald Stephenson, TE James Hanna, DE Ronnell Lewis, DE Frank Alexander, LB Travis Lewis, CB Jamell Fleming

2011 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Dominique Whaley* (627 yards)
Passing: Landry Jones* (4,463 yards)
Receiving: Ryan Broyles (1,157 yards)
Tackles: Travis Lewis and Aaron Colvin* (84)
Sacks: Frank Alexander (8.5)
Interceptions: Tony Jefferson* (4)

Spring answers

1. Trey Metoyer is the real deal: The true freshman had the best spring of any wide receiver on the OU roster, then capped it by leading the Sooners in receiving in the spring game. Metoyer has all but solidified a starting spot at wide receiver, and should help fill the massive production gap left by the graduation of Ryan Broyles.

2. Secondary on right path: Defensive coordinator Mike Stoops wasted no time revamping the secondary, sliding Tony Jefferson to free safety while inserting Javon Harris back into the starting lineup at strong safety. Stoops liked what he saw there in the spring, and if Harris can continue to bounce back from a shaky 2011 season, Stoops will have the flexibility of bumping Aaron Colvin to cornerback opposite three-year starter Demontre Hurst, solidifying the Sooners there, too.

3. O-line could be OU’s best in years: Not since 2008 have the Sooners been this deep and talented on the offensive line. Even with center Ben Habern rehabbing from offseason neck surgery, the line didn’t miss a beat grinding out OU’s defensive front most of the spring. Gabe Ikard has proved he can excel at either guard or center, guard Tyler Evans is entering his fourth year as a starter, and Adam Shead could be OU’s top interior run-blocker since All-America Duke Robinson. The tackles remain a little bit of a question mark. But Daryl Williams all but locked down the starting job on the right side with a great spring. On the left side, Tyrus Thompson is pushing to beat out 2011 starting right tackle Lane Johnson.

Fall questions

1. The No. 2 QB battle: Head coach Bob Stoops is no hurry to name a backup quarterback, a competition that figures to extend through August. Blake Bell, who shined running the ball out of the Belldozer formation last season, outplayed Drew Allen in the spring game, but Allen had his moments, too, and has another year of experience in the offense. Whoever wins the No. 2 job could have a leg up on the 2013 derby to replace Landry Jones.

2. The defensive line: Bob Stoops has had a first-team all-Big 12 defensive lineman every year since 1999. That streak, however, could be in jeopardy. Gone are sack machines Frank Alexander and Ronnell Lewis, leaving the Sooners without a proven difference-maker up front. The top five players in the rotation across the front will all be seniors, making it the most experienced in the conference. But for the Sooners to win the Big 12 and contend for a national title, someone must emerge as that difference-maker.

3. The backfield rotation: The Sooners have options in the backfield, but it’s unclear how running backs coach Cale Gundy will use them. It’s also unclear how effective 2011 leading rusher Dominique Whaley will be after missing half of last season with a fractured ankle. Roy Finch can be electric with the ball, but has not earned the trust of the coaching staff in his pass protection. Brennan Clay, banged up the past two seasons, finally looks healthy and had a solid spring. Then there’s touted junior-college transfer Damien Williams, who was also recruited by USC, and fullback Trey Millard, who warrants at least a handful of carries a game. Will someone emerge as the feature back? Or will Gundy go with a backfield by committee?

The Lott IMPACT Trophy list broke the ice on awards list season and put six Big 12 talents on its 2012 Watch List. Each year, the award is given to the defensive player with the biggest "IMPACT" on his team, on and off the field.

The acronym stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

• A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State
• Jake Knott, LB, Iowa State
• Brodrick Brown, CB, Oklahoma State
• Demontre Hurst, CB, Oklahoma
• Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
• Jackson Jeffcoat, DE, Texas
• Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State

No Big 12 player has ever won the award, but TCU's Jerry Hughes won the award in 2009.

Boston College's Luke Kuechly won the award in 2011, when Texas linebacker Emmanuel Acho was a finalist for the award.

We're moving on with our 2011 postseason position rankings. Today, it's time for cornerbacks. If you missed it, here's how I ranked them in the preseason.

Here are the other position rankings we've done so far:

• Quarterbacks
• Running backs
• Receivers/tight ends
• Linebackers

Depth is somewhat of a factor here, but I weighted it heavily toward the top two starters at the position.

1. Texas — The Longhorns duo of Carrington Byndom and Quandre Diggs were by far the league's best at limiting the big play. Both are physical. Both return. Beware, Big 12 offenses. In just their first year as starters, they helped the Longhorns lead the league in pass defense. Diggs, a true freshman, led the team with four interceptions. Until the regular-season finale against Baylor, Texas and Alabama were the only teams that hadn't given up a touchdown pass longer than 20 yards. Obviously, that's way, way more impressive in the Big 12.

2. Kansas State — K-State overachieved in a lot of ways this year, and perhaps nowhere more than at cornerback. Juco transfer Nigel Malone led the league with seven interceptions. Known entity David Garrett was even more solid, making 88 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. I ranked this unit 10th in the Big 12 before the season. They finished second. I was wrong.

3. Oklahoma — The Sooners' corners were good, but not great, and underachieved slightly. Jamell Fleming and Demontre Hurst are supremely talented, but were susceptible to big plays this year. Granted, everybody in the Big 12 was, but the Sooners ranked fourth in pass defense. Fleming broke up 10 passes and intercepted two more. Hurst broke up 11 and had an interception.

4. Oklahoma State — At times, Oklahoma State's Brodrick Brown was a legitimate shutdown corner. Justin Gilbert turned in a solid effort in his first year as a starter, which was much more important after a season-ending injury to Devin Hedgepeth in September. Gilbert picked off five passes, second-most in the Big 12.

5. Iowa State — Leonard Johnson was quietly an NFL prospect that put together a huge year. He was a big reason for ISU's upset of No. 2 Oklahoma State, and helped shut down Justin Blackmon. He finished with 71 tackles, eight pass breakups and a pick. Jeremy Reeves added two picks and seven pass breakups.

6. Missouri — E.J. Gaines led the Big 12 with 16 pass breakups, and the Tigers ranked fifth in the Big 12 in pass defense. Fellow first-year starter Kip Edwards added a pick and three pass breakups.

7. Texas A&M — The team's top corner, Coryell Judie, was hampered by a hamstring injury all season, but production is production. It wasn't there for Judie, one of the league's top corners in 2010. Terrence Frederick had a good year with 13 pass breakups and a pick, but the Aggies were susceptible through the air all year. Lionel Smith and Dustin Harris filled in well in Judie's absence, but not well enough. A&M finished eighth in pass defense and helped five QBs set career highs for passing yardage in 2011.

8. Baylor — K.J. Morton played well down the stretch for Baylor, but the Bears defense left a lot to be desired almost everywhere. They finished last in the Big 12 in pass defense, giving up over 290 yards a game. Morton picked off four passes and broke up six more. All four of his picks came in the final three games of 2011. Chance Casey broke up six passes and made 48 stops.

9. Texas Tech — How's this for irony? The Red Raiders actually finished second in the Big 12 in pass defense. It doesn't matter much. Tre' Porter had the only interception for a cornerback all season, and broke up two passes. Injuries were a problem all season. Cornelius Douglas, Derrick Mays, Jarvis Phillips and Sawyer Vest filled the unit, but Tech faced 61 fewer pass attempts than Kansas and 111 fewer than the next team in the Big 12. That's what happens when you can't stop the run. Doesn't mean the corners played well.

10. Kansas — Greg Brown picked off two passes and broke up three more. Isiah Barfield made 35 tackles and broke up five passes. The Jayhawks ranked ninth in the Big 12 in pass defense. They didn't get much of a pass rush to help the corners, but the corners were very poor in 2011.

This week's Senior Bowl and next month's NFL scouting combine will help decide who will hear their names called, and when, in April's NFL draft, but what about next year?

Mel Kiper unleashed his top five returning players for 2012, the top prospects at their positions in next year's draft.

Lots of interesting names. Here's where the Big 12 talents sit.

Quarterbacks

• No. 2: Landry Jones, Oklahoma
• No. 4: Geno Smith, West Virginia

Fullbacks

• No. 1: Braden Wilson, Kansas State
• No. 5: Ryan Clarke, West Virginia

My take: Good to see Wilson's name on this list. He's impressed coach Bill Snyder from the start, and Wilson was an underrated reason for K-State's success running the ball the past two seasons with Daniel Thomas in 2010 and Collin Klein/John Hubert in 2011. One of the Big 12's toughest players.

Receivers

• No. 1: Terrance Williams, Baylor
• No. 3: Tavon Austin, West Virginia

My take: Both of those names made me do a double take. Williams was a great player this season, and you perhaps best know him as the player who caught the game-winning touchdown to beat Oklahoma, but he's never looked to me like a player who could be the first receiver drafted. We'll see how he does in 2012 as Baylor's No. 1 receiver, with Nick Florence throwing him the ball instead of Robert Griffin III. Williams could become a star.

Austin always struck me as an undersized player, but there's no denying his playmaking ability. Few can match his game-breaking ability with the ball in his hands.

Offensive tackles

• No. 5: Tanner Hawkinson, Kansas

Centers

• No. 4: Ben Habern, Oklahoma

Defensive ends

• No. 1: Alex Okafor, Texas

My take: No surprise there. Okafor burst on the scene this season, and has that combination of size and speed you rarely see outside of players who become first-round picks.

Inside linebackers

• No. 4: Arthur Brown, Kansas State

Outside linebackers

• No. 4: Sean Porter, Texas A&M
• No. 5: Zaviar Gooden, Missouri

Cornerbacks

• No. 4: Demontre Hurst, Oklahoma

Punters

• No. 2: Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State

NORMAN, Okla. – When Bob Stoops brought his brother back to Norman, he envisioned recapturing the magic that generated some of the best defenses in Oklahoma history.

Instead, Stoops will now have to hire a linebacker coach.

Wednesday night, co-defensive coordinator Brent Venables announced that he has left Oklahoma to become the defensive coordinator at Clemson, leaving the Sooners with another coaching vacancy.

In hiring Mike Stoops last week, Bob Stoops believed he was getting the band back together.

With Mike Stoops calling the defense and Venables co-coordinating, the Sooners ranked third nationally in fewest yards allowed in 2003. In 2001, Oklahoma ranked fourth.

And in the 2000 national championship game, the Stoops brothers and Venables devised a defensive game plan for the ages as the Sooners kept Florida State’s high-powered offense from scoring.

Too much time, however, had passed. And Bob Stoops’ hopes proved to be short-lived. After Venables and Mike Stoops took a recruiting trip together to Florida, Venables and his wife flew to Clemson. And the allure of a new challenge, a massive pay raise and the chance to call his own defense again won out.

Because of the success the Sooners endured while Mike Stoops was the senior partner in the relationship, Venables was never fully appreciated by the Oklahoma fan base. Moreover, the explosion of Big 12 offenses after Mike Stoops left made it virtually impossible to produce top five defenses.

But Venables still coordinated some gems that helped catapult the Sooners to Big 12 championships in ’06, ’08 and ’10.

In 2008, the Sooners wiped out second-ranked Texas Tech by holding one of the nation’s top offenses to a single touchdown in the first half. OU went on to play for a national championship that season.

But perhaps his most memorable coaching job came in the final game of the ’10 regular season against Oklahoma State. Faced with the task of slowing down the high-powered Cowboys, Bob Stoops and Venables elected to revamp the entire defense, going to a 3-4 scheme. The shift stunned the Cowboys, and Oklahoma State managed only three offensive touchdowns as Oklahoma prevailed.

But as much as the Sooners will miss Venables as a coordinator and linebackers coach, they will miss him just as much as an ace recruiter.

Ronnell Lewis, Demontre Hurst, Tom Wort, Corey Nelson, Austin Box, Jamell Fleming and DeMarco Murray are just a few of the standouts Venables had a hand in recruiting to Norman in recent years.

He also was the assistant who secured two of OU’s top verbal commitments in this recruiting class: safety Eric Striker and running back Daniel Brooks. Venables also was the primary assistant recruiting California cornerback Brandon Beaver, who is scheduled to visit OU this weekend.

Bob Stoops tried to get the band back together. With his brother and Venables blazing the recruiting trail as a tandem, then forging those ferocious defenses again on the field.

Instead, the Stoopses will be on their own. Turned out, the band didn’t get back together.

In five seasons with Mike Stoops coaching the secondary, Oklahoma had five defensive backs named All-America.

Since? The Sooners have had just one.

Sources have told ESPN's Joe Schad that Stoops will rejoin the OU staff, with an announcement coming as soon as today. The former Arizona coach will return to his old title of secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator where he served the Sooners from 1999-2003.

Current secondary coach Willie Martinez is expected to take a job elsewhere. Martinez has been connected to jobs at Kansas, Illinois and Auburn.

The Sooners are counting on Stoops to bring some bite back to a secondary that has been up and down since he left.

Just last season, Oklahoma ranked No. 79 in pass defense. The Sooners also surrendered a school-record 616 yards in the loss to Baylor, including 485 through the air.

After 1999, the Sooners never finished lower than No. 25 in pass defense under Stoops, and in his final season in '03, OU ranked No. 2 against the pass, allowing only 146 yards per game.

Of course, Big 12 offenses have changed since Stoops left OU. The spread has made the Big 12 perhaps the top passing league in college football.

But in the pass heavy Pac-12, Arizona ranked No. 45, 34 and 23 nationally against the pass entering this season. The Wildcats finished this season ranked No. 119, but Stoops was fired after a 1-5 start midway through the season.

In Norman, Stoops will have some cogs already in place in the secondary. But he’ll have some work to do, too. The Sooners have a trio of foundational pieces in nickelback Tony Jefferson, safety Aaron Colvin and cornerback Demontre Hurst. All three players have performed at a high level as starters the last two seasons.

The trick for Stoops will be shoring up the rest of the secondary by finding another reliable corner and safety.

After Jamell Fleming got hurt, Texas Tech exploited OU’s lack of depth at corner and torched Fleming’s backup Gabe Lynn en route to a 41-38 win.

Safety Javon Harris, meanwhile, got beat time after time at Baylor, as Robert Griffin III threw for four touchdowns to give the Bears a 45-38 victory.

Stoops could give both Lynn and Harris another chance this spring. Or he could turn to others such as junior-college cornerback Kass Everett or up-and-coming safety Quentin Hayes.

Whatever the case, there’s no doubting Stoops is an excellent secondary coach and defensive mind. Roy Williams, J.T. Thatcher, Brandon Everage, Antonio Perkins and Derrick Strait all thrived under his tutelage.

Chances are, Jefferson, Colvin, Hurst and the others will, too.

It's always fun looking back on what we thought in the preseason, and today, we'll take another look.

Here's who made the postseason team.

How did our All-Big 12 preseason team stack up at season's end?

DEFENSE

DL: Brad Madison, Missouri

• Madison ranked 11th in the Big 12 with 4.5 sacks and 16th with 8.5 tackles for loss and didn't earn a spot on any All-Big 12 first or second teams, though his teammate, Jacquies Smith, cracked the media and coaches' second team.

DL: Tony Jerod-Eddie, Texas A&M

• Jerod-Eddie had four sacks and six tackles for loss with 47 total stops, but didn't crack any All-Big 12 first or second teams.

DL: Kheeston Randall, Texas

• Randall was eighth on the team with four tackles for loss and had 29 tackles with one sack. He wasn't named to any All-Big 12 first or second teams.

DL: Frank Alexander, Oklahoma

• Alexander led the Big 12 with 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by the media and shared the coaches award with A.J. Klein of Iowa State. He, of course, was a unanimous All-Big 12 first-team selection.

LB: Travis Lewis, Oklahoma

• Lewis suffered a broken toe in preseason camp, and finished second on the team with 79 tackles, his first season at OU with fewer than 108 tackles. He made the media and coaches' second Big 12 teams.

LB: Jake Knott, Iowa State

• Knott finished third in the Big 12 with 107 tackles and made the media any my first Big 12 teams. The coaches put Knott on the second team.

LB: Keenan Robinson, Texas

• Robinson finished second on the team and 10th in the Big 12 with 90 tackles and made the coaches' second Big 12 team.

DB: Coryell Judie, Texas A&M

• Judie fought a hamstring injury all season and didn't make any All-Big 12 teams after making 21 tackles and forcing one fumble.

DB: Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State

• Martin made a few All-American teams and earned All-Big 12 first-team honors from the coaches and me after making 65 tackles and breaking up 11 passes. The media voted him second team.

DB: Trent Hunter, Texas A&M

• Hunter made 73 tackles and broke up eight passes, but didn't earn any first or second-team honors.

DB: Demontre Hurst, Oklahoma

• Hurst earned second-team honors from the coaches after making 51 tackles and having 10 pass breakups. He also returned his lone interception for a touchdown against Texas.

SPECIALISTS

K: Grant Ressel, Missouri

• Ressel didn't earn any first or second team honors after making just 9-of-16 kicks and making all 30 of his extra points.

P: Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State

• Sharp earned All-Big 12 first team honors from the media and coaches after averaging over 46 yards on his 42 punts.

KR: Coryell Judie, Texas A&M

• Injuries prevented Judie from returning more than eight kicks this season. He averaged 25 yards per return on his eight returns and didn't make any All-Big 12 teams.

PR: Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma

• Broyles returned 19 punts at an average of just over 10 yards, and didn't earn any All-Big 12 teams as a punt returner.

AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Year: Justin Blackmon, WR, OSU

• Blackmon got surpassed by Heisman winner Robert Griffin III. No shame in that.

Defensive Player of the Year: Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma

• An injury derailed Lewis' season and he never looked like his usual self during the season, ceding Player of the Year honors to his teammate, Frank Alexander.

Newcomer of the Year: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State

• Brown won my Big Newcomer of the Year Award and the Defensive Newcomer of the Year from the coaches and media.

This list was really, really difficult to put together. Much more so than the pre or postseason lists. That sort of surprised me. Lots and lots of talented players just missed my list.

Once again, here was the criteria I examined in putting together the list.

And here's the full list.

In no particular order, here are other players I considered, but couldn't put on the list. This league is deep in the standings, and it's no different on the field. Don't be surprised to see any of these guys on the postseason list.

Ronnell Lewis, DE, Oklahoma: Lewis is seventh in the Big 12 with 3.5 sacks, and has 37 tackles, with two pass breakups and a forced fumble.

Nigel Malone, CB, Kansas State: No cornerbacks made my top 25, but Malone is among a handful of DBs that were close. He leads the Big 12 with four interceptions, and has 27 tackles with four pass breakups.

Brodrick Brown, CB, Oklahoma State: Brown is right there, too. He's made 21 tackles, broken up seven passes, intercepted three passes and made two tackles for loss.

Meshak Williams, DE, Kansas State: Williams is a breakout player this year, sitting at fourth in the Big 12 with four sacks. He also has 5.5 tackles for loss, 13 tackles and a forced fumble.

Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma: Stills has missed two games this season, but he's made 27 catches for 330 yards and five touchdowns. That puts him at seventh in the Big 12 in TD catches.

A.J. Klein, LB, Iowa State: Klein is a worthy sidekick to top 10 player Jake Knott in Ames. Klein's made 45 tackles (7th in the Big 12) and has four tackles for loss with an interception for a touchdown and a sack.

James Franklin, QB, Missouri: Franklin has gotten it done as a sophomore first-year starter in a league filled with great QB play. He's thrown for 1,488 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, while also running for 390 yards (12th in the Big 12) and seven scores.

Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M: Gray's been good, but his teammate Christine Michael has just been a bit better. He's ninth in the Big 12 with 521 yards and seven touchdowns. He's also caught 13 passes for 112 yards and a score.

Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma: Fleming entered the season as the league's best corner, and he's still in the conversation. He's made 30 tackles, returned a fumble for a touchdown, has broken up three passes and forced a fumble. He also has two tackles for loss.

Jamie Blatnick, DE, Oklahoma State: Blatnick has been a force up front, ranking third in the Big 12 with five sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, 27 tackles and an interception. He also has a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

Demontre Hurst, CB, Oklahoma: Hurst and Fleming form the Big 12's best cornerback duo, and Hurst has made 23 tackles, one tackle for loss and returned his lone interception 55 yards for a touchdown. He's also forced a fumble and broken up three passes.

Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State: Randle has 552 rushing yards and is second in the Big 12 with nine touchdowns, filling in admirably for the departed Kendall Hunter.

Carrington Byndom, CB, Texas: Byndom's stepped in as a first-year starter and been a huge boon to Texas' defense, making 28 tackles and intercepting a pass. He helped shut down Justin Blackmon last week, and has broken up nine passes with 3.5 tackles for loss.

Brad Madison, DE, Missouri: Madison has 3.5 sacks and an interception, with 18 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. He's also forced a fumble.

Darius Reynolds, WR, Iowa State: Reynolds made a few huge catches in the Cyclones' early 3-0 start, including an eventual game-winner against UConn, and has 522 yards and 28 catches to rank fifth in the Big 12. He also has six touchdown catches.

Jordan Voelker, DE, Kansas State: Voelker and Williams have been a huge surprise at defensive end, making four sacks to tie for fourth in the Big 12, with five tackles for loss, 18 tackles and a pass broken up.

Kelechi Osemele, OT, Iowa State: Osemele has a bright future in the NFL. ISU's offense has rushed for a Big 12-low 903 yards and given up 15 sacks, but Osemele has still been solid, albeit banged up.

Terrance Ganaway, RB, Baylor: Ganaway may finish with 1,000 yards after big games against Texas Tech and TCU. He's sixth in the Big 12 with 561 yards and seven touchdowns.

Oklahoma boasts a Heisman trophy candidate at quarterback in Landry Jones. Last weekend, its top receiver, Ryan Broyles, became the NCAA career leader in receptions.

Running back Dominique Whaley has been one of the best stories in college football, but while others focused on his status as a former walk-on, he quietly racked up more rushing yards than all but one player in the Big 12, despite playing in a platoon backfield.

The Sooners rank fourth nationally in total offense, and its biggest names live on the offensive side of the ball, but is it possible the Sooners' best side of the ball is defense?

"Our expectation is to play hard-nosed football and be the defense that we know we can be," safety Tony Jefferson said. "We’ve got a lot of talent on this team, especially on the defensive side of the ball."

The Sooners have stymed offenses in all six games this season. Tulsa was held 15 points under its scoring average. For Florida State, 22 points below its 35-point average. Even Missouri -- Oklahoma's worst defensive performance -- scored five points fewer than its average.

The Sooners held Texas and Kansas both to 17 points, nearly two touchdowns below their average.

"There’s always some spots here or there through six games you’d like to have done better, but I feel we’re playing pretty well," said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops.

The Sooners gave up a whopping 6 yards in the second half against Kansas last week, keeping the Jayhawks' much-improved offense from recording a first down until the game's final minutes.

Oklahoma leads the Big 12 in total defense and ranks 22nd nationally with just over 317 yards given up each game. It ranks 11th by allowing fewer than 16 points a game.

That's even more impressive considering the Sooners have already faced offensive juggernauts. Ball State and Texas are the Sooners' only opponents this year outside the top 45 in total offense. The Cardinals scored six points.

If numbers don't do it for you, consider talent.

Frank Alexander has emerged as one of the Big 12's best defensive players, wrecking offenses up front while the Big 12's reigning freshman of the year, Tony Jefferson, states his case in the secondary.

He's flanked by arguably the two best corners in the Big 12 this season, Demontre Hurst and Jamell Fleming.

Oh yeah, and Oklahoma has done it all with its leader and the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Travis Lewis, on the mend from a broken bone in his foot.

Like the Sooners' multi-faceted offense, the defense can do it all.

"We’re not the kind of defense that runs one particular style. We have different types of defenses," Jefferson said. "If you’re an offensive team, you don’t know what we’re going to run or what we’re going to be in."

Jefferson, with the ability to play a traditional safety spot, nickel back or outside linebacker, might be the most versatile Sooner defender. The Sooners' base 4-3 defense can randomly become a three-man front. Defensive end Ronnell Lewis projects as an NFL outside linebacker, and can rush off the end or drop into coverage.

The Sooners can put four defensive ends on the field and use their speed and athleticism to further enhance a pass rush that's already managed 24 sacks this season, third-most nationally.

Oklahoma's 15 forced turnovers are more than anyone in the Big 12, save Oklahoma State.

"We’ve created a lot of pressure on quarterbacks and a lot of turnovers and gotten a lot of lost yardage plays," Stoops said of his defense, which leads the Big 12 with 48 tackles for loss, too. "That’s some of the things we’ve done the best."

Don't lose sight of the impact going up against one of the nation's best offenses every day has had. But maybe it works the other way, too?

Either way, put the two together (and Oklahoma does every Saturday), and the Sooners look like an ever-improving national title contender.

"I feel like we’ve done well, but I feel like we have a lot more to prove," Jefferson said. "We’ve still got a long way to go. We’re reaching the point in the season where there’s no more slacking off. Teams will take advantage of that. We know what we’ve got to do."

DALLAS -- It got so bad in the second half, even Bevo had to look away.

The Longhorns' signature steer spent most of the third quarter behind the end zone with his horns pointed at the slowly draining Texas side of the 96,009 fans in the Cotton Bowl.

This was a forgettable stop on this 2011 Longhorns Revival Tour, a season-long crusade to erase the memories of a 5-7 season in 2010.

Oklahoma didn't hit 60 points, but that was about the only positive for Texas, whose 55-17 beatdown did not, at least to my knowledge, come complete with Sooner Schooner tracks along the back of the Longhorns' white pants and burnt orange uniforms.

"I thought they tried," said Texas coach Mack Brown, whose 38-point loss is the third-worst ever suffered in his tenure at Texas. The other two were delivered in 2000 and 2003 on the same field from the same team by 49 and 52 points.

As for what went wrong? Well, where to start?

Three turnovers for touchdowns seems as good a place as any to start digging into this performance, which stunk only slightly less than the gifts Bevo leaves behind on the way to his artificial turf mat behind the end zone.

"Can't have five turnovers and win games," Brown said.

No worries. They didn't.

Demontre Hurst kicked off the party in the end zone with a 55-yard interception return to put Oklahoma up 27-3 in the second quarter.

Any halftime locker room dramatics didn't follow Texas onto the field. Frank Alexander sacked Case McCoy and forced a fumble, which David King casually picked up and strolled 19 yards into the end zone to make it 41-10 early in the third quarter.

"They were just out there flying to the ball, playing faster than us," said Texas running back Fozzy Whittaker, one of the bright spots for the Longhorns on Saturday. Whittaker ran hard all day, returning a kick 100 yards for a touchdown and carrying the ball six times for 43 yards.

"It's one of those things where you just have to stand back and give them credit for doing what they do best," he said.

Saturday was 60 minutes of reality setting in for Texas: It might be better than it was last year, but Texas needs some high-quality binoculars to get a glimpse of the national elite.

The Longhorns' No. 11 ranking was gone sometime in the second quarter, at some point between one of Landry Jones' 23 completions, 305 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.

"They've got all the athletes and stats for a reason," said Texas safety Blake Gideon.

Texas' offense? The only offensive touchdown of the day came with 2:31 left to play and the Longhorns trailing 55-10.

Texas had a great opportunity with a 1st-and-10 at Oklahoma's 14-yard line late in the third quarter.

Then came a bad snap. Then David Ash got sacked by speedy Tony Jefferson, who intercepted Ash earlier, too.

Then Ash got sacked by Ronnell Lewis, who forced a fumble and ... "Hey, how'd we end up with a 4th-and-49 on our own side of the field?"

Games like this, in raucous environments against very, very good teams, expose inexperience. Texas didn't have much covered when it was all over.

"We mixed it up. We played man, we played some zone, we mixed up some man zones," said defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. "[Jones] knew where to go with the ball, he knew how to manage the play, he took what was there when it was there."

Diaz, despite Oklahoma's assertions after the game, said the youth of his cornerbacks wasn't to blame.

"Defending the run and defending the pass is an 11-man job," Diaz said.

Official numbers are sketchy, but the 11 men Texas put out on the field weren't getting much of a job done against an offense that the Longhorns couldn't compliment enough after the game.

"I can see why they're No. 1 in the country," Brown said, later noting that the coaches kept the Sooners at No. 1 while the media polls slipped the Sooners to No. 3, behind Alabama and LSU.

Wherever Texas falls in the polls after Saturday's forgettable turn at the State Fair of Texas, it'll be far, far behind Oklahoma.

And just like every Saturday, for this one, Bevo had the most enjoyable seat in the house.

DALLAS -- Oklahoma has already dished out a pair of lopsided beatings in the last decade of this rivalry, winning by 52 points and 49 in 2000 and 2003, respectively.

Chalk up another in 2011. Oklahoma 55, Texas 17.

Oklahoma jumped out to a big lead early and built on it with three defensive touchdowns throughout the game. The Longhorns won't be leaving Dallas with anything close to an upset or an idea that last year's struggles are far behind them in the rearview mirror.

How the game was won: Oklahoma won the turnover battle, the battle on the line of scrimmage and just about everything else on Saturday in a dominating win.

Turning point: Oklahoma was outplaying Texas early, but the game was still somewhat reasonable. Then Demontre Hurst scored the first of three defensive touchdowns on the day, picking off David Ash and returning it 55 yards for a touchdown. The lead was 27-3 and the rout was on.

Player of the game: Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma. Jones threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, then took most of the fourth quarter off as the Sooners coasted to the easy win. Jones made big plays when he had to early and the gap between him and the quarterback(s) across the sideline from him looked astronomical.

Record performance: Oklahoma's three defensive touchdowns tied a school record and were the most ever for a Bob Stoops-coached team. The loss was also the third-worst of Mack Brown's tenure at Texas. The only two worse came on this field, and Oklahoma delivered them.

What Oklahoma learned: Maybe it's the No. 1 team in the nation after all. Texas was clearly overrated at No. 11, but the Sooners were the fourth team in the past three decades to slip to No. 3 in the AP poll without suffering a loss. Saturday's dominance was a pretty strong statement and proof that when it's at its best, Oklahoma can be nothing short of dominant.

What Texas learned: So much for being all the way back. Even during last year's 5-7 season, Texas remained competitive in a 28-20 loss to a 12-win Oklahoma team. This year? Far from it. The inexperience on offense and at cornerback showed, and the Longhorns looked hapless for most of the game. How much better is Texas than last year's team? We'll find out as the season progresses.

What it means: Oklahoma is still flying the Big 12's flag as the league's national title contender, but a Bedlam clash in Stillwater on Dec. 3 may be a pretty outstanding replacement for the defunct Big 12 championship game. Oklahoma looked just OK in a win over Missouri and made big plays late to beat what now looks like an overrated Florida State team, but Saturday was Oklahoma's best punch. Texas couldn't take it.

DALLAS -- Oklahoma has been the more experienced, more prepared and more aggressive team through the first half.

As a result, the Sooners have opened up a big lead and looked dominant while doing it. If not for early red-zone struggles, this could be even more lopsided.

Even still, at 34-10, this looks ugly for the Longhorns and it's a strong statement for Oklahoma to try and gain back some of the ground it lost in the polls in past weeks.

Turning point: Trailing 13-3, Texas quarterback David Ash threw an interception downfield to Tony Jefferson, who returned it 13 yards to the Texas 33-yard line to set up an eventual five-yard touchdown pass from Landry Jones to Ryan Broyles. That put Oklahoma up 20-3 and the game began looking out of reach for Texas. It still looks out of reach.

Stat of the half: Texas had 60 yards of offense in the first quarter. The Longhorns had 38 in the second quarter, including 18 on a pass to Mike Davis on the scoreless final drive of the half. Oklahoma's defense is playing physical, pressuring the quarterback, and making big plays. Demontre Hurst already returned David Ash's second interception of the day 55 yards for a touchdown.

Best player in the half: Jones. The Sooner signal caller has made a good Texas defense look bad for most of the first half, racking up 305 yards and three touchdowns on 23-of-35 passing and kept the Sooners offense humming throughout the half. Unbelievable stats against a pretty good, albeit inexperienced, Texas secondary.

What Oklahoma needs to do: Quit giving up big plays. Oklahoma looked like it was ready to send the Longhorns back to Austin after going up 27-3 late in the second quarter, but the Longhorns stuck around when Fozzy Whittaker took the ensuing kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown. He also cued the Oklahoma critics crying for a special teams coordinator. Texas' offense isn't built like Oklahoma's and can't sustain consecutive systematic drives. It doesn't have the experience. Big plays are all that can keep Texas in it, and if Oklahoma prevents them, it's over.

What Texas needs to do: Petition the Big 12 to vacate the results of the first half on account of ... uh ... something. Then figure out a way to shoehorn Philadelphia Eagles backup QB Vince Young into its 2011 lineup. After that, find a way to help its young core freshmen to come out of the tunnel with another year or two of experience.

Cornerback Demontre Hurst will wear No. 12 for Oklahoma this week against Ball State.

The Sooner captains designate a different defender to wear No. 12 each week as a tribute to their teammate Austin Box, who died on May 19.

Quarterback Landry Jones kept his No. 12 jersey after talking with Box's parents.

Last week, safety Javon Harris wore No. 12. This season, Hurst has seven tackles, a forced fumble, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.

Get to know Hurst here while he gives a tour of Oklahoma's locker room.