LSU’s eight offensive possessions in the first half of last year’s Peach Bowl: Touchdown, punt, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. The Tigers shredded Oklahoma’s defense for 49 points and 484 yards on only 40 plays, averaging a staggering 0.82 points and 12.1 yards per play.
Big 12 defenses, amirite?
In four playoff appearances, the Big 12 (i.e. Oklahoma) has allowed an average of 49.8 points and 569.3 yards. Those are indefensible numbers, even if they did come against some of the best teams in college football history, including the best team in college football history last year. Not one sane person can put forth a logical defense for those numbers. And because those numbers were recorded on the biggest stage in college football, upon which the Big 12 has yet to win a game, the only Power Five conference without a playoff win, it’s fair to criticize the conference’s defenses on that stage.
The Big 12 has earned the reputation of playoff helplessness. They also, generally, earned their longstanding reputation as the league that doesn’t play defense. However, we reached a boiling point in Week 6 of the 2020 college football season that suggests screams of “Big 12 defenses!” is completely off target. We discussed on this week’s High Motor podcast.
Listen below (or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere else):
