Oklahoma Sooners among USA TODAY Sports winners after beating the Alabama Crimson Tide
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When it comes to the end of the season, they don’t ask you how a team earned their wins; they just ask how many wins you have. Oklahoma is 8-2 after its 23-21 win over the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide. It was a critical win for the 2025 season.
With their backs against the wall after their loss to Ole Miss, the Sooners responded with fight, earning top 25 road wins over Tennessee and Alabama in their last two games. Oklahoma has two games to go before it can count their College Football Playoff chickens, but it’s put themselves in a position to be in the discussion if they can keep taking care of business over the next two weeks.
Coming off of their win over Alabama, the Sooners were included among Paul Myerburg’s winners for USA TODAY Sports.
The Sooners converted 3 of 13 third-down attempts, averaged 2.6 yards per carry, compiled 212 yards of offense and still beat Alabama 23-21, securing the biggest win of the Brent Venables era and likely rocketing into prime at-large position. Being plus-three in turnover margin made the difference. With the offense stuck in neutral and unable to move bodies at the line of scrimmage, the Sooners’ defense came up big time and again, from a pick-six in the first quarter through a fumble recovery that set up the go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter through a game-clinching fourth-down stop near midfield with under a minute to play. In the big picture, this upset is great news for the SEC, which could send at least five teams to the tournament. – Myerburg, USA TODAY Sports
Brent Venables was brought to build a defensive identity in Norman, and he’s done it. The Sooners are winning games because of their defense. The Sooners came through with three turnovers against an Alabama team that led the SEC in turnover differential this season. Oklahoma sacked Ty Simpson four times and picked him off twice. Simpson had only thrown one interception this season, but the Sooners’ defense made life really difficult for one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
Even without arguably their best player, R Mason Thomas, the Sooners defense made adjustments at halftime and kept the Alabama offense at bay. Alabama had just one scoring drive in the second half as Oklahoma clung to their lead.
It was a monumental win that sets the stage for what could be a deep postseason run. If Oklahoma can close out the season with a pair of wins against Missouri and LSU, they’ll make the College Football Playoff and be in the position to do something special.
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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: USA TODAY Sports dubs Oklahoma winners of Week 12 after win over Bama
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