It’s amazing how a win over a rival can help change the outlook of a football program. The Oklahoma Sooners remain a work in progress as Brent Venables and his staff hope to finish the season strong as they continue to build for the future.
However, getting a win over Oklahoma State and doing so with a strong defensive effort provided a glimpse of what Oklahoma football could look like under Brent Venables.
Sure, Oklahoma State racked up a ton of yards offensively, but the Sooners’ defense came through in clutch situations to get off the field and hold the Cowboys to just 13 points.
They recorded six sacks, four interceptions, and 13 tackles for loss and forced the Cowboys to throw the ball 67 times. Oklahoma looks to be a team on the upward swing according to Bill Connelly’s SP+ rating over at ESPN. A rating that Connelly calls “a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football. If you’re lucky or unimpressive in a win, your rating will probably fall. If you’re strong and unlucky in a loss, it will probably rise.”
Here’s a look at how the Big 12 stacks up after week 12 and how each team ranks nationally in all three phases according to Bill Connelly’s ESPN+ rating.