Oklahoma reminds Big 12 its still the class of the

NORMAN, Okla. Forget about whether Ilya Samsonov Jersey Texas is back.The rest of the Big 12 Conference is now wondering what the heck to do about Oklahoma.The No. 5-ranked Sooners, coming off three consecutive Big 12 championships and two College Football Playoff appearances in three seasons, looked as formidable as ever on Saturday.MORE: OU took apart a touted Florida Atlantic 63-14in the 2018 season opener an 11-win, Conference USA-champ, Lane Kiffin-coached FAU team that was on the canvas early and never had a chance to get up.The Sooners came in as a 21-point favorite, but FAU trailed by that much just 10 minutes after kickoff.Its never as easy as it looks, coach Lincoln Riley said. We just got that initial surge, you know? We just kept the momentum.All the questions the Sooners faced in the offseason seem so premature now:Gotta replace the Heisman Trophy winner? No worries. Kyler Murray stepped in for Baker Mayfield and, on this day at least, Lincoln Rileys offense didnt mi s a beat. Murray completed his first six pa ses for 133 yards and finished 9 of 11 for 209 yards and two touchdowns before taking the rest of the day off in the second quarter.Gotta replace a two-time All-American left tackle? No biggie. Bobby Evans stepped in for Orlando Brown, two guys split time at center and the Oklahoma offensive line looks like it actually might be better than last year's which paved the way for college football's most potent Mike Gartner Jersey offense.There is a caveat, of course. Florida Atlantic literally was out of its league. FAU was never going to win this Lucas Johansen Jersey football game, of course. But this wasn't evencompetitive. The Owls brought back 10 returning starters and an All-American candidate at middle linebacker on defense.But even with all the pomp and swagger Kiffin and his young staff brings, FAU's defense was bullied from the start.Rodney Anderson rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on his first five carries. Trey Sermon averaged eight yards per carry in the first half. Murray, ever the scrambling threat, embarra sed the FAU defense a couple of times. Receiver Marquise Brown was steady underneath and spectacular deep, with 133 yards and a touchdown in just two quarters of play. The Oklahoma offense, with all its weapons, was predictably explosive. Even without Mayfield, this unit is loaded.Just making plays, said Murray.MORE: The real difference for this Sooner squad, however, might be the defense.Again, measure any succe s against the quality of the opponent. This was a physical mismatch. But solid evidence can be mined from last years nonconference schedule, during which both UTEP and Tulane drove the football down Lars Eller Jersey the Sooners throats for early touchdowns. This FAU team is far better than either of those squads.The Owl offense with former Sooner Chris Robison getting the starting nod and slithery Devin Singletary (he of 1,920 yards and 32 touchdowns last year) never had a so much as a pulse.Oklahomas defense swarmed the football and took the fight to the Owls fundamental elements of good defense, yes, but simple qualities severely lacking in recent seasons in Norman, and certainly not something found in abundance in the Big 12. The Sooners set the edge and clogged the line of scrimmage and covered the pa s.Ask any OU follower and theyll celebrate Saturday as a significant defensive upgrade. It just looked different.Our depth and our overall physicality I thought was good, said defensive coordinator Mike Stoops. Good start. Was glad to see we were able to control the game that well.Three talented freshmen contributed to the defense early, keyed four-star T.J. Oshie Jersey cornerbackBrendan Radley-Hiles. Their emergence may be the impetus other Sooner defenders have needed to elevate their game. The new guys are good, so the old guys have to be better.More will be revealed next week when Chip Kelly brings UCLA into Memorial Stadium, but Kellys scouting report will show an uncomfortable truth: Oklahoma is, once again, the cla s of the Big 12.