The Alabama Crimson Tide is going to be playing in the biggest game of the first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday night, and it will happen under the lights in Norman in front of a national audience as a standalone game against the Oklahoma Sooners.
It’s the first playoff game and biggest showdown yet of the Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa to culminate what has been a little bit of a roller coaster of a regular season to this point. After an ugly start to the year, Alabama rattled off eight straight victories before this same Oklahoma team rolled into Bryant-Denny Stadium and ended the winning streak.
After a defeat against the Sooners effectively ended the playoff bid in 2024, things are personal here for DeBoer and the Tide, and they will hope the third time is the charm. This matchup however may prove to be the toughest of the three with the Sooners much healthier than they were a month ago.
Oklahoma has one of the better defenses in the nation led by an absolutely ferocious pass rush which was able to force three Alabama turnovers in their last time out, something which was ultimately the difference maker in the game.
Winning the turnover battle should be priority No. 1 here really for both teams, but especially for an Alabama group that has struggled so severely on offense the last few games out.
Having some semblance of a running game is also going to be key for the Crimson Tide should they have a chance to leave Norman with a victory. As for how this thing will be won, this game has the makings of a true old school slugfest between two struggling offenses and two defenses which are firing on all cylinders.
Conventional wisdom expects this to be a low scoring affair, and one to where every point — especially from each special teams unit — will be absolutely massive.
The Sooners have one of the best kickers in the nation in Tate Sandell while Alabama’s kicking struggled have been well documented, so when Alabama is able to get into the red zone, it must take advantage with touchdowns rather than field goals.
The Tide also have to do a better job of protecting Ty Simpson than the disaster that was the offensive line performance against Georgia, however Simpson must hold up his end of the bargain by making the simple throws that are there.
If Alabama can run the ball with some semblance of effectiveness and avoid turnovers, they will have a great chance to leave Norman having clinched a trip to the Rose Bowl. If not, it will be another head scratching defeat for DeBoer and this staff and the start of what will be a very long offseason.
