Alabama looks to move another step closer to playing for the SEC title, but first, they must defeat Oklahoma. Alabama has won eight straight games and has been great in the process. They now look to exert their dominance over the Sooners, and in the process, end Oklahoma's hopes for a College Football Playoff berth.
Oklahoma comes into the game at 7-2 on the season. After opening with five straight wins, the team fell to its rival, Texas, 23-6. After a victory over South Carolina on the road, the Sooners fell 34-26 to Ole Miss. They would rebound, though. Oklahoma faced Tennessee on the road in its latest game. A strong first half gave them the lead, which the team would not surrender; they won the game 33-27. Oklahoma is coming off an open week.
Meanwhile, Alabama is now 8-1 on the season. After an opening loss to Florida State, Alabama has now won eight straight games. They also have four wins over ranked teams, all coming in a row. They did have a struggle with South Carolina and were nearly upset, but overcame and took a 29-22 victory. Last weekend, they dominated LSU on the way to a 20-9 victory.
Bray Hubbard makes the big play
The Alabama defense has been stellar this season. They are 12th in the nation in points per game, but one of the best aspects of their play has been the ability to create turnovers. The Crimson Tide is 15th in the nation in takeaways per game. They are also 22nd in the nation in opponent interception percentage.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma has struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away 1.3 times per game, which is 65th in the nation. They are also 62nd in the nation in interception percentage. Quarterback John Mateer has had some solid games this season. He has passed for 1,949 yards with eight touchdowns. Still, he has been intercepted seven times this year, including three times in the loss to Texas.
Bray Hubbard is going to make the big play in this game. He leads the team with seven pass breakups while also having three interceptions. He has also forced two fumbles this year. Hubbard has been playing great as of late and has come up with big plays in timely situations in the past. He is going to make another one in this game, picking off Mateer. He has not scored this year, and could bring his pick back for a touchdown in this one.
Ty Simpson has a career day
The Alabama offense has been solid this year. They are 23rd in the nation in points per game while sitting 46th in FBS in yards. They have struggled to run the ball this year, averaging just 112.2 yards per game, which is 114th. Regardless, the passing game has been amazing. They are 12th in passing yards per game.
Ty Simpson is a Heisman candidate and has led the way for the Alabama offense. The quarterback is second in the SEC in passing yards, having 2,461 yards passing on the campaign. He is also tied for the top spot in the conference with 21 touchdowns. The junior has taken care of the ball well, with just one interception this year.
Simpson has passed for over 250 yards in three straight games, has had over 200 yards in every game, and has passed for multiple touchdowns in all but one game this year. Oklahoma is 34th in the nation against the pass, but has had some recent struggles. Trindiad Chambliss, the Ole Miss quarterback, threw for 315 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Joey Aguilar of Tennessee threw for 393 yards and three touchdowns against the Sooners.
The Crimson Tide quarterback is going to have his best game of the season in this one. Simpson throws for over 300 yards and multiple touchdowns in this game.
The Alabama defense wins the day
Alabama is not only 12th in the nation in opponent points per game, but is 13th in opponent yards per game. They are 46th against the run and eighth against the pass. The Oklahoma offense has not been great. They are 59th in FBS in points per game while sitting 82nd in yards per game. Further, they are 77th on the ground and 79th through the air.
The big difference is going to come in the red zone. While Oklahoma has been great on offense, first in the nation in red zone scoring, they have not faced a defense at the level of Alabama. The Tide is sixth in the nation in opponent red zone scoring. Furthermore, Alabama has been great on third downs this year and also solid in the field position game.
The defense is going to get pressure on Mateer and force turnovers. They will also completely shut down the run game of Oklahoma, creating long third downs. In the red zone, Oklahoma is going to have to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. This is going to create a massive gulf between the two teams.
Odds at the time of writing, provided by FanDuel, have Alabama as a 5.5-point favorite. They cover that with ease as the Crimson Tide end the playoff hopes of the Sooners.
