Alabama’s head coach, Kalen DeBoer, was shocked by his team’s unexpected mistakes following Saturday night’s disheartening 24-3 defeat to Oklahoma. This loss has severely damaged the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff dreams. Quarterback Jalen Milroe was responsible for three interceptions, and the usually unstoppable Crimson Tide (8-3, 4-3 SEC) couldn’t recover from their sluggish start against a stout Oklahoma defense that managed to limit them to a season-low 70 rushing yards.
Sooners Pull off the Upset
In an unforeseen twist, the underdogs, the Sooners (6-5, 2-5), leveraged the skills of quarterback Jackson Arnold and freshman running back Xavier Robinson, charging through Alabama with a staggering 257 rushing yards, which paved the way to secure bowl eligibility for the 26th consecutive season. This is the first time since 2010 that the Crimson Tide has suffered three losses. With a hopeful start to Week 13, the plan was to secure a place in the SEC title game on Dec. 7 with wins over Oklahoma and Auburn in the final two weeks of the regular season.
But, astonishingly, the Crimson Tide’s missteps led No. 10 Georgia to secure a position in the conference championship, leaving Alabama’s path into the CFP near impossible.
Post their lowest-scoring performance since 2004, DeBoer was left disoriented by the Tide’s early slip-ups in a game that he admitted came from their control after halftime.
DeBoer emphasized the need for improvement in all areas, stating, “A series of unusual and avoidable mistakes were made in the early parts of the game, which prevented us from getting the momentum on our side. Ultimately, it all boiled down to the end of the first half when their touchdown and our turnovers completely swayed the game’s momentum.”
Milroe’s Struggles Not Only Issue
Shockingly, Milroe had a tough night. The junior managed only 11-for-26 for 164 yards passing and a measly 7 yards rushing on 15 attempts. Alabama was trailing 10-3 early in the third quarter when Oklahoma cornerback Eli Bowen intercepted Milroe, setting up Robinson’s second touchdown run of the game four plays later. The Sooners’ lead magnified to 24-3 on the next possession after linebacker Kip Lewis intercepted Milroe’s throw to tight end Robbie Ouzts and returned it 49 yards for a score.
An unthinkable 21-point advantage for Oklahoma marked Alabama’s largest deficit against an unranked opponent since 2003. The Tide only managed five first downs and 80 yards total after Milroe’s consecutive interceptions. He became the first Alabama quarterback to throw three interceptions in a game since 2015 due to Woodi Washington’s game-sealing pick with only 6:53 left in the contest.
Although Milroe struggled, DeBoer saw broader issues in an offense that couldn’t recover from their haphazard first half, which included punts on three of the Tide’s first four possessions. “Taking a step back, it just seemed like there was a myriad of different, unusual issues early in the game,” DeBoer stated. “There were strange happenings, and I believe that Milroe was actually placing the ball where he needed to. We just needed to support him a bit better.”
Brent Venables, Sooners coach, claimed that Oklahoma was the more physical football team, and their offensive line proved it with a shocking 205 first-half rushing yards, representing the most Alabama had allowed in a half since 2007. The Tide further struggled against the Sooners’ rushing offensive line after halftime, especially in the absence of linebacker Deontae Lawson, who had to exit due to a lower-body injury in the second quarter.
Final Thoughts
DeBoer was devastated by this loss, but he did not give any updates on Lawson’s condition following the match. “Losing an extraordinary player like Deontae will inevitably take a toll on you,” commented DeBoer. “His leadership is invaluable. He’s the one who often calls the shots on the field. He just always appears in control.”
This shocking defeat jeopardizes the Tide’s postseason dreams as we enter the final week of the regular season. As we anticipate an Iron Bowl match against the Tigers, Alabama’s playoff chances are no longer within the team’s control. However, their quarterback, focused on the future, declared, “It’s all about finish.” Milroe stressed the importance of completing the season: “We’ve got to finish. There’s still so much left of the football season. We need to regroup, align our thoughts, and stay competitive. We must seize every opportunity we get.”
