No. 8 Oklahoma all-but clinches College Football Playoff berth with 17-13 win over LSU

Oklahoma is very likely heading to the College Football Playoff.

The No. 8 Sooners did just enough on offense as its elite defense did what it always does in a 17-13 win over LSU on Saturday.

The Tigers had fourth-and-two at the Oklahoma 29-yard line with 1:20 to go, but OU stopped the Tigers after a play-action pass was batted down behind the line of scrimmage.

LSU needed a TD after Oklahoma's Isaiah Sategna III was wide open for the go-ahead touchdown from 58 yards away with 5:04 to go.

The Oklahoma offense scuffled for most of the game, but it got two big plays when it needed it the most. Before Sategna's touchdown, Deion Burks scored on a 45-yard catch-and-run that tied the game at 10-10.

The two touchdowns papered over another offensive performance that showed why Oklahoma is not a serious threat for the national championship. QB John Mateer threw three interceptions on Saturday and his 36 other pass attempts went for just 215 yards.

A week ago against Missouri, Oklahoma beat those Tigers 17-6. And needed a big touchdown from Sategna for a kick start. Sategna scored an 87-yard TD in the second quarter after the Oklahoma offense had been putrid to start the game.

The big reason that Oklahoma is in a position to make the College Football Playoff is a defense that ranks up there with Ohio State's as the best in the country.

The Sooners have an elite defense. LSU had just 198 total yards on Saturday after Missouri had just 301 on 71 plays. Oklahoma’s defense is allowing fewer than 4.5 yards a play in 2025 and has been especially stingy against the run. Michigan is the last opponent to average more than four yards a carry against the Sooners. That game happened in Week 2.

Since then, Oklahoma has stifled opponents on the ground and, recently, started forcing turnovers. LSU only turned the ball over once on Saturday, but OU’s defense has forced nine of its 13 turnovers over the past four games.

Will Oklahoma host a College Football Playoff game?

The Sooners are basically in the playoff. The big question is now if OU will play a first-round game at home or go on the road.

At No. 8, Oklahoma is in position to be the lowest-ranked home team in the first round. That doesn't leave much margin for playoff error. What if No. 9 Notre Dame leapfrogs the Sooners? Or maybe even No. 12 Miami after its win over No. 22 Pitt on Saturday?

You can argue that both the Fighting Irish and the Hurricanes are more complete teams than the Sooners at the moment, even if Oklahoma has better wins. But the Sooners scored more than 30 points just once in an SEC game all season. And it took a defensive touchdown to get to 33 points in a win over Tennessee.

Will the offense hold Oklahoma back in the eyes of the committee and potentially force them to go on the road in the first round? We'll have to wait until Tuesday night to find out.