Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer wants his players to remember what happened when the Crimson Tide played Oklahoma last season.
Sooners coach Brent Venables hopes his team carries over the lessons of that game without dwelling on the result.
No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 4 Alabama square off Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and the significance in the College Football Playoff picture is clear.
For the Crimson Tide (8-1, 6-0 SEC) the game offers a chance to clinch a spot in the SEC Championship Game, solidify a place in the College Football Playoff and earn some level of revenge from last season’s loss at Oklahoma.
“We have a lot of new players on the team, so there are players that didn’t experience that,” DeBoer said of the 24-3 loss in Norman last season. “The ones that did certainly better remember. And understand that, more importantly, you’re facing a really good program.”
Alabama has won eight consecutive games since a season-opening loss at Florida State.
The Sooners (7-2, 3-2) are looking to keep their CFP hopes alive.
“I don’t think that – a year ago, good or bad – I’ve never carried over wins and losses,” Venables said. “You learn from all of it. I think it can paralyze you holding onto something. Motivated? Yeah. But i think the motivation for everybody is because of the opportunity that’s sitting. In front of us. … The season for both of us is impacted by the result at the end of the night.”
While Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson played briefly in last season’s loss, he’ll be pivotal Saturday.
Simpson is completing 66.9% of his passes for 2,461 yards and 21 touchdowns with just one interception.
“I think he does an unbelievable job in the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield and delivering the ball where it needs to go,” Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle said, noting that he’s watched Simpson regularly as he scouts the league’s defenses. “I’ve just been impressed watching him as a first-year starter and the calmness and the maturity that he shows.”
Alabama is tied for fourth nationally with a plus-10 turnover margin. After struggling to force turnovers for much of the season, the Sooners forced three in the first half alone in their last game, a win at Tennessee.
Earlier this season, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin made some waves when he said Venables and his staff were adept at stealing signs.
That’s been on the mind of Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb this week.
“We’re changing everything,” Grubb said. “… They do everything within the parameters of the game. Nothing illegal about what they do. They’re good at what they do. Certainly have to take that into consideration.”
DeBoer said he expected left guard Kam Dewberry would be available Saturday after suffering an injury in last week’s win over LSU.
Venables said during last week’s bye week that he expected several injured players to return vs. Alabama.
Oklahoma could be without star defensive end R Mason Thomas, who suffered a leg injury returning a fumble for a touchdown in the Sooners’ win over Tennessee.
Linebacker Kobie McKinzie’s status is also unclear. McKinzie was injured early in Oklahoma’s Oct. 25 loss to Ole Miss and went through warmups before the Tennessee game before sitting out.
