The Oklahoma Sooners entered this season hoping to capture the eighth national championship in program history. However, they are running out of time to change the program's narrative after a rough 2-2 start.
The Sooners had a lot of backers this offseason; however, one of those wasn't ESPN's Paul Finebaum. In a previous interview, he said Oklahoma was his pick to finish outside the top-25 after starting the season in the top-10.
"I don't know how people realistically think Oklahoma's going to finish in the top 10," Finebaum previously said. "You can say whatever you want about what they have in John Mateer ... but, Matt, their schedule is beyond brutal."
Former Sooners, including Gerald McCoy, met that with backlash. However, after the Georgia
loss, Finebaum said the Sooners are living in the past.
"Nearly a month ago, Oklahoma Nation came after me, some of its prominent players," Finebaum said on 'The Matt Barrie Show.' " The argument they use is that it's not the schedule. We're Oklahoma. We're above worrying about some stinking schedule that may look too difficult... that's the problem, though... Those Heisman trophies and national championship trophies will not straighten out the problem that you're in currently."
Finebaum's criticism puts pressure on Oklahoma to prove its past success still matters today. The Sooners now have a bye week to reset before returning to action against the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, giving them a chance to respond on the field rather than through words.
A strong showing in the Red River Rivalry could quickly change the tone surrounding the program. Oklahoma still has plenty of the season left, and the next opportunity is a big one. The Sooners can't change the 2-2 start, but they can decide what the rest of the season looks like.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Paul Finebaum believes Oklahoma is living in the past
