Oklahoma might not be playing, but there's still a reason Sooner Nation can turn on the national championship game on Monday night.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 6:30 p.m. CT Monday in the College Football Playoff final. The Sooners didn't come close to even making the expanded 12-team field after a 6-7 season, but there's still a relevant interest in the season finale for Sooner Nation, especially when Notre Dame has the ball and the Buckeyes are trying to get a stop.
Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has emerged as a surprise top candidate to become Brent Venables' next defensive coordinator at OU. The longer Venables puts off making a hire since Zac Alley left for West Virginia over three weeks ago, the more likely it seems a playoff run to the national title game could be holding things up.
“Beat Notre Dame, that's all I'm focused on," Knowles said. "These things happen, I guess, when you have success, players are making plays. My job is to put them in the best position. These things come up when you do well.”
There's no denying Knowles' defense has had success and is doing well like he said. There might not be a college football program in the country that wouldn't be enthusiastic about having Knowles leading its defense.
The Buckeyes statistically have the best defense in the country this season, averaging just 12.2 points and 251.1 yards a game, which includes three College Football Playoff games against some of the best offenses in the nation.
In those three College Football Playoff games, Ohio State has given up 17, 21 and 14 points, averaging 17.3 points against three stellar offenses. Even in a loaded SEC, the Sooners won't see a stretch like that against such good offenses until the College Football Playoff.
Some of Sooner Nation might have already been drawn to check out Knowles' defense in the Buckeyes' semifinal win against OU's rival, Texas. OU fans had to be thrilled about everything they witnessed, as not only did the Longhorns go down, but also at the possibility of having such a defense in Norman.
Texas was only down 21-14 with a chance to tie things up late in the fourth quarter before Jack Sawyer sacked Quinn Ewers, forcing a fumble, then returning it for an 83-yard TD. The Buckeyes went from their backs being against the wall to pushing in the dagger in a matter of seconds thanks to Knowles' defense.
Win or lose, Knowles could coach his final game with Ohio State on Monday night after three seasons there. And there's a chance Knowles goes from winning a national title to coaching the Sooners against Illinois State in his next game.
Monday night will be Sooner Nation's last chance to not only see what Jim Knowles is made of, but on the stage they dream to see their own defense on.