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Fourth-ranked Alabama didn’t outright label the showdown against No. 11 Oklahoma a revenge game, but the Crimson Tide once again ended up in the loss column Saturday.
After defeating Alabama 24-3 in Norman last year, the Sooners traveled to Tuscaloosa this weekend looking to bolster their College Football Playoff chances. Oklahoma ultimately did just that, pulling off a 23-21 upset of Alabama.
Even a raucous Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd failed to derail Oklahoma’s defense from its playmaking trend. The Sooners’ defenders produced 17 points off three turnovers en route to the victory.
The win boosts Oklahoma’s playoff odds but also injects uncertainty into the Tide’s path to Atlanta for the Southeastern Conference title game. It probably won’t be a fatal blow for Alabama, but the Tide now face a must-win in two weeks against archrival Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
Sooners defensive back Eli Bowen returned an interception 87 yards for a touchdown, while linebacker Kip Lewis had two sacks. OU snapped Alabama’s 17-game home winning streak and handed second-year coach Kalen DeBoer his first loss in Tuscaloosa.
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The Sooners were a bubble team in last week’s CFP rankings, but Saturday’s win could make them a playoff lock if they can take care of business at home against Missouri and LSU.
Alabama had a chance late, but Ty Simpson’s fourth-down pass to Ryan Williams fell incomplete.
Oklahoma ran out the clock from there, setting off a spirited celebration by its visiting fans. OU held Alabama to 57 yards over its final four drives, which proved to be the difference.
John Mateer threw for 138 yards and scored on the ground to lead Oklahoma’s offense. Simpson passed for 326 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
Despite dominating in nearly every category, Alabama made a series of errors which proved costly. In addition to the turnovers, Alabama missed a 36-yard field goal and allowed a 46-yard punt return that set up Oklahoma’s first score.
The Crimson Tide host Eastern Illinois next week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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