Oklahoma radio host pushes back on idea that Tennessee will win it all; says Sooners' defense is better than Vols' defense

Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd generated some headlines on Wednesday when he suggested that the Tennessee Vols will win the national championship in 2024.

“I’m gonna call it right now, Tennessee is gonna win the national championship," said Cowherd. "I came on this show before the Oklahoma game, and I said Oklahoma is...they’re not gonna score. Tennessee’s got the best defense in college football. Excellent coach. Explosive offensively. I think Tennessee’s the best team I’ve seen."

Oklahoma radio host Tyler McComas, the host of The Rush on Sports Talk 1400, pushed back against the idea that Tennessee will win it all during his show on Wednesday afternoon.

McComas also suggested that Oklahoma's defense was better than Tennessee's defense in the Sooners' 25-15 loss to the Vols.

"I think they're (Tennessee) going to make the College Football Playoff," said McComas. "I don't think they're going to win the national championship. And Colin Cowherd was saying that he thinks they have the best defense in the country. I don't even think that they had the best defense on the field on Saturday.

"So I immediately disagree there. Because I think the OU defense was better than the Tennessee defense. And I think they are better than that Tennessee defense. They (UT) have a defense that I think is good enough to do a lot of special things. But this year, man, I don't see it. I'm willing to entertain the idea of Tennessee winning a national championship, but I'm much more willing to entertain that idea in Nico's (UT QB Nico Iamaleava) second or third year at Tennessee than right now."

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It's a bit early to be speculating on who will win the national championship this season. So no offense to McComas or Cowherd, but neither opinion has much value right now. The calendar hasn't even flipped to October yet. The Vols look like they have a championship caliber team. And they're playing at a championship level. But they still have a lot they need to accomplish (UT head coach Josh Heupel would be the first to tell you that). The same is true for the rest of the perceived contenders in college football.

As for McComas' comments about the Vols' defense, well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Oklahoma's defense certainly looked great on Saturday night in Norman. And it undoubtedly created some real problems for Tennessee's offense.

But the Vols finished the night with 345 total yards compared to 222 total yards for the Sooners. If not for some unnecessary penalties by Tennessee that extended a couple of OU drives, the gap in total yardage would've been even wider.

We'll see how it shakes out at the end of the year. I think the Oklahoma defense is legit. But it seems like a bit of a leap for an OU host to take that stance after Tennessee went on the road and made life hell for the Sooners' offense in a game that the Vols won.

Maybe it's just his way of coping with the loss.

Related: New report pours cold water on popular conspiracy theory involving the Tennessee Vols