Oklahoma CAN Play Defense After All

This past weekend, SEC fans saw something that sent a shiver down their spines.  Somebody in the Big 12 CAN play defense!  With OU shutting down the vaunted Texas Tech offense, they served notice that they are a complete team heading into the stretch.

The SEC prides itself on its ability to shut down traditionally high-scoring teams, or at least shut them down enough for the win.  But usually such teams are incapable of returning the favor.

When Texas beat Oklahoma 45-35, there was no real fear in the SEC.  When Texas Tech beat Texas 39-33, we actually laughed and said, can anybody there play defense? Let them play an SEC team that goes on an eight-minute scoring drive and limit them to four fewer possessions than they're used to, and they'll fold.

Alabama remembers all too well all the talk from its matchup with Texas Tech a few years ago.  People out west predicted Tech would put on a track meet against the Tide.  Instead, the 2005 version of Alabama played its typical game—smashmouth offense, super-stingy defense—and won a 13-10 game.

But the Okies served notice this past week that they can do the same thing, and that is what could make the BCS Bowl Game a real game following the SEC Champion, either Alabama or Florida, playing the Big 12 Champion.

Consider for a moment the stats of the Oklahoma-Texas Tech game.  Few, if any, could foresee Texas Tech being held to a 42-7 halftime score.  A few mercy scores made it look a little more respectable, but clearly the Sooner defense had Tech completely in its grasp the entire game.

The stage is slowly being set, and with each week that passes, things are happening that make the eventual BCS championship that much more interesting.

What looked before like a matchup between a Big 12 track meet offense and an SEC defensive juggernaut with a decent offense has now changed.  They say offenses fill seats and defenses win championships.  It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.