Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Oklahoma Sooners Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 23rd 2024
Preview and Prediction
Alabama is striving to maintain its chances of making it to the College Football Playoff while Oklahoma is working towards extending its streak of bowl appearances.
The No. 7 Crimson Tide and the Sooners will face off for the first time as Southeastern Conference rivals on Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma.
Alabama (8-2, 4-2 SEC) is currently on a three-game winning streak, putting them back in the running for a spot in the playoffs under the leadership of coach Kalen DeBoer. The Sooners (5-5, 1-5) have lost their last four conference games, putting their impressive 25-season bowl streak in jeopardy.
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Turnovers are expected to play a significant role in Saturday's game. The Crimson Tide have a turnover margin of plus-13, tying them for fourth place nationally, while the Sooners have a turnover margin of minus-one, tying them for 72nd place.
Alabama has managed to force three or more turnovers in each of their last five games, including nine interceptions. In contrast, Oklahoma has turned the ball over a total of 13 times in their last five games.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Sooners coach Brent Venables highlighted the impact of turnovers on their wins versus their losses. In their wins, Oklahoma has outscored their opponents 63-6 off turnovers, while in their losses, they have been outscored 58-7 off turnovers.
"When you take care of the ball, good things usually happen," Venables stated.
Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe presents a unique challenge for the Sooners. He has been averaging 223.2 passing yards and 60.8 rushing yards per game, with 15 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He has also rushed for 17 scores.
"He's in a really good spot right now with trust in his teammates," DeBoer commented. "There has been more consistency in practice with the skill players and offensive line. ... He has become more comfortable in understanding what our team needs from him to win SEC football games."
The Sooners, on the other hand, have not yet settled on a starting quarterback, although sophomore Jackson Arnold will make his fourth consecutive start since reclaiming the role in mid-October.
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Arnold had a tough game against Missouri on November 9, fumbling three times and losing two of them. One of those fumbles was returned for a game-winning touchdown.
"I can't afford to fumble like that," Arnold admitted. "I can't turn the ball over, but we still have two more games to play. We have two more great teams to face, so we need to put this behind us and move forward."
Arnold is hoping to have a couple of key receivers back in the lineup for Saturday's game.
Wide receivers Jalil Farooq and Deion Burks both returned to the field after long absences in the game against Missouri. Burks finished with five catches for 44 yards, while Farooq had two receptions for 11 yards.
Venables stated that both players could see more action against Alabama.
"They needed to shake off some rust," Venables explained. "Their play capacity wasn't at its usual level due to the amount of time they were out. ... We're hoping to see improvement as we move forward."
DeBoer announced this week that Crimson Tide starting safety Keon Sabb will be out for the season after undergoing surgery.
The Tide and the Sooners have faced each other six times before, with their last meeting taking place in December 2018 in a College Football Playoff semifinal. Alabama came out on top with a 45-34 victory.