NORMAN — Brent Venables said it earlier this week. Oklahoma is not going to get lucky and win on Saturday.

The Sooners will face arguably their toughest test of the season against No. 7 Alabama in their final home game of the season. The odds are certainly stacked against them — the Crimson Tide have won their last two SEC games by a combined score of 75-13 and have seemingly rebounded from a rough start to conference play, and the Sooners are a two-touchdown underdog at home.

While the Sooners are trying to become bowl eligible, the Crimson Tide have loftier goals of staying in the hunt for a playoff spot. Plus, the Sooners could again be shorthanded as Deion Burks has been ruled out, while Jalil Farooq and Jovantae Barnes are questionable. Meanwhile, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has played like on of the best players in the country.

"(They're) incredibly explosive, and they have great playmakers everywhere," Venables said. "Certainly, everything goes through the quarterback. But they have an offensive line playing, they're really good up front. They know what they're doing, they're making everything work. And then the running backs are fantastic.

"But it's a team that's improved from where they were at the beginning of the year to where they're at now. But man, you're not gonna luck up and win this game. You're gonna be about physicality, it's about execution."

Here's three things to watch as Oklahoma takes Owen Field for the final time this season:

Time: 6:30 p.m. CT

Where: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

TV: ABC

Radio: 107.7 FM

Venables removed any doubt about who would start at quarterback when Arnold was selected as a captain for this weekend.

Now, the focus for Oklahoma will again fall on Arnold, who is coming off a really rough performance against Missouri. The sophomore completed just 15 of 24 passes for 74 yards and coughed up two fumbles, including one in the final minute that sealed the win for Missouri.

It's not going to be easy for Arnold to rebound against the Crimson Tide, but other quarterbacks have proven there are avenues for success. LaNorris Sellers threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns on Alabama earlier this season, while Carson Beck threw for 439 yards and three touchdowns. At home on senior night, with bowl eligibility still in the balancer, there isn't a better time for Arnold to find a rhythm than now.

However, how much patience will the coaching staff have with Arnold?

There are a lot of ways this could end in disaster. Arnold has fumbled eight times this season, which ranks third nationally. He's lost five of them, which also ranks third nationally, and that comes despite playing in just eight games this season. The Crimson Tide are third in the country in takeaways and have recovered 10 fumbles this season. If Arnold's turnover issues resurface against Alabama, how long will Venables leave him out there? And if Arnold is pulled, would that mean turning back to true freshman Michael Hawkins? Or would veteran Casey Thompson get a shot?

And, if Arnold is pulled, what does that mean for the final game at LSU and beyond? The fanbase has already expressed their frustration with Arnold, particularly against Tennessee, and that frustration would likely hit a boiling point if Arnold struggles against Alabama. On the flip side, what if Arnold plays well and keeps Oklahoma competitive? Could that change his future with the Sooners moving forward?

Venables mentioned that he doesn't know what the future holds with Arnold, but reiterated that the team believes in him. This weekend feels like it'll give significant clarity for Arnold's future in Norman.

Since the bye week, there's been some updated information for OU's backfield.

Xavier Robinson, fresh off a 56-yard performance against Missouri on over six yards per carry, will be available and isn't planning on redshirting. That is particularly interesting given that Jovantae Barnes is listed as questionable, while Gavin Sawchuk is presumably available to play since he hasn't been on either availability report this week.

If Barnes is indeed available, how much will he be able to play? The junior running back has been OU's most consistent running back this season. Robinson was one of the only working parts of OU's offense, and Venables indicated he would have some sort of role in the final two weeks. But it doesn't make much sense to hold off on redshirting if Robinson isn't very involved in the offense. Plus, where does Taylor Tatum fall into the mix?

This weekend is an opportunity for the Sooners to get a clearer picture of the backfield heading into the offseason, and the Sooners need to establish some type of running game against Alabama to keep pressure off of Arnold.

It's been an incredibly tough season for the Sooners, and that's been especially true for the long-tenured veterans — Danny Stutsman, Ethan Downs, Billy Bowman, Woodi Washington and Jalil Farooq.

That group has been at Oklahoma every year of their careers, and despite the Sooners' disappointing 5-5 record, there's a lot of pride going into this weekend.

"It means everything, going out with a W," Washington said. "We want to win this game, not only for us but for this program and Coach V and the coaching staff, as well. Just going out with a bang. It's been a long year. It's been rough. If we can just go out and win this game, I know it'll be really important to all the guys you just mentioned and, like I said, the coaching staff as well."

Saturday will be the final opportunity for the fanbase to show their appreciation for that group. It's also the final game for that group at Owen Field.

But it'll also be interesting to see who participates in the pre-game festivities. Farooq, in particular, could return next season if he applies for a medical redshirt.