The Sooners beat the Tide 24-3 in Norman, Oklahoma. It was a shocking result considering the Sooners had lost four of five and Alabama was on the verge of clinching a spot in the College Football Playoff. That disappointment will surely provide additional motivation for Alabama (8-1, 6-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 4 CFP) in the rematch.
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“There are (new) players who didn’t experience that,” Tide coach Kalen DeBoer said. “The ones that did it certainly remember and understand better, more importantly, that they’re facing a really good program and we obviously went to their house and took a good beating last year, and that’s what’s coming to town this week.”
A loss in Tuscaloosa wouldn’t derail Alabama’s playoff chances, but it could knock the Tide out of the SEC title game in Atlanta.
However, it is a game that Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2, No. 11 CFP) and its playoff hopes must win. The Sooners are 2-2 in their last four games, with losses to Texas and Mississippi and wins against South Carolina and Tennessee.
“We all know that,” Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer said. “We have the opportunity to determine our own destiny and keep it in front of us. So that’s our goal.”
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Oklahoma’s defense is the class of the SEC this season, leading the conference in yards and points allowed. They will need to put together a memorable performance against Alabama, which has won eight in a row and has the longest home winning streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision at 17 games. The Tide’s average margin of victory during their home streak is 40-11.
“They have a really good roster,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “They are playing very well on both sides of the ball. Their defense leads the SEC in turnovers caused and turnover margin, and offensively they have been incredibly efficient.”
One thing to watch from each QB
Mateer averaged 303.8 passing yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions in four games before undergoing thumb surgery. In four games since then, he has averaged 183.5 passing yards, with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He bounced back a bit against Tennessee, rushing for 80 yards and a score. Finding his rhythm against Alabama, which leads the SEC with 16 takeaways, should be key.
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Simpson, a Heisman favorite, will have similar difficulties against Oklahoma. The question for him and Alabama is whether they can create explosive passing plays to mitigate their struggling running game. Against LSU, Simpson connected on four passes that gained 30 yards or more, but he also left several big plays on the field that could have opened up the game.
“The low hanging fruits are the big, wide open ones,” Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. “I think there’s a little bit of carryover from (previous weeks), just getting the ball out early and on time and making sure we give our guys a chance to play the ball down the field.”
The statistics to take into account
Turnover margin has been Alabama’s catalyst all season. The Tide ranks fourth nationally at +10 and has just six turnovers in nine games. On the other hand, Oklahoma ranks 110th nationally with minus five in turnover margin. The Sooners have seven takeaways and 12 turnovers.
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The red zone will be a factor
The game features two of the best red zone offenses in the country. Oklahoma is the nation’s No. 1 red zone offense, scoring on all 28 trips inside the 20-yard line this season. Alabama, meanwhile, ranks 16th. Where the teams differ is on defense, with Alabama ranking eighth in red zone defense and Oklahoma ranking 66th.