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Did Alabama football fail out in loss to Oklahoma? Crimson Tide postgame report card
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Did Alabama football fail out in loss to Oklahoma? Crimson Tide postgame report card
NORMAN, Okla. — Coming to Norman, Oklahoma, with SEC Championship and College Football Playoff hopes, Alabama football saw them completely vanish against the Sooners .
Oklahoma dominated No. 7 Alabama , beating the Crimson Tide 24-3 Saturday night in Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and handing Alabama its third loss of the 2024 season.
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With the loss to the Sooners , Alabama secured a three-loss season for the first time since 2010.
Here are the Crimson Tide's postgame grades from its 21-point loss to the Sooners:
Alabama football offense: F
Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Bergin Kysar (80) brings down Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
Alabama was not in Tennessee Saturday night, but Jalen Milroe 's approach to running the Crimson Tide offense looked eerily reminiscent of its output against the Volunteers and Vanderbilt: running an inconsistent, inefficient offense where he tried to shoulder the entire load.
And the Sooners' defense was not fooled, holding the Crimson Tide to 97 yards in the first half.
Opening the second half with a screen pass interception that set up a Sooners touchdown, Milroe completely collapsed after Oklahoma got another interception on the ensuing Alabama drive, a 49-yard pick six. Down 24-3, he threw his third pick of the evening with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter after being hit on the throw. It was a horrendous second-half performance for the Alabama quarterback — and a horrendous performance for the offense as a whole.
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Alabama defense: D-
Signs of the Alabama defense as of late were present early with a forced fumble by Bray Hubbard recovered by Deontae Lawson .
But instead of building momentum off turnovers, the Crimson Tide seemingly returned to the "bend-but-don't-break" defense of old, one that couldn't set an edge and one that allowed quarterback Jackson Arnold to evade pressure and run with an open field in front of him.
And with Lawson out for the rest of the game with a lower-extremity injury, Alabama was unable to stop the Sooner run game, which gashed the Crimson Tide just like Vanderbilt did with Alabama unable to answer.
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Alabama special teams: C
James Burnip had a busy first half. It was not productive. None of his three punts were for more than 50 yards. None landed inside the 20-yard line. He landed one punt for more than 50 yards and inside the 20-yard line in the second half.
Graham Nicholson hit his 22-yard field goal attempt, the Crimson Tide's only points.
Alabama coaching: F
Alabama looked stunned Saturday night. Milroe was unable to shake his offensive woes. The defense was unable to stop the Oklahoma run game. And once the game was out of hand, Alabama showed no semblance of life.
Alabama football overall vs Oklahoma: F
Alabama shut down all conversation about an SEC Championship and a College Football Playoff berth in 60 minutes in Norman, Oklahoma.
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Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football fails out in road loss to Oklahoma. Postgame report card
