We're #47!

[Phaeded]

Total Defense...I no longer have to page over 2 sheets to find our ranking in the triple digits.
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/22

Incredibly we are just 9 spots below Bama. We haven't played anyone yet, but progress folks....

Who scares me is tOSU: #2 in total D and #8 in total O. Why Clemson is above them is lazy poll voters.

 

[iasooner1]

Relax; other than maybe once, they've played no one either yet

 

[runningback43]

Ohio State has had a very light schedule so far. Their toughest opponent was little old Nebraska, who is not very good.

 

[owenfieldreams]

Bama starting 4 freshmen in their front 7 due to injuries. They gave up 279 rushing yards to Ole Miss. This is not the usual stellar Tide team.

 

[Plainosooner]

Total Defense...I no longer have to page over 2 sheets to find our ranking in the triple digits.
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/22

Incredibly we are just 9 spots below Bama. We haven't played anyone yet, but progress folks....

Who scares me is tOSU: #2 in total D and #8 in total O. Why Clemson is above them is lazy poll voters.

I think when the defending national champs are undefeated, and on an 20-game win streak, including a four touchdown routing of Alabama in the previous national championship game, then you don't vote them low again, until somebody beats them.

And Clemson has played a tougher schedule than tOSU or Alabama so far. Both will get tougher in the second half of the season, but not so far. I don't think Clemson is better than Bama or Ohio State. But until somebody stops their winning streak, they deserve to be in the top two.

 

[owenfieldreams]

I'm retired. I watch a lot of college football. Regardless of statistics and quality or lack there of of the opponent, this is the best Buckeye team I've seen in a few years. I cannot say that about Clemson or Alabama. LSU & Georgia are still somewhat an unknown quantity but both are impressive. I believe the 2019 Sooners are the overall best team HCLR has has fielded but it still may not be good enough to win it all.

 

[Schoonerman]

I'm retired. I watch a lot of college football. Regardless of statistics and quality or lack there of of the opponent, this is the best Buckeye team I've seen in a few years. I cannot say that about Clemson or Alabama. LSU & Georgia are still somewhat an unknown quantity but both are impressive. I believe the 2019 Sooners are the overall best team HCLR has has fielded but it still may not be good enough to win it all.

What owenfieldreams said. Bucks look just incredibly tough right now. They are flat demolishing everyone and Wisconsin and Michigan are probably playing for #2 seed in the B1G. This race is over. I just don't see the Bucks slipping up the rest of the way. Bucks will make the College Football playoff.

Clemson has looked good, but not the dominant team they were last year. Sophomore jinx for Lawrence? Maybe, but their RB Etienne, is the real deal and will help take some pressure off Lawrence. D line is not as good as last year's, but this is still a very good Brent V defense. With their ACC schedule, don't expect them to lose anytime soon. They're still the National Champs and look like a lock for a the CFP.

I still think Bama has the edge on LSU and UGA and will be standing tall at the end of the season in the SEC. Like the B1G, LSU and UGA will be battling for second place in the SEC and possibly a shot at the CFP. Gotta shout out for Auburn, who is really hot right now. Their rookie QB, Bo Nix, is having a great year and may save Gus Malzahn's job, but they'll lose one in the next few weeks (UGA) and in the Iron Bowl.

A 47th ranked OU defense four games into the season? Who would have thought this would have been acceptable 25 years ago? Even 10 years ago? But I am thrilled at the improvements made and how the D is playing when compared to the disaster under Mike Stoops the last 4-5 years. I hear the rumbling that "we haven't played anyone yet," which is true, but this team is learning how to play D again and when we do face a tougher challenges (texas, OSU, Baylor, ISU), our guys will make the plays they were making in the first four games and will turn some of those nail-biting wins into games where OU can control the game and cruise to some convincing victories.

 

[Senior Sooner]

Total Defense...I no longer have to page over 2 sheets to find our ranking in the triple digits.
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/22
Incredibly we are just 9 spots below Bama. We haven't played anyone yet, but progress folks....
Who scares me is tOSU: #2 in total D and #8 in total O. Why Clemson is above them is lazy poll voters.

But I still have to scroll 10 minutes to find my Birth Year in that list...Poor Little ME...Precious, and Pitiful!

 

[iasooner1]

But I still have to scroll 10 minutes to find my Birth Year in that list...Poor Little ME...Precious, and Pitiful!

Yes you are OUr treasure, no doubt but pitiful ? Uh No. Have you read your personalized copy of Bob's book ? Thumbs up or meh ?

 

[humblesooner]

As to the "OU hasn't played anyone yet", under the Mike Stoops regime, we would be #120 and "Not played anyone yet".
That is still a 73 place improvement.

 

[wolve1972]

I'm retired. I watch a lot of college football. Regardless of statistics and quality or lack there of of the opponent, this is the best Buckeye team I've seen in a few years. I cannot say that about Clemson or Alabama. LSU & Georgia are still somewhat an unknown quantity but both are impressive. I believe the 2019 Sooners are the overall best team HCLR has has fielded but it still may not be good enough to win it all.

Agree about OSU. This is the best OSU team in years and Day is reaping the rewards of some powerhouse recruiting classes. OSU had the best ever back-to-back 247 Sports Composite recruiting classes in 2017 and 2018 and those players are now sophomores and juniors. They're loaded.

 

[owenfieldreams]

Honestly, I'm more worried about our O-line than I am about our D.

 

[JConXtsy]

We probably would have lost to Houston again with a Mike Stoops led defense.

 

[RCSooner]

Being ranked 47th in total defense compared to 114th a year ago is a drastic sign of progress no doubt! I am thrilled with the improvements made by this defense.

However, I'd like to see this defense ranked higher. Maybe as high as the top 10 in total D. Being the 47th ranked defense, even if you're in the Big XII, is a good sign that you are one of the top echelon defenses in the country. But then I look at the defenses of Bama, Clemson and Ohio State and believe that every great team should set their standards high on defense just like those three teams.

Being #1 on offense is good. But being #1 in both offense AND defense is even better! With that said, I am looking forward to seeing how this defense will look by the time Grinch is in his second or third year coaching the OU defense.

 

[humblesooner]

Being ranked 47th in total defense compared to 114th a year ago is a drastic sign of progress no doubt! I am thrilled with the improvements made by this defense.

However, I'd like to see this defense ranked higher. Maybe as high as the top 10 in total D. Being the 47th ranked defense, even if you're in the Big XII, is a good sign that you are one of the top echelon defenses in the country. But then I look at the defenses of Bama, Clemson and Ohio State and believe that every great team should set their standards high on defense just like those three teams.

Being #1 on offense is good. But being #1 in both offense AND defense is even better! With that said, I am looking forward to seeing how this defense will look by the time Grinch is in his second or third year coaching the OU defense.

It's been slowing down a little, but in the past few years, OU had to defend 70-90 plays, while SEC teams would defend 50-60. They don't track by yards or points per play, so we were going to give up more yards and points purely because our opponents were going to run more plays.
Again, OU is slowing this down a little this year.

 

[RCSooner]

It's been slowing down a little, but in the past few years, OU had to defend 70-90 plays, while SEC teams would defend 50-60. They don't track by yards or points per play, so we were going to give up more yards and points purely because our opponents were going to run more plays.
Again, OU is slowing this down a little this year.

That's because they've been much more efficient in not allowing opponents to convert on third down. OU is #2 in the country behind Wisconsin in 3rd down conversion defense.

 

[WhyNotaSooner]

Speaking of tOSU, I noticed last Sunday night that the Saints had 6 Buckeyes as starters. Six! That’s a bunch for one team.
3 Offense
3 Defense

 

[wolve1972]

Speaking of tOSU, I noticed last Sunday night that the Saints had 6 Buckeyes as starters. Six! That’s a bunch for one team.
3 Offense
3 Defense

Urban Meyer was maybe the best recruiter in CF. But he lacked sometimes when hiring assistants - mostly close friends who he wouldn't fire when needed (Zach Smith !). His defense the last couple of years was non-existent and set all kinds of negative records at OSU and cost them playoff spots. Many around the country are saying the 2 best offensive minds in CF right now are Lincoln Riley and Ryan Day and both Oklahoma and OSU look unstoppable right now. The biggest difference in OSU is their defense - totally shutting everyone down. You know they're good when SEC homer Paul Finebaum says they're the best in the country.