TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Fourth-ranked Alabama stopped short of calling Saturday’s showdown with 11th-ranked Oklahoma at Bryant-Denny Stadium a revenge game, but the Crimson Tide admit they haven’t forgotten about last year’s outcome in Norman with the Sooners on their way to Tuscaloosa.
Alabama’s 24-3 loss last November in these programs’ first pairing as Southeastern Conference foes was a shocking result considering the Sooners had lost four of their previous five games and the Tide were on track for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. That letdown surely will provide extra motivation for Alabama (8-1, 6-0) in the rematch this weekend.
“There are players that didn’t experience that,” Alabama second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer said of new faces on the team. “The ones that did certainly better remember and understand, more importantly, that you’re facing a really good program that obviously we went to their place and got beat up pretty good last year, and that’s who’s coming to town this week.”
A loss this time wouldn’t derail Alabama’s playoff chances, but it could keep the Tide from reaching next month’s SEC title game in Atlanta.
It’s a must-win game, however, for Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2) and its playoff hopes. The Sooners are 2-2 over their past four games, with losses to Texas and Ole Miss and wins against South Carolina and Tennessee before an open date last weekend.