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The UGA football program and Oklahoma Sooners appear to have a bit of a rivalry brewing. After Oklahoma put up 48 points — in a thrilling 54-48 overtime loss to the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff semifinal — Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley decided to deliver some preseason trash talk to Kirby Smart’s squad.
Riley was recently discussing the Bulldogs when he decided to take a shot at the team’s defensive unit.
Riley said during an interview with Danny Kanell and Taylor Zarzour on ESPNU on SiriusXM that Georgia’s defense would not be impressive were they to be in the Big 12. It’s an entertaining claim to make considering the Big 12 is known for its lack of defensive prowess, but the Sooners leading man was still ready to make his remarks.
“If you throw Georgia in the Big 12 every year there is no way they are a Top 5 defense in the country,” Riley said.
While at first it seemed like a shot at the Bulldogs, Riley quickly took to social media to claim he was not insulting Kirby Smart’s defensive unit, but instead complimenting all of the teams in his league.
“That’s not a shot at Georgia….they were absolutely one of the best defenses last year…it’s a compliment to our league,” he wrote in response to Football Scoop.
That’s not a shot at Georgia….they were absolutely one of the best defenses last year…it’s a compliment to our league-
— Lincoln Riley (@LincolnRiley) July 3, 2018
Georgia begins its 2018 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 1 against Austin Peay. Oklahoma, meanwhile, opens up earlier in the day against Florida Atlantic. We will have to see whether the two teams face off in the postseason to really determine just how good Georgia’s defense is.
