Upcoming Event: Football versus UTEP on September 4, 2026 at 7 p.m. CT
7 p.m. CT
Football
vs UTEP
.png&width=40&height=40&type=webp)
.png&width=40&height=40&type=webp)
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Photo by: Oklahoma Athletics
Oklahoma Named Cheez-It National Team of the Week
November 25, 2024 | Football
NORMAN — Oklahoma has been named the Cheez-It National Team of the Week after its dominant 24-3 victory over No. 7 Alabama on Saturday, the Football Writers Association of America announced Monday. The FWAA's All-America Committee selects the weekly winner and all Division I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected.
After falling behind 3-0 late in the first quarter, Oklahoma scored 24 unanswered points to down the Crimson Tide on the Sooners' senior night. It was OU's first home game against an AP top-10 opponent since beating No. 8 TCU 38-20 in 2017, and was its first home win over a top-10 team when unranked since 1990.
The Sooners' defensive performance was one for the history books. OU became the first program to hold Alabama without a touchdown since 2011 and the first to limit the Crimson Tide to three or fewer points since 2004. UA's 234 offensive yards were its fewest since 2014. It was also the first time OU held a top-10 opponent to three or fewer points since the No. 2 Sooners beat No. 5 Texas 12-0 in 2004.
Oklahoma took a 10-3 lead just before halftime and turned interceptions on Alabama's first two possessions of the third quarter into touchdowns to account for the game's final points. True freshman cornerback Eli Bowen registered his first career pick that OU converted into a 1-yard TD rush by true freshman Xavier Robinson for a 17-3 lead before redshirt sophomore linebacker Kip Lewis returned an interception 49 yards for a TD and a 24-3 advantage just eight plays later. Alabama's five second-half possessions resulted in three interceptions, a punt and a turnover on downs.
Oklahoma's rushing performance was its best against an FBS opponent this season, rolling up 257 yards on 50 carries for a 5.1-yard average. It was the most rushing yards allowed by Alabama in 26 games and just the ninth performance of 250-plus yards against the Crimson Tide in the last 20 seasons. The Sooners registered nine tackles for loss while giving up just four (one sack), and did not allow a tackle for loss until the 3:56 mark of the third quarter. Redshirt junior right guard Febechi Nwaiwu was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week.
The Sooners became just the fifth team going back to at least 1996 to have two players each rush for at least 100 yards against Alabama. Sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold rushed 25 times for a career-high 131 yards (5.2 average) and Robinson rushed 18 times for a career-high 107 yards (5.9 average) and two TDs.
Robinson, who was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday, rushed for 40 yards on his first carry of the game, his longest career run and the second longest by an OU running back this year. His touchdowns were from 18 yards and 1 yard.
Junior defensive end R Mason Thomas logged three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and two QB hurries and was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week. His second hurry resulted in an interception by Woodi Washington, as Thomas hit quarterback Jalen Milroe's arm, forcing the ball high into the air. Milroe entered the game averaging 60.8 rushing yards per contest and 5.1 yards per tote, but the Sooners held him to seven rushing yards on 15 carries (0.5 average). He also averaged 223.2 passing yards per game before Saturday but was held to 164 on 11-of-26 throwing (42.3%).
Playing in their last career home games, senior defensive linemen Ethan Downs and Da'Jon Terry each recorded two tackles for loss.
With the victory, Oklahoma is bowl eligible for the 26th consecutive season. Entering this year, OU owned the nation's second-longest bowl streak at 25 years, trailing only Georgia (27 years). The Sooners have now won their home finale in each of the last 10 seasons and in 22 of the last 23 years. Eight of the 22 victories were against AP top-25 teams and two were against top-10 teams.
This is the eighth time Oklahoma has been named the FWAA's National Team of the Week since the award was established in 2002, and the first since 2019 when the Sooners won 34-31 at Baylor after overcoming a 25-point first-half deficit.
Oklahoma (6-5, 2-5 SEC) concludes the regular season at LSU (7-4, 4-3 SEC) on Saturday in Baton Rouge, La. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
After falling behind 3-0 late in the first quarter, Oklahoma scored 24 unanswered points to down the Crimson Tide on the Sooners' senior night. It was OU's first home game against an AP top-10 opponent since beating No. 8 TCU 38-20 in 2017, and was its first home win over a top-10 team when unranked since 1990.
The Sooners' defensive performance was one for the history books. OU became the first program to hold Alabama without a touchdown since 2011 and the first to limit the Crimson Tide to three or fewer points since 2004. UA's 234 offensive yards were its fewest since 2014. It was also the first time OU held a top-10 opponent to three or fewer points since the No. 2 Sooners beat No. 5 Texas 12-0 in 2004.
Oklahoma took a 10-3 lead just before halftime and turned interceptions on Alabama's first two possessions of the third quarter into touchdowns to account for the game's final points. True freshman cornerback Eli Bowen registered his first career pick that OU converted into a 1-yard TD rush by true freshman Xavier Robinson for a 17-3 lead before redshirt sophomore linebacker Kip Lewis returned an interception 49 yards for a TD and a 24-3 advantage just eight plays later. Alabama's five second-half possessions resulted in three interceptions, a punt and a turnover on downs.
Oklahoma's rushing performance was its best against an FBS opponent this season, rolling up 257 yards on 50 carries for a 5.1-yard average. It was the most rushing yards allowed by Alabama in 26 games and just the ninth performance of 250-plus yards against the Crimson Tide in the last 20 seasons. The Sooners registered nine tackles for loss while giving up just four (one sack), and did not allow a tackle for loss until the 3:56 mark of the third quarter. Redshirt junior right guard Febechi Nwaiwu was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week.
The Sooners became just the fifth team going back to at least 1996 to have two players each rush for at least 100 yards against Alabama. Sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold rushed 25 times for a career-high 131 yards (5.2 average) and Robinson rushed 18 times for a career-high 107 yards (5.9 average) and two TDs.
Robinson, who was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday, rushed for 40 yards on his first carry of the game, his longest career run and the second longest by an OU running back this year. His touchdowns were from 18 yards and 1 yard.
Junior defensive end R Mason Thomas logged three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and two QB hurries and was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week. His second hurry resulted in an interception by Woodi Washington, as Thomas hit quarterback Jalen Milroe's arm, forcing the ball high into the air. Milroe entered the game averaging 60.8 rushing yards per contest and 5.1 yards per tote, but the Sooners held him to seven rushing yards on 15 carries (0.5 average). He also averaged 223.2 passing yards per game before Saturday but was held to 164 on 11-of-26 throwing (42.3%).
Playing in their last career home games, senior defensive linemen Ethan Downs and Da'Jon Terry each recorded two tackles for loss.
With the victory, Oklahoma is bowl eligible for the 26th consecutive season. Entering this year, OU owned the nation's second-longest bowl streak at 25 years, trailing only Georgia (27 years). The Sooners have now won their home finale in each of the last 10 seasons and in 22 of the last 23 years. Eight of the 22 victories were against AP top-25 teams and two were against top-10 teams.
This is the eighth time Oklahoma has been named the FWAA's National Team of the Week since the award was established in 2002, and the first since 2019 when the Sooners won 34-31 at Baylor after overcoming a 25-point first-half deficit.
Oklahoma (6-5, 2-5 SEC) concludes the regular season at LSU (7-4, 4-3 SEC) on Saturday in Baton Rouge, La. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DB
/ FootballFriday, August 21
Wednesday, August 19
Tuesday, August 18
Monday, August 17
