Last year, Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops called out the SEC.
Wednesday, Stoops called out Alabama coach Nick Saban.
After Saban said it was hard for his players to motivated in the Sugar Bowl, something Saban labeled a "Consolation game," Stoops said to ESPN, "They didn't look like it was a consolation game on that first drive when they scored a touchdown and everyone thought they were going to rout us. So that means I've got a built-in excuse the next time we don't play for a national championship?"
OU beat Alabama 45-31. Stoops was at the ESPN studios all day Wednesday.
Stoops went on to defend the Big 12 and its decision not to have a conference championship game.
"We play everybody, they (the SEC) don't play everybody," Stoops said on ESPN. "For instance, Texas A&M. They play eight conference games."
OU will play nine conference games this season and also will play at home against Tennessee. OU will play at Tennessee next season and has a series scheduled with Ohio State, Nebraska, Michigan and LSU. The Sooners played Notre Dame twice and Florida State twice in the past four seasons.
"In the end, it's worked for us," Stoops said to ESPN. "It's refreshing when you win."
Last summer, Stoops made the comment the bottom half of the SEC wasn't very good.
"I know everybody was ready to jump on me on what I had to say," Stoops said of playing Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. There's a little bit of validation in what I had to say. Fortunately it worked out in a positive way. I still believe in what I said.
"At the end of the day, we can play with anybody," Stoops said to ESPN. "It wasn't fluky."
Follow Andrew Gilman on Twitter: @andrewgilmanOK
