To win a national title, OU must overcome the SEC
Published: 7/28/2011 10:15 AM
Last Modified: 7/28/2011 10:15 AM
Oklahoma isn't just competing against Oklahoma State and Texas this year. It's battling Alabama and LSU.
This is what national championship contention looks like in 2011. You keep one eye on your own conference race, and another on the SEC, since that's who you must beat for all the BCS marbles.
It was Auburn a year ago, Alabama in 2009, Florida in '08, LSU in '07 and the Gators again in '06. It's ridiculous.
It's also college football's reality.
The Sooners, the national preseason favorites they have become along with Bama and LSU, are therefore linked to the SEC. Doesn't matter that no SEC opponent appears on OU's schedule, Bob Stoops still faces the question.
Ready to end the 5-year dynasty?
"They've won the last game here for five years," Stoops said, "so it's our job as other conferences or other schools to win it."
Seems set up to be OU's job this season.
"I'm always tired of hearing it," linebacker Travis Lewis said of the SEC, "but until we go out and do something about it, I guess they can keep talking. We have to walk the walk before we can go talk."
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
