OU went 10 years between good coaches

You forgot (who could blame you?) Gary Gibbs, who came immediately after Switzer retired in 89, then John Blake, then Schnellenberger. They were atrocious to mediocre for 10 years in the end of the Big 8. Stoops took them to the championship in his second year, but although they've been back a few times since, they haven't won one. So they basically occupy the same space as us now - close, but no cigar. Their high water mark is playing one of the only competitive first round playoff games, when they lost to Georgia in overtime. Other than that, they've been handled in their other three first round appearances, as have most other teams who got to the playoff. They had a BCS blowout too, losing to USC in 2004 worse than we lost to Alabama.