NORMAN, Okla. — No. 7 Alabama (8-3) noticed its School Soccer Playoff and SEC title hopes take a giant hit in a 24-3 loss to Oklahoma (6-5) at OU Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Alabama QB Jalen Milroe accomplished simply two passes within the first half earlier than ending 11-for-26 for 164 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions. The Crimson Tide’s first two drives of the third quarter resulted in Milroe interceptions, the second of which was returned 49 yards for a landing by Oklahoma’s Kip Lewis. Oklahoma outgained Alabama 325 yards to 234, pushed largely by the Sooners’ 257 speeding yards.
“We lastly did the issues that profitable requires,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables stated after the sport. “All three phases, they complemented one another. They punched first and punched again. Tonight, we lastly punched final.”
This was the lowest-scoring output for the Crimson Tide since a 20-3 loss to South Carolina in 2004. Alabama hasn’t misplaced to an unranked group by 21-plus factors for the reason that 1998 Music Metropolis Bowl in opposition to Virginia Tech (38-7).
The Crimson Tide are 1-3 on the street in opposition to SEC opponents this season, whereas the Sooners secured their first Energy 4 win since Sept. 28 in opposition to Auburn.
“The tougher it’s, the extra epic the story.”
Brent Venables after @OU_Football‘s win over No. 7 Alabama 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Dytz9r0FQa
— SEC Community (@SECNetwork) November 24, 2024
What does this imply for Alabama’s postseason hopes?
The Tide now not management their very own future and are actually a Playoff lengthy shot. They’d the within path to the CFP because the second-highest-ranked SEC group, with a 5-5 Oklahoma group and 4-6 Auburn group left on the schedule. That’s all been blown up.
CFP-wise, the Tide will now fall behind Georgia, which received Saturday and has simply two losses, in addition to Tennessee, which has a win in opposition to Alabama. Losses by Indiana, Ole Miss, BYU, Texas A&M and Colorado on Saturday might assist the Tide from falling too far again and preserve them on the fringes of the at-large combine, however getting a first-round house is off the desk. The massive winner from Saturday’s insanity may very well be the ACC’s hopes of getting two bids. In line with The Athletic’s projections mannequin, Alabama fell from a 76 % probability to make the Playoff earlier than Week 13 to simply an 11 % probability after the loss to Oklahoma.
Alabama’s SEC championship hopes are additionally gone with three convention losses. Georgia will meet the winner of Texas-Texas A&M in Atlanta.
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What does this imply for Oklahoma?
It’s been a tough season for the Sooners, who hadn’t received a sport in opposition to an FBS opponent since September, however attending to bowl eligibility and a marquee win on Senior Evening has to really feel good. For as dangerous because the yr has gone, by means of all of the quarterback issues and offensive points, the protection saved taking part in onerous and saved the Sooners in video games. Two interceptions led on to 14 factors, together with a pick-six to go up three scores.
Oklahoma’s 257 speeding yards had been probably the most allowed by Alabama this yr. Quarterback Jackson Arnold didn’t do a lot within the passing sport (68 yards whole), however he didn’t need to. The offensive coordinator search stays ongoing, and the Sooners can’t have one other season like this, however it’s one thing to be ok with as Venables heads into an offseason needing to repair this system.
Kip does not like groups from Alabama…@KipLewis9 | #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/jCLU5BjI6G
— Oklahoma Soccer (@OU_Football) November 24, 2024
An all-too-familiar destiny for Alabama on the street this season
Vanderbilt. Tennessee. Now Oklahoma. Alabama’s three street losses have a standard thread: expensive turnovers. The most recent misfortunes got here in a sport which may have eradicated the Tide from the Playoff.
Three second-half interceptions by Milroe arrived at crucial instances. Milroe’s 11-for-26 passing stat line with three turnovers mark his worst efficiency of the season. It was one a part of an all-around, flat offensive efficiency — 234 yards, simply 70 on the bottom, and solely 4.1 yards per play.
Oklahoma’s top-ranked speeding protection was keyed in on Milroe-designed runs from the beginning, permitting three speeding yards on his first eight carries. Milroe completed with simply seven speeding yards on 15 makes an attempt whereas Jam Miller and Justice Haynes mixed for 15 carries whole. With out that ingredient, Alabama’s offense couldn’t set up any momentum. It didn’t damage that there have been a myriad of psychological errors that value the offense optimistic performs from drops, missed assignments and penalties.
Defensively, Saturday’s loss felt much like Alabama’s first street loss at Vanderbilt — out-played on the line of scrimmage and out-game deliberate in opposition to a sound speeding assault. Regardless of an 83rd nationwide rank in rush offense, Oklahoma gained over 250 yards on the bottom, 128 of them by quarterback Jackson Arnold, who solely handed for 68 yards.
It was a summation of Alabama’s season thus far — dominant at instances, showing able to taking part in with anybody, and different instances disjointed the place errors compile on one another which creates generally insurmountable deficits. There’s no different approach to have a look at Saturday’s sport as a collapse in an important spot, however not a second that’s been unfamiliar this season-highs adopted by lows.
How did Oklahoma win the sport? Turning its season on its head
Oklahoma’s season has been marred by misfortune, however Saturday night time had the entire components for a top-10 upset. The Sooners had been off by a bye, internet hosting Alabama on Senior Evening with bowl eligibility on the road. On the sphere, Oklahoma turned its weaknesses into strengths.
Oklahoma entered Saturday night time having given up probably the most sacks (41) and fourth-most tackles for loss (80) within the nation. Saturday? Zero sacks allowed and 4 tackles for loss allowed.
Oklahoma entered Saturday with the 86th-ranked speeding offense within the nation (143 yards per sport). Saturday? 270 speeding yards on 2.3 yards per carry.
Oklahoma entered Saturday ranked 73rd in turnover margin (minus-1) and 107th in turnovers misplaced (18). Saturday? Oklahoma received the turnover battle by a plus-1 margin and scored 14 factors off turnovers.
Oklahoma entered Saturday ranked one hundred and fifth nationally in time of possession (28 minutes). Saturday? Behind its dominant run sport, the Sooners transformed 7-of-15 third-down tries and held the ball for over 35 minutes.
In a day of residence underdogs pulling off upsets, Venables delivered a signature win and a subsequent subject storming, Oklahoma’s first since 2000.
The play that outlined the 4th quarter
For a short second, it appeared Alabama regained momentum to begin a comeback. On a fourth-and-2, down 24-3 with 14:13 to play, Milroe rolled out and located Ryan Williams about 40 yards downfield for a highlight-level landing with Williams getting one foot down within the nook of the tip zone. Nonetheless, the officiating crew threw a flag for unlawful pertaining to Williams, wiping away the rating.
Alabama thought they scored on this fourth down play from Ryan Williams however the play was overturned because of unlawful touching. pic.twitter.com/25U0QuLjQH
— ESPN (@espn) November 24, 2024
It was a puzzling name within the second and on replay, as Williams didn’t look like out of order pre-snap or through the play, however after the preliminary name and a referee assembly, the decision stood and Oklahoma took over on downs. Alabama by no means reached Oklahoma territory once more.
(Photograph: David Stacy / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs)