Going 5-0 into the season, after defeating the Tigers, the Oklahoma Sooners are raking in a lot of good reviews. However, Paul Finebaum‘s “I am not going to be a prisoner of the moment” comment, following the Sooners entering the national championship conversation, remains unchanged. Finebaum might not be sold on Brent Venables‘ chance of making it the SEC title race. But to analyst Greg McElroy, the Sooners’ improved approach makes them a potential candidate for the national championship. And there are not one, but several reasons to back up his claim…

Greg McElroy is in awe of Brent Venables’ defense and is convinced that “Oklahoma’s defense is what makes it a national championship contender,” he said on ESPN College Football. Certainly, after registering a record-high nine sacks, the defense holds its well-deserved piece of appreciation pie. His reasons? Well, starting off with the well-oiled synced defense that recorded nine sacks against Auburn’s Jackson Arnold, who himself is a former Sooner player (transferred after the 2024 season).

McElroy started. “The amount of relentless pressure that they were able to create, the amount of confusion that they at times created for Jackson Arnold, forcing him to hold the ball.” The defense limited Auburn’s offense to a mere 287 yards. That is below Auburn’s average of 415.7 yards per game. Even Coach Venables gave his nod. The defense’s physicality and their “ability to get off blocks” were enough for Oklahoma to enter the national championship conversation.

“It was an unbelievable performance from that defense, with the exception of just a couple plays.” Auburn’s wide receiver Cam Coleman did give them some headaches, though. “Cam Coleman gave them tremendous fits.” He made several key receptions, including a 46-yard long pass, which was the longest Auburn chipped in over the weekend. The sophomore wide receiver forced Sooners’ freshman cornerback Courtland Guillory into committing penalties. He was targeted five times and gave up four catches. “Yes, there might be something they need to address with their corner situation,” Greg added.

Jackson was pressured on nearly half of his snaps, including the last three snaps of the game. On his last snap on a fourth-and-29th, he was brought to the ground in the endzone by R Mason Thomas. “And if you look at how that offensive line for Auburn had held up to that point, he was coming in being pressured on nearly 23%,” he added.

And unlike the argument made by Paul Finebaum about the Venables’ schedule, McElroy is of a different opinion. “It’s not like they’ve played a super weak schedule. South Alabama’s a perennial bowl team. Baylor, I think, is a very good football team.” To sum it up, as McElroy put it, the Sooners have played decent competition this season.

Another element on which Greg McElroy has stressed is the defensive tactic itself. It wasn’t as if the Sooners’ defense went full throttle with blitzes, which is how they have been pressurizing the offense over the years. “They weren’t constantly pressuring. They weren’t constantly bringing these overloads. They got home from a standard pass rush on eight of those nine or 10 sacks. It’s pretty amazing when you really look at it.” Bottom line? Their defense is as explosive as the offense, tilting their chances of becoming a National Championship contender.

Aside from Greg McElroy, David Pollack is another analyst rooting for the Sooners to win a national championship. And his confidence is rooted in John Mateer. The quarterback’s ability “to break tackles, his ability to throw freaking laser beams, like the throws over the middle, man, those in breaking routes that are 18 yards down the field,” Pollack gave his reasoning. But Paul Finebaum’s stance is rooted in Brent Venables’ schedule.

Paul Finebaum is not sold on the Oklahoma Sooners’ natty chances

Over the weekend, John Mateer led the offense to clinch the victory against the Auburn Tigers in a 14-17. Going undefeated into the season, Finebaum is not yet confident in Brent Venables’s roster. The Sooners won over the Auburn Tigers, 24-17. Even Hugh Freeze gave a hearty compliment himself. “One of the better pass-rushing teams in the country.”

Although Paul agrees with McElroy’s opinion on the defense. “We’ve already talked about their defense is elite.” But there’s a catch. “But let’s give Auburn’s defense some credit, too.” The first two quarters recorded equal points for both programs, tying up to 10 points bleeding into the halftime.

Finebaum admitted that Matter’s offense is going strong; however, it’s the ‘Florida-like Schedule’ that has Finebaum’s skepticism. As of now, they have two home turf victories against Michigan and Auburn. Next, they will face off against Kent State and the highly anticipated Red River rivalry (held on a neutral site). “But let’s get real. Certainly, Georgia has a win at Tennessee. Texas is still to be determined,” Finebaum said. Following that, Venables’ schedule is such that the Sooners will not face off against a ranked opponent until Tennessee.

“They have not seen any, and Michigan and Auburn are in the middle of the schedule. I mean they’re going to Tennessee later. They’re going a number of places, including Alabama. Have LSU later in the season,” he continued. He stressed, “I’m not being a hater,” but believes that they are not yet in the race for an SEC title contender. He reiterated that OU is good, with what Mateer is pulling off and Todd Bates‘ defensive strategy. However, he is skeptical about whether the Sooners will be playing for the championship.