Well, that didn’t take long.

Just days before his team’s Saturday matchup against Tennessee, Bob Stoops is already fielding questions about his reputation as “Mr. Anti-SEC”. If you’re reading this website, chances are you’re an SEC fan. If so, you’re likely familiar with Stoops’ history of comments directed toward the Southeastern Conference. But just for good measure, let’s take a stroll down memory lane:

Related Article: Bob Stoops will talk up Tennessee matchup despite noted SEC criticism

May 2013: While speaking at a “Sooner Caravan” fan gathering, Stoops calls the media perception of the SEC’s dominance in college football “propaganda”.

“So they’ve had the best team in college football,” Stoops said at a “Sooner Caravan” Sooner fan gathering. “They haven’t had the whole conference. Because, again, half of ’em haven’t done much at all. I’m just asking you. You tell me …

“So you’re listening to a lot of propaganda that gets fed out to you,” Stoops continued. “You can look at the top two, three, four, five, six teams, and you can look at the bottom six, seven, eight, whatever they are. How well are they all doing?”

Stoops has defended his comments several times and even added more soundbites furthering his feelings about the SEC’s media perception. However, these comments are the roots to his reputation as Mr. Anti-SEC, a role he has embraced in the past.

Until now.

With Tennessee on the horizon, Stoops is trying to downplay what many consider a rivalry with the SEC, laughing off the matter completely.

Stoops will attempt to go against his previous comments before Saturday’s matchup in order to properly talk up Tennessee as an opponent. In college football, every team builds up its competition to make each win seem more monumental. But for Stoops, a win against the SEC will always be noteworthy.

Stoops is 5-5 against the SEC since taking over as Oklahoma’s head coach in 1999. It would be validation for Stoops to hold a winning record against the SEC and Saturday’s matchup is the perfect opportunity for the heavily favored Sooners. Stoops may try to downplay his angst toward the SEC this week, but that doesn’t mean his players are helping him save face.

This matchup is extremely important for both teams. For Stoops, he can put another notch in his Anti-SEC belt with a win against a historically dominant, albeit downtrodden program. For Tennessee, they would not only shock the world, but also silence the biggest SEC naysayer in college football.