Sooners react to All-Big 12 snubs as Iowa State dominates awards selections
How can a player on the Bednarik Award watch list fail to make the All-Big 12 first team... and the second team?
Somehow, that's the reality for Nik Bonitto.
Of Isaiah Thomas, Alex Grinch said, "If he's not the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, I'm not sure who should be in place of him." Nevertheless, Thomas didn't crack the All-Big 12 first team either.
Oh, and Spencer Rattler, a candidate for the Davey O'Brien Award, also couldn't earn anything more than an honorable mention.
If the Oklahoma Sooners needed any additional motivation for Saturday's grudge match against Iowa State, they certainly have it now.
Ronnie Perkins took to Twitter shortly after the all-conference teams were announced to indirectly raise his complaint with the slew of Sooner snubs.
Meanwhile, Rattler didn't say a word, opting for emojis to express his feelings after Iowa State's Brock Purdy earned all-conference honors at quarterback.
The Sooners' defensive line, arguably the nation's best as of late, had three representatives on the second team in Thomas, Perkins and Perrion Winfrey. Curiously missing, however, was Bonitto. The redshirt sophomore leads the team in sacks and has been, by many metrics, one of the most impactful defensive players in the nation.
The Sooners just cracked the top 10 for the first time since September, and despite their six-game winning streak highlighted by sheer defensive dominance, they're still working to reclaim their respect across the nation. Meanwhile, heading into the Big 12 championship game, the No. 6 Cyclones are the darlings of the conference. They boast the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in Breece Hall, the Defensive Player of the Year in Mike Rose, the Offensive Newcomer of the Year in Xavier Hutchinson and the Coach of the Year in Matt Campbell.
How's that for fuel on Oklahoma's fire heading into Saturday's matchup?
Shoulder, meet chip.
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