Top 25 teams: No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners

3. OKLAHOMA SOONERS

2008 record: 12-2, 7-1 Big 12

Returning starters offense/defense: 5/9

Strength: With a Heisman Trophy winner returning to school, it’s no secret where the Sooners’ strength is this season. Quarterback Sam Bradford decided to wait on the NFL for another shot at a BCS title after losing to Florida in last year’s championship game 24-14. Oklahoma’s strengths are not just limited to the quarterback position however. The running game is stacked with two 1,000-yard rushers returning in senior Chris Brown (1,220 yards and 20 touchdowns) and junior DeMarco Murray (1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns). The Sooners also have one of the nation’s top tight ends in Jermaine Gresham. Look for a few more 60-point games this season. On the defensive side, Oklahoma boasts a tough defensive line led by junior defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

Weakness: Oklahoma lost all but one player from their monstrous offensive line, leading to questions about the Sooners’ ability to protect Bradford. Coach Bob Stoops will need his linemen to gel quickly. The Sooners also have some questions in the secondary after losing both starting safeties from a unit that was ranked 99th in pass defense last year. Another issue for Oklahoma is a lack of experience at receiver. Last season’s top producers Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson are gone, which means the Sooners will likely turn to sophomore Ryan Broyles for production at the position.

Biggest star: Redshirt junior quarterback Sam Bradford surprised a lot of people when he decided to return to school after winning the Heisman Trophy and setting the NCAA record for pass efficiency (180.8). With all of the hype surrounding him and the Sooners, Bradford should be in prime position for a shot at another trophy – and possibly a BCS championship ring too.

Rising star: Running back Jermie Calhoun took a red-shirt last year because of Oklahoma’s depth at the position, but Sooners fans are excited about this top prospect. Playing time may be hard to come by for Calhoun, but look for him to get plenty of touches in the future.

Toughest game: vs. Texas, Oct. 17 in Dallas. Oklahoma will have its hands full this year with some tough games on the road including Miami (Oct. 3), Kansas (Oct. 24), Nebraska (Nov. 7) and Texas Tech (Nov. 21), but the Longhorns should provide its biggest test. The Sooners lost to Texas in last year’s Red River Rivalry game 45-35 before dominating the rest of their opponents to get a much-debated shot at Florida for the BCS title. Oklahoma will undoubtedly look to avoid controversy and computer polls this time around.