Who will decide OU football vs Alabama in CFP? Meet these 10 players
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If you compare OU’s roster to Alabama’s by recruiting rankings, the Crimson Tide has the clear advantage. According to 247Sports’ team talent composite, the Crimson Tide has 64 combined four-and five-star players to OU’s 51.
As for what those players did this season, OU has the edge. Ten Sooners made one of the three All-SEC teams, as voted on by the league’s coaches. That’s twice as many representatives as the Crimson Tide had.
Which players will decide the first-round College Football Playoff game Friday night in Norman? We picked five players from both teams. These aren’t necessarily the best players — although some of them are — but the players who could swing the game.
Five most important OU football players in CFP
1. John Mateer, QB
Mateer, in theory, should be one of the biggest beneficiaries of having three weeks off. To strengthen his hand, reset his mind and try to find some rhythm with his receivers.
The Sooner quarterback was seen at practice Tuesday without tape on his right throwing hand. Seems like a good sign.
If Mateer and the OU offense can do something, anything, the Sooner defense is good enough to take care of the rest.
Mateer has to protect the ball for OU to win. Punts not picks should be the offense’s motto. If the Sooners lose the turnover battle, they lose the game.
Mateer was far from spectacular in the first game — 15 of 23 for 138 yards — but he didn’t turn the ball over. And OU won.
2. Isaiah Sategna III, WR
Some receivers are safety blankets and others are big-play threats. Sategna is both. He’s Mateer’s favorite target (65 receptions) and he averages the most yards per catch (14.6) among OU’s main corps of pass catchers.
The Arkansas transfer tied for second in the SEC in receiving yards (948) and tied for fourth in touchdown catches (seven).
Sategna had 18 catches of 20-plus yards. No other SEC receiver had more than 14 such catches.
3. Tate Sandell, K
A kicker at No. 3? In what figures to be a low-scoring game, it helps to have the Lou Groza winner on your side.
The Sooners are in field goal range once they cross into enemy territory.
Sandell has made 23-of-24 field goal attempts. He’s a perfect 7 of 7 from 50-plus yards.
Don’t be surprised if Sandell is OU’s leading scorer Friday.
4. Peyton Bowen, S
He’s the Sooners’ defensive MVP.
Bowen is the only OU defender who’s logged north of 600 snaps. He has two interceptions, seven pass break-ups and is sixth on the team with 44 tackles.
His brother is pretty good, too. Just ask Alabama.
5. R Mason Thomas, DE
OU’s best pass-rusher is back. And while he might not be at his best as he returns from a hamstring injury, his presence alone will give Alabama’s offense something else to worry about. He didn’t play in the first matchup.
Thomas would be higher on this list if the Sooners weren’t so stacked with edge rushers. Taylor Wein has six sacks to Thomas’ 6.5. As scary as those two guys are, the interior of OU’s defensive line, featuring Gracen Halton and David Stone, is equally fearsome.
Five most important Alabama football players in CFP
1. Ty Simpson, QB
I wrote earlier this week about the Mateer vs. Simpson matchup and how it could decide the game. So if Mateer is No. 1 on my OU list, Simpson has to be No. 1 on my Alabama list.
Simpson didn’t look right in Alabama’s last two games. The time off could help him as much as it might Mateer.
Simpson passed for 326 yards against the Sooners. He passed for a combined 334 yards in two SEC games since then against Auburn and Georgia.
2. Josh Cuevas, TE
Cuevas had six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting. He hasn’t played since, missing time with a foot injury, but it sounds like he’ll be available Friday.
Germie Bernard and Ryan Williams are the headline receivers, but it was Cuevas who gave the Sooners the most trouble in Tuscaloosa.
3. Kadyn Proctor, OT
The junior from Des Moines, Iowa, made first-team All-SEC and is a protected first-round NFL draft pick. He’s Alabama’s highest-graded offensive player, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Sooners put a ton of pressure on opposing tackles. How Proctor holds up will be a good barometer of success for Alabama’s offense.
4. Bray Hubbard, S
Hubbard, another first-team All-SEC selection, is to Alabama what Peyton Bowen is to OU.
Hubbard just makes plays. He tied for the SEC lead with four interceptions. He forced three fumbles.
He’s the third highest-graded safety in the SEC, according to PFF, behind Texas’ Michael Taaffe and LSU’s A.J. Haulcy.
5. Conor Talty, K
You’ll remember Talty as the kicker who threw a tantrum, taking his anger out on a teammate, when he had a kick blocked against the Sooners.
Talty is on this list for being as unreliable as Sandell is automatic.
Talty is 13 of 20 on field goals. He’s made zero kicks of 50-plus yards compared to Sandell’s seven.
A Talty miss could decide this game as much as a Sandell make.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football vs Alabama CFP game will be decided by these 10 players
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