Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley: If Georgia were in Big 12, 'no way' they're a top-five defense

Scott Gleeson | USA TODAY

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Oklahoma football coach Lincoln Riley took a swipe at Georgia's defense while sticking up for the Big 12 Conference in an interview on Tuesday.

The Sooners lost in overtime to the Bulldogs in a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup last season but managed 531 offensive yards against Georgia's defense, which was ranked among the five best in the nation at the time.

"If you throw Georgia in the Big 12 every year, there is no way they are a top-five defense in the country," Riley told Sirius XM's ESPNU channel.

Riley added: "That's not a shot at Georgia. They were absolutely one of the best defenses last year. It's a compliment to our league (the Big 12)."

In 2017, the SEC was praised for its defense, with only seven of 14 teams averaging more than 30 points a game. Meanwhile, the Big 12 showed strength on offense, with seven of 10 teams scoring more than 30 points a game.

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