Every Monday during the summer, the SoonerNation staff answers a roundtable question. Leave a comment or talk about it in our "There's Only One" forum.
Today's question: What will be considered a successful season for the Sooners in 2012?
Honestly, I don't think anyone will consider this a successful season unless the Sooners get to the national championship game. That's unfortunate. But when you're a blue-chip program and a preseason Top-5 team that was preseason No. 1 last year, that's the expectation. OU can obviously have a solid season without going to the national championship. A Big 12 title would be nice. So would a BCS game appearance. But for Sooner Nation to truly consider this season a success, the Sooners will have to get to the big one.
- Jake Trotter
A national championship. Some programs play to improve their national prestige, others play for conference championships, but at Oklahoma the Sooners play for national championships, it's just that simple. Even if the Sooners make the national championship game and come up short, there will be more talk about OU's struggles to win BCS title games than how successful the season was, particularly when you began the season with a fifth-year quarterback who has started 37 games in three seasons. It's not fair, it's a daunting task but it's a part of being at Oklahoma. And everyone in the program knew that when they signed on.
- Brandon Chatmon
Realistic expectations go out the window when it comes to OU football. That's the price of success for OU coach Bob Stoops. It truly is national championship or bust in Norman. It doesn't matter that OU has no experience at wide receiver. It doesn't matter that the status of Dominique Whaley and the running back position is still unclear. It doesn't matter that nobody has any idea how Tim Kish and Mike Stoops will impact the defense. And if OU isn't going to win the big one, well, at least beating Texas will appease a lot of Sooners fanatics.
- Bob Przybylo
Success at Oklahoma isn't measured in wins and losses, it's measured in championships. And Bob Stoops has seven Big 12 titles and one national championship to his name. With no clear-cut favorite to win the national title in 2012, this season is no different. The Sooners need to win it all for fans to consider 2012 a memorable year. And though OU has its flaws -- particularly on the defensive line and inexperience at receiver -- that hasn't tempered expectations in the state. Fans are getting antsy for another January trip to Miami.
- Dane Beavers