Oklahoma Football: 3 takeaways from Big 12 win over TCU

2. The Oklahoma defense put up strong showing to win Big 12 title

Oklahoma’s defense was a middle-of-the-road group for much of the 2017 season. Coming into Saturday’s rematch with TCU, the Sooners gave up an average of nearly 400 yards to opponents and struggled to force takeaways. They came out and put to rest any rumors that they were the Achilles heel for any potential championship run.

TCU managed just 83 rushing yards on 24 carries, as the Oklahoma front seven clamped down on the Horned Frogs backfield. Will Johnson picked off TCU quarterback Kenny Hill, who finished the day 27-of-37 for 234 yards and two touchdowns. All told, Gary Patterson‘s team managed just 317 yards of offense in defeat.

For a Big 12 team, it was about as strong a defensive display as one might expect to see. TCU couldn’t come close, despite generating better numbers on defense over the course of the 2017 campaign. Unable to get any stops on the Sooners, the Horned Frogs also struggled to move the ball effectively.

That was a testament to the improvement that has occurred over the course of the year. In victory, the Sooners held an opponent under 20 points for the fifth time this season. They will need to come out strong against whichever team they are pitted against in the College Football Playoff semifinal to have a shot at the title.