Game Primer: OU at Alabama

Saturday, November 15

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

2:30 p.m.

University of Oklahoma

Alabama

KNOXVILLE, TN - November 01, 2025 - Oklahoma Defensive Lineman Taylor Wein (#44) during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Brendall Vargas/University of Oklahoma

Photo by: Brendall Vargas/University of Oklahoma

November 14, 2025 | Football

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#11 Oklahoma

#4 Alabama

Saturday, Nov. 15 / 2:30 p.m. CT / Tuscaloosa, Ala.

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OPENING KICK

• No. 11/11/10 Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2 SEC) plays its sixth ranked opponent of the season when it travels to face No. 4/4/4 Alabama (8-1, 6-0) on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The game will be televised by ABC with Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy and Molly McGrath announcing.

• Oklahoma owns a 4-2-1 record against Alabama, including a 2-0 mark in Norman and a 1-0 advantage in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide owns a 2-1-1 edge in bowl games.

• Oklahoma and Alabama are tied for the all-time national lead with their 27 seasons each of 11-plus wins. UA ranks first nationally with its 43 seasons of at least 10 wins, while OU ranks second with 42.

• The 2025 season marks the 131st in OU football history. The Sooners lead the nation with their 50 all-time conference titles, 27 11-plus-win seasons (tied), 33 AP top-five finishes and five No. 1 overall NFL Draft picks (tied). They rank second with their seven Heisman Trophy winners (tied), third with seven AP national championships, their 101 weeks as the AP's No. 1 team and 432 total weeks in the AP Top 5, fourth with their 419 NFL Draft picks and fifth with their 58 bowl appearances.

• Saturday's contest will mark the 1,361st in OU history. The Sooners rank fifth nationally with their .723 all-time winning percentage (957-350-53 record), trailing Ohio State (.737), Alabama (.734), Michigan (.733) and Notre Dame (.732). Since the end of World War II (1946 season to present), OU leads all programs with 713 wins, which is 27 more than Alabama, the program with the next most.

• This week's AP poll features a nation-leading eight SEC teams, including four of the top six and seven of the top 13: No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Georgia, No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 9 Vanderbilt, No. 14 Tennessee, No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 19 Missouri and No. 20 Texas. The ACC and Big Ten rank second with five AP top-25 teams each while the Big 12 has four.

• OU has already played five games against teams ranked in the AP or coaches polls at the time of competition, and two of its final three foes are ranked this week: at No. 4/4 Alabama, vs. No. RV/24 Missouri.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer (10) stiff arms Tennessee defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs (5) as he runs for yardage during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

KEY STORYLINES

• Oklahoma is one of two teams nationally that has produced points on all of its red-zone trips this year (the other is Eastern Michigan). It is 28 for 28, with 21 touchdowns and seven field goals. Alabama ranks eighth nationally by allowing opponents to score on 71% of its red-zone trips.

• OU is 3-0 in true road games this season, downing Temple 42-3, South Carolina 26-7 and Tennessee 33-27. In those contests, the Sooners held opponents to an average of 261.3 yards (3.9 per play) and 47.7 rushing yards (1.5 per carry).

• Statistically, Oklahoma's defensive unit is one of the best in the country. The Sooners rank seventh in scoring defense (14.1 ppg) and total defense (264.2 ypg), fourth in rushing defense (82.4 ypg) and 22nd in passing defense (181.8 ypg). OU also ranks first nationally in tackles for loss per game (10.8; next most is 8.5 by Indiana), No. 3 in sacks per game (3.7), TDs allowed (12) and rushing TDs allowed (4), No. 6 in opponent yards per play (4.2) and No. 8 in passing TDs allowed (7) and opponent third-down conversion percentage (30.4).

• Forty-four percent of OU's opponents' offensive plays this season (249 of 572) have gone for zero or negative yards. An additional 31 plays have resulted in a one-yard gain, meaning 49% of opponent plays have yielded one or fewer yards.

• In its seven wins, Oklahoma has held opponents to a 23% third-down conversion rate (22 for 97). In OU's two losses, opponents have combined for a 50% rate (19 for 38). Texas was 10 for 17 (59%) and Ole Miss was 9 for 21 (43%).

• Saturday's game will pit an Alabama team that ranks fourth nationally in turnover margin (+1.11 per game) against an Oklahoma squad that ranks 111th (-0.56 per game). UA has 16 turnovers gained to OU's seven (three last game at Tennessee).

• Since the start of the 2023 season, OU is 16-0 when it wins the turnover battle (3-0 this year) and 6-10 when it loses it (4-2).

• Despite starting just four of OU's nine games, redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Taylor Wein ranks fourth in the SEC with his 11.0 tackles for loss. Five Sooners rank in the top 17 of the 16-team SEC in TFLs. Joining Wein are senior lineman R Mason Thomas (7th; 9.5), redshirt senior linebacker Kendal Daniels (11th; 9.0) and redshirt junior linebacker Owen Heinecke and sophomore lineman David Stone (17th; 7.0 each).

• After totaling six catches for 60 yards over OU's first two games, redshirt junior wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III has amassed 43 receptions for 632 yards and five TDs over the last seven contests. His career highs entering the season were 37 catches and 491 yards last year at Arkansas, but has 49 grabs for 692 yards for the Sooners in 2025. He was added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List on Nov. 5.

• Sophomore running back Xavier Robinson has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the last two games (career highs of 109 vs. Ole Miss and 115 at Tennessee). Over the last three outings, Robinson has carried 37 times for 282 yards (7.6 per carry) and four TDs. Prior to the stretch, he had 16 carries for 50 yards (3.1 average) on the year.

GREAT TATE; GROZA AWARD WATCH

• Oklahoma has never produced a Groza Award winner, but that could change in 2025. Here are some notes on redshirt junior kicker Tate Sandell's success through nine games:

• Is 18 for 19 on field goal attempts this season (leads SEC at 95%)
• Has made 18 straight field goal tries, tied for longest streak in OU history
• Has made a school-career-record four FGs of 55-plus yards (all within last five games)
• One of two FBS kickers in at least the last 30 years with four makes of 55-plus yards in a season (the only one to do it in a five-game stretch)
• Has made a school-single-season record six FGs of 50-plus yards (6 for 6)
• Is 8 for 8 on FG tries of 45-plus yards
• Has made an OU-single-season-record 12 FGs of 40-plus yards (previous record was nine)
• Tied a school-single-game record at Tennessee with his four FGs (55, 51, 40, 55 yards)
• Tied the Neyland Stadium record for longest FG (55 yards; twice)
• First FBS kicker since 2021 to make three 50-plus-yard FGs in a game (tied FBS record)
• First FBS kicker since 2011 to make two 55-plus-yard FGs in a road game
• Is 26 for 26 on PAT attempts

KNOXVILLE, TN - November 01, 2025 - Oklahoma Kicker Tate Sandell (#29) during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Morgan Givens/University of Oklahoma

RECAPPING THE VICTORY AT TENNESSEE

• Oklahoma's defense generated a season-high three turnovers, including one for a touchdown, the offense racked up 252 yards in the second half and Tate Sandell turned in perhaps the greatest kicking performance by a Sooner in a 33-27 win at No. 14/14 Tennessee on Nov. 1 in front of the third-largest crowd in OU history (101,915).

• The No. 18/18 Sooners got 159 passing yards (19 completions on 29 attempts) and a season-high 80 rushing yards from quarterback John Mateer, whose one-yard touchdown run with 1:44 to go in the fourth quarter put OU ahead 33-24.

• Sophomore running back Xavier Robinson rushed a season-high 16 times for 115 yards (7.2 average) and a touchdown, his second career high in yards in as many weeks. In the second half alone, Robinson rushed for 96 yards on 10 carries. His TD came on a 4-yard play with 2:03 left in the third quarter and gave OU a 23-17 lead (the Sooners did not trail the rest of the game). With the OU up 26-24 with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter, he registered a 43-yard rush and took a knee at the 1-yard line, forcing Tennessee to call a timeout and leading to Mateer's score.

• With OU trailing 7-0 midway through the first quarter and the Volunteers driving, redshirt junior linebacker Owen Heinecke registered a strip-sack of UT quarterback Joey Aguilar. While engaged with a blocking tight end, senior defensive lineman R Mason Thomas scooped the ball, stiff-armed the opponent for 25 yards and eventually broke free for a 71-yard TD. It was the longest fumble return in OU history. Thomas injured his leg on the return and missed the rest of the game.

• Heinecke finished with a career-high 13 tackles, the sack, the forced fumble and 1.5 tackles for loss to earn SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

• OU's other takeaways were second-quarter picks by defensive backs Peyton Bowen (first of career) and Robert Spears-Jennings (second) that led to field goals and a 16-10 halftime lead.

• Sandell was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after going 4 for 4 on field goals (tied a school record for makes in a game) and 3 for 3 from beyond 50 yards (tied the FBS single-game record for makes from 50-plus). In order, his conversions came from 51, 55, 40 and 55 yards. The 55-yarders tied for the longest makes in Neyland Stadium history, and his average-make distance of 50.3 yards set a single-game FBS record (min. 4 conversions).

• Oklahoma held the Volunteers to 27 points, more than 18 below their season average of 45.6 points per game. The Sooners also limited Tennessee to 63 rushing yards, 126 yards below the Vols' season average of 189.

• OU started true freshman offensive tackles Michael Fasusi (left) and Ryan Fodje (right), as well as redshirt freshman left guard Eddy Pierre-Louis. It marked the first time OU started three freshman offensive linemen in a game since 1997 in a 35-14 win over Louisville: Scott Kempenich (LT), Adam Carpenter (LG) and Jason Bronson (RG). All three were redshirt freshmen.

OU-ALABAMA SERIES HISTORY

• Oklahoma leads the all-time series against Alabama, 4-2-1, with the Sooners winning all three on-campus matchups (37-27 in 2002 in Norman [OU was ranked No. 2], 20-13 in 2003 in Tuscaloosa [OU was No. 1] and 24-3 in Norman last season [UA was ranked No. 7]).

• The other four meetings came in bowls. No. 5 Alabama won 17-0 over the No. 8 Sooners in the Orange Bowl to cap the 1962 season before No. 20 OU and the unranked Crimson Tide played to a 24-24 tie in the 1970 Bluebonnet Bowl. At the end of the 2013 season, Bob Stoops' No. 11 Sooners beat Nick Saban's No. 3 Alabama squad 45-31 in the Sugar Bowl. In the most recent postseason matchup in 2018, the No. 1 Tide downed fourth-ranked OU 45-34 in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Orange Bowl.

LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S WIN VS. THE CRIMSON TIDE

• After falling behind 3-0 late in the first quarter, Oklahoma scored 24 unanswered points to down No. 7/7/7 Alabama on Nov. 23, 2024, 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. It was also 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.

• Oklahoma led 10-3 at 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 Xavier Robinson TD rush 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 run-game performance was its best against an FBS opponent of the 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. Redshirt junior Febechi Nwaiwu (right guard) 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 two days later, rushed for 40 yards on his first carry of the game, his longest career run and the second longest by an OU running back of the year. His first touchdown came from 18 yards and gave OU a 10-3 lead in the second quarter.

• The Sooners registered nine tackles for loss while giving up just four (Alabama's first didn't happen until the 3:56 mark of the third quarter). OU also allowed just one sack.

• Junior defensive end R Mason Thomas logged three tackles (1.5 for loss), OU's lone 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 rush, but the Sooners held him to seven yards on 15 rushes (0.5 average). He also averaged 223.2 passing yards per game entering the day but was held to 164 on 11-of-26 throwing (42.3%).

R Mason Thomas goes from a tackle against Alabama's Jalen Milroe

LAST TIME IN TUSCALOOSA

• Oklahoma's only game at Alabama came on Sept. 6, 2003, when Bob Stoops' No. 1-ranked Sooners posted a 20-13 victory over Mike Shula's unranked Crimson Tide. Current OU head coach Brent Venables was OU's co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

• The game's key sequence came with OU leading 13-10 in the third quarter. On 4th-and-10 from its own 31-yard line and 5:12 on the clock, punter Blake Ferguson completed a pass to defensive back Michael Thompson for a 22-yard gain. On the next play, quarterback Jason White connected with receiver Brandon Jones on a post pattern for a score and a 20-10 lead.

• White, who claimed OU's fourth Heisman Trophy that season, also found Mark Clayton for a 46-yard second-quarter TD that gave the Sooners a 13-3 lead. White finished 21 of 35 through the air for 259 yards, the two touchdowns and no interceptions. Jones led OU with seven catches and 86 receiving yards, while Mark Bradley caught four passes for 83 yards and Clayton three for 54 yards. Kejuan Jones (63 yards on 20 carries) was its leading rusher.

• OU's other six points came from the left foot of kicker Trey DiCarlo, who connected on field goals from 34 and 40 yards in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.

OU ROAD SHOW

• Oklahoma has won 37 of its last 49 true road games (.755) going back to 2014.

• OU's 2019 defeat at Kansas State snapped the Sooners' 22-game true road winning streak (it hadn't lost since Oct. 4, 2014, at TCU), which was the second longest such streak nationally since at least the end of World War II. During the 22-game streak, OU outscored foes 1,076-626 (49-28 average) and outgained them by 3,621 yards (583-419 average).

• The Sooners have outgained their opponent in 34 of their last 49 true road games.

• OU has scored at least 30 points in a nation-leading 43 of its last 54 true road games (school-record 35-game streak was stopped in 2021 at Baylor).

SECOND-STRING STANDOUTS

• Four of OU's top seven tacklers, as well as its tackles-for-loss leader, have mostly played in non-starter roles. Redshirt junior linebacker Owen Heinecke (one start) ranks second on the team in tackles (46), junior linebacker Sammy Omosigho (no starts) ranks fifth (33), sophomore defensive lineman David Stone (two starts) ranks sixth (30) and redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Taylor Wein (four starts) ranks seventh (28). Wein paces the team and ranks fourth in the SEC with his 11.0 TFLs.

MORE ON THE OFFENSE

• Redshirt junior quarterback John Mateer, who transferred from Washington State in January, has completed 169 of 265 pass attempts (64%) for 1,949 yards (243.6 average) and eight touchdowns through his eight games (he missed the Kent State contest due to right hand surgery). He is also OU's third-leading rusher with 306 yards and has a team-high six TDs on the ground.

• Sophomore running back Xavier Robinson is averaging 9.0 yards per rush over his last two games, a figure that ranks fourth nationally since Oct. 25 (minimum 25 carries). He rushed nine times for 109 yards and two TDs vs. No. 8 Ole Miss and 16 times for a career-high 115 yards and a TD at No. 14 Tennessee.

• True freshman running back Tory Blaylock leads the team with 401 rushing yards on the season and has registered two 100-yard performances (100 and two TDs at Temple; 101 and one TD at South Carolina). Against Temple, he became the first OU freshman (true or redshirt) running back to register a 100-yard rushing effort in at least one of his first three games since current running backs coach DeMarco Murray did the same in 2007 (100 in third game).

• Redshirt junior receiver Isaiah Sategna III leads OU with 49 receptions while redshirt senior Deion Burks ranks second with 42. Sategna III, a first-year Sooner who transferred from Arkansas, paces the squad with 692 receiving yards (76.9 per game; ranks fifth in SEC), and over the past seven contests has racked up 43 catches for 632 yards (90.3 average) and five TDs.

• Burks, who spent three years at Purdue and is in his second at Oklahoma, caught seven passes and one TD in each of the first two games this season and has 435 receiving yards. His 88 yards vs. Illinois State and 101 vs. Michigan represent his two highest totals at OU.

• Senior tight end Jaren Kanak played linebacker his first three years (started nine games in 2023 and one last season) before converting to tight end in the spring. The former high school receiver and quarterback has 30 catches for 410 yards (13.7 yards per reception) through nine games. The 410 yards rank 11th nationally among tight ends and represent 90% of the receiving yards by OU's tight ends all of 2024 (455).

• Redshirt senior receiver Keontez Lewis has 19 receptions for 226 yards on the season and caught two TD passes in the opener against Illinois State. His nine catches vs. the Redbirds were a career high (he finished with 119 receiving yards). He has not played the last three games due to injury.

• Oklahoma has started true freshman left and right tackles (Michael Fasusi at left and Ryan Fodje at right) in each of the last two games. Prior to the Oct. 25 Ole Miss contest, no true freshman offensive tackle duo had started a game in OU history. Fasusi has started six games this season and Fodje two. In a win over No. 15 Michigan, Fasusi became the first OU freshman to start at left tackle in his first career game.

• Redshirt senior offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu is the only OU offensive lineman to start all nine games this season. He has started all nine contests at right guard (also started all 13 games there last year).

MORE ON THE DEFENSE

• Oklahoma has allowed just 127 points and 12 touchdowns this season, its fewest through nine games since 2009 (111) and 1987 (five), respectively.

• OU's six-game streak of double-digit tackles for loss came to a halt last game against Tennessee when the Sooners produced eight TFLs. The six-game streak is believed to be the longest in school history. OU leads the country with its 10.8 TFLs per game (next most is 8.5), and over the last seven contests is averaging 12.6.

• Of Oklahoma's opponents' 102 possessions this season, 38 of them (37%) have resulted in a 3-and-out with no points.

• The strength of the Sooners' defense very well could be its line, with 109 career starts among its tackles (70; 46 by Damonic Williams, 16 by Jayden Jackson, six by Gracen Halton and two by David Stone) and ends (39; 19 by R Mason Thomas, 16 by Marvin Jones Jr. and 4 by Taylor Wein). Including junior end Adepoju Adebawore, the eight players have combined for 47.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks this season. Phil Steele ranked OU's defensive line as the best in the country this summer, and ESPN/SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic said in May the Sooners have the league's best defensive line, "... and it ain't even close."

• Stone has blossomed this season, earning first-team midseason All-America honors from CBS Sports and second-team acclaim from the Associated Press. Most of his production has come in non-starts (he has only started vs. Kent State and at South Carolina). The former consensus five-star recruit, who was ranked as the nation's top defensive tackle by ESPN and Rivals, ranks sixth on the team (first among tackles) with 30 tackles. He also leads OU's tackles with 7.0 tackles for loss. As a freshman last year, Stone played in all 13 games but logged just six tackles (2.0 for loss).

• Four linebackers rank in the top five on the team in tackles. Redshirt junior Kip Lewis leads the squad with 53 stops, redshirt junior Owen Heinecke is second (46), redshirt senior Kendal Daniels ranks fourth (34) and junior Sammy Omosigho is fifth (33). They have combined for 25 tackles for loss and 11 pass breakups.

• Against Illinois State, Courtland Guillory became only the second OU true freshman to start at cornerback in a season opener (the other was P.J. Mbanasor in 2015). Guillory has 26 tackles, a team-high six pass breakups and a QB hurry in his nine games (started first five games and each of the last two).

A LOOK AT SPECIAL TEAMS

• Redshirt junior and two-time SEC Special Teams Player of the Week Tate Sandell has handled placekicking and kickoff duties the first nine games. The first-year Sooner leads the SEC with his 94.7% field-goal conversion rate (18 for 19; made his last 18), which includes a make from 51 yards, one from 52 yards and four from 55 yards. He is 8 for 8 on attempts from 45-plus yards and has made all 26 of his PAT tries. OU's long snapper is redshirt junior Ben Anderson (a third-team 2024 All-SEC performer) and its holder is redshirt sophomore Jacob Ulrich (first-team All-Conference USA as a punter last season at Kennesaw State).

• Oklahoma ranks 12th nationally with its 46.9 yards per punt. Redshirt junior Grayson Miller, who has punted the last eight games, was a Sports Illustrated second-team midseason All-American and the Oct. 28 Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week. The transfer from NCAA Division II Central Oklahoma ranks eighth nationally with his 47.1-yard average and has booted 14 of his 32 punts over 50 yards (long of 66), with 15 downed inside the 20 and only two touchbacks. He was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 54.4 yards on five punts against Auburn (third-best average in school history; min. five punts).

• The Sooners rank 11th nationally by allowing just 15.4 yards per kickoff return.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S BEST

• During the modern era of college football (since the end of World War II), the Sooners are the nation's No. 1 team with more wins (713) than any other program (next most is 686 by Alabama).

• Oklahoma has finished in the top 5 of the AP poll a nation-leading 33 times (Ohio State is second with 31).

• OU leads all FBS programs with 50 all-time conference championships. The rest of the top five includes Nebraska (46), Michigan (45), Ohio State (39) and USC (37). The Sooners' 14 league titles since 2000 are the most among Power Five programs (Ohio State ranks second with 11).

• No program has more all-time 11-win seasons than Oklahoma's 27 (Alabama also has 27).

• Since the start of the 2000 season, OU ranks second with 18 seasons of at least 10 wins and ranks third with 268 victories.

• Since former head coach Bob Stoops arrived in Norman in 1999, OU leads the country with its 13,350 points scored. Boise State (12,978) is second and Oregon (12,726) third.

• Oklahoma's 81 consensus All-Americans since 1950 lead the nation (Alabama and Ohio State rank second with 77 each). Since 2000, OU has produced 31 consensus All-Americans, tied with Ohio State behind only Alabama.

EXTRA POINTS

• The Sooners are 14-6 all-time as the No. 11-ranked team in the AP poll (6-4 on the road). Oklahoma was ranked 11th in the AP poll earlier this season in a 24-17 home win over No. 22 Auburn. Prior to this season, Oklahoma was last ranked No. 11 in the AP poll in 2014 when it defeated Texas 31-26 in Dallas and lost to No. 14 Kansas State 31-30 at home in back-to-back weeks. OU's last road game as the AP's 11th-ranked team was a 58-17 win over No. 10 Kansas State in 2011.

• Oklahoma associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator Todd Bates was an Alabama defensive lineman when the Sooners beat the Crimson Tide 37-27 in Norman in 2002 and 20-13 in Tuscaloosa in 2003.

• OU assistant head coach for defense/co-defensive coordinator/pass defense Jay Valai was Alabama's cornerbacks coach in 2021 under head coach Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide won the SEC and beat Cincinnati 27-6 in the CFP Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl before losing 33-18 to Georgia in the CFP title game.

• Oklahoma (917) and Alabama (902) lead all SEC programs in all-time AP poll appearances.

• The Sooners have won their last 87 games when holding opponents to under 21 points. Their last loss under the circumstance came at Nebraska in 2009 (10-3).

• In their 23 wins since the start of the 2023 season, the Sooners have outscored opponents 202-42 off turnovers. In their 12 losses during the same span, they have been outscored 108-27 off turnovers.

• Since the start of the 2012 season, OU is 96-7 when scoring at least 35 points and 83-4 when scoring at least 40.