Takeaways have changed the trajectory and promise of Oklahoma's season

Takeaways have been game savers and offensive enablers, and a big part of Oklahoma's late season push for a place in the College Football Playoff.

The sole purpose of a college football defense is to prevent the opponent from scoring on offense and get the ball back for your own offense. Stopping the opponent on third down, holding the opponent to field goals instead of touchdowns inside the red zone -- or better yet, no points at all -- and forcing turnovers by way of a pass interception or fumble recovery are the prime means of fulfilling that purpose.

And when a team is able to create offense directly from its defense, it not only takes some of the pressure off the offense, but adds another weapon by which to generate points.

Thievery on defense is like having another offensive weapon

Coaches constantly preach about the importance of winning the turnover battle, and that's done by being aggressive and physical, but also being smart about it, and creating turnovers on defense. But it's not always that easy to accomplish.

"Nothing impacts the game like turnovers," OU head coach Brent Venables said in his press conference this week. "It always has been that way, it's not a new thing. At every level of football, if you win the turnover margin, you have a much better chance to win the game."

But there is also a fine line involved. Venables doesn't want his defensive players to push so hard to create turnovers that they leave themselves vulnerable for defensive mistakes.

"Maybe you're ripping at the ball more than actually tackling and putting your pads on people and running through people," Venables said, "and now you're not tackling an not forcing turnovers. ...

"We stress it every day because we do a turnover circuit every day."

The Sooners went five games into the 2025 season before recording their first takeaway and only had four (three interceptions and one fumble recovery) through eight games.

Coaches will also tell you that when takeaways come, they frequently come in bunches, and that has been the case in each of Oklahoma's last two games, which were road wins over top-25 opponents Tennessee and Alabama.

Oklahoma nearly matched its takeaway total for the season in a Game 9 win over Tennessee earlier this month. The Sooners forced three turnovers in that game, including a 71-yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown by defensive end R Mason Thomas. OU also picked off two passes in that game. The three turnovers by Tennessee led to 13 of the Sooners' 33 points and were a major factor in the 33-27 final score.

The Sooners also won the turnover battle last weekend against then-No. 4 Alabama. Eli Bowen had an 87-yard interception return for a touchdown to put the Sooners up 10-0 late in the first quarter, and the Oklahoma defense forced and recovered two fumbles, setting up two other OU scores. Those three turnovers resulted in 17 Oklahoma points in what turned out to be a two-point win, 23-21.

Missouri, the Sooners' opponent on Saturday has turned the ball over at least once in each of its last nine games and has had multiple giveaways in four of its last five.

Both Oklahoma and Missouri have outstanding defenses, so protecting the ball will be a key factor in the outcome. Like the OU ball coach says, having more takeaways than giveaways puts you in a much better position to win.