Oklahoma-Alabama Preview: Staff Picks

Sooners On SI staff offers their predictions for the Sooners' game Saturday against the Crimson Tide.

Sooners On SI Staff /

John E. Hoover

The more I study this thing, the more it looks like a Bama blowout. Face it, this is arguably the best team Oklahoma has faced all year — the Tide look better than Texas in a lot of areas — and the Sooners couldn’t even hold a late lead against a pretty lousy Missouri squad two weeks ago. OU has no answer for Jalen Milroe. He averages 5 yards per rush, his touchdown passes average 35 yards, he’s got an All-American receiver in Ryan Williams and the World’s Hugest Offensive Line and three running backs who average more than 5.0 yards per carry. And that’s the matchup for OU’s best unit, the defense. The Sooner offense is going to be hard pressed to stay on the field and even generate first downs against the likes of Jihaad Campbell, Malachi Moore and several others who have received All-America recognition. This is the SEC, and this is the game everyone was afraid of. Saturday, we’ll understand why.

Final: Alabama 51, Oklahoma 10

Ryan Chapman 

The hits just keep on coming. Oklahoma needed the bye week to reset after a gut-wrenching loss to Missouri, but the Sooners have to regroup to face a surging Alabama. Jalen Milroe and Ryan Williams have been a lethal connection all year, but Milroe’s rhythm on the ground was the difference in Alabama’s demolition of LSU. OU’s run defense has held up pretty well all year, but without contributions from Oklahoma’s offense, it is tough to see a path to victory. Even if the Sooners are able to limit the turnovers that have doomed them in many of their SEC games this year, OU still hasn’t shown the ability to break off chunk plays with any level of consistency, even with Jalil Farooq and Deion Burks’ return against Missouri. Hope seems to be the only real path to that changing in the last two games, and Saturday is setting up for the Crimson Tide to slowly pull away as ‘Bama heads toward the College Football Playoff once again.

Final: Alabama 34, Oklahoma 13

Dekota Gregory 

The Sooners have a lot to play for Saturday night between bowl eligibility, the senior class and just flat out pride. But so does Alabama, which is still fighting to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff. A loss to an OU team hovering at .500 could dash Kalen DeBoer's goals in Year 1. Although it's a new time under DeBoer, some things still never change. This Bama team is still loaded with few weak spots and a playmaker at quarterback in Jalen Milroe. The Crimson Tide have too much firepower for the Sooners to extinguish. 

Final: Alabama 31, Oklahoma 17

Ross Lovelace

I don’t see an avenue for the Sooners to pull this upset off. It’ll be a tall, tall task to move the ball on Alabama’s defense considering how much OU’s offense has struggled all season long. The Crimson Tide’s defensive line could have a serious field day with Oklahoma’s beaten up unit. To make matters even worse, the Sooners will have to take on a star dual-threat quarterback in Jalen Milroe, who is physical and not afraid of contact. OU’s defense has held up well, but a quarterback with Milroe’s speed and physicality opens up a whole new can of problems. The crowd could inspire this team to keep it close in the first half, but things could get ugly by the fourth quarter. Alabama will wear down OU’s defense late and run away with it.

Final: Alabama 38, Oklahoma 10

Randall Sweet

The Sooners' defense is talented and should be able to force a few turnovers, but the OU offense still doesn't have the skill players, quarterback talent or play calling to threaten Alabama's defense the same way Vanderbilt and Tennessee did earlier in the season. While Xavier Robinson has proved to be a solid find for Oklahoma late in the year, Jackson Arnold doesn't have enough weapons or confidence to give the team's offense much balance. Additionally, a talented Crimson Tide defensive line taking on a lackluster OU offensive line that will likely rely on at least one young player won't bode well for Joe Jon Finley's group this week.

FInal: Alabama 31, Oklahoma 21