Oklahoma Stuns Alabama 24-3, Becomes Bowl Eligible
NORMAN, Okla. In a shocking turn of events, Oklahoma 6-5, 2-5 SEC stunned No. 7 Alabama 24-3 on Saturday night, handing the Crimson Tide a significant blow to their College Football Playoff hopes. Xavier Robinson ran for career highs of 107 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Sooners to their first Southeastern Conference home win after transitioning from the Big 12 earlier this year.
The victory also helped secure bowl eligibility for Oklahoma and provided a much-needed boost for head coach Brent Venables, who had been under pressure following a difficult season. The celebration in Norman was wild as Sooners fans stormed the field with 28 seconds left, toppling both goalposts. After a brief clearing of the field, the team took a knee before fans flooded back onto the field to continue the festivities.
Alabama's Struggles
For Alabama 8-3, 4-3 SEC, No. 7 CFP, it was a night to forget. Quarterback Jalen Milroe, who had been one of the nation's standout players this season, struggled mightily. He completed just 11 of 26 passes for 164 yards, threw three interceptions, and rushed for only seven yards on 15 carries. The Crimson Tide's offense was stifled by an aggressive Oklahoma defense, which held Alabama to just 234 total yards.
In the first half, Alabama managed only 97 yards of total offense, with Milroe completing just 2 of 7 passes for 62 yards and rushing for minus-2 yards. Oklahoma dominated the second quarter, outgaining Alabama 118 yards to 15 and controlling the clock for more than 11 minutes.
Turning Points
The game turned in Oklahoma's favor just before halftime. Robinson's 18-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds left in the second quarter gave the Sooners a 10-3 lead, a score that held through the break. But the real turning point came early in the second half.
Oklahoma's Eli Bowen intercepted Milroe on the third play of the third quarter and returned the pick 25 yards to Alabama's 14-yard line. Robinson capitalized on the turnover, scoring a 1-yard touchdown to extend Oklahoma's lead to 17-3.
Milroe's struggles continued on the next possession when linebacker Kip Lewis picked off another pass and ran it back 49 yards for a touchdown, making it 24-3 with 805 remaining in the third quarter. That was the last nail in the coffin for Alabama's hopes of a comeback.
Oklahoma's Balanced Attack
In addition to Robinsons stellar performance on the ground, quarterback Jackson Arnold had a solid showing, running for 131 yards on 25 carries and completing 9 of 11 passes for 110 yards. Oklahoma's defense, led by Bowen and Lewis, put the clamps on Alabama, forcing three turnovers and holding the Tide to just three points.
Looking Ahead
With the win, Oklahoma has officially become bowl-eligible and significantly impacted Alabamas chances for a CFP spot. For the Sooners, the victory provided a much-needed morale boost, and with coach Venables' job now secure, the team will look to build on this momentum heading into next season. Meanwhile, Alabama will need to regroup and assess what went wrong, as this loss puts their playoff aspirations in jeopardy.
