Bob Stoops goes to bat for the Oklahoma Sooners playoff resume

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Seems like the Oklahoma Sooners can't get it right in the eyes of many national analysts. In the early era of the College Football Playoff, OU didn't play defense well enough for the college football world. Now, with the Sooners slotted at No. 8 in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, many believe Oklahoma doesn't belong because the offense isn't among the best in college football.

Oklahoma is 10-2 against a schedule that nearly everyone considered was the toughest schedule in the country heading into 2025. 10-2 with road wins over Tennessee and Alabama. 10-2 with five wins against teams that were ranked in the top 25 at the time they lost to the Sooners.

They said it was going to be a miracle for the Sooners to survive their schedule.

Oh, how quickly they switch up the requirements for being in the playoff. Analysts across the country have tried pleading their case for Oklahoma's exclusion. And former head coach Bob Stoops isn't having it.

On with KREF in Norman this week, Stoops made the case pretty clear for the Sooners.

"I thought championships are won on defense?," Stoops said. "That's all I heard when we were putting up 50 points every single week. Now they're going to change the narrative, right? Typical. C'mon, that's a joke."

The Oklahoma Sooners' defense is arguably the best defense in college football this season. The Sooners are No. 3 in run defense, No. 9 in total yards, No. 7 in points allowed per game, and No. 9 in first downs allowed per game. Oklahoma leads the nation in sacks and tackles for loss.

It's the defense that's led the way for the Sooners, and it's the defense that gives the Sooners a chance to win every week. While it takes points to win games, it's defenses that win championships. History bears that out. Whether it's the back-to-back titles from the Georgia Bulldogs or last year's participants in the national title game, Ohio State and Notre Dame, it's defense that's been the difference.

From the defensive line to the secondary, Oklahoma's defense has been playing great ball all year and especially since the start of November. As the offense creates big plays, it's the defensive consistency that has the Sooners heading to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Stoops: 'I thought championships are won on defense?'

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