The injury bug continued to plague the Sooners in their final home game of the 2024-25 season. Oklahoma was once again without Jovantae Barnes, who missed the Missouri game and was listed as a game-time decision for tonight. Deion Burks, who returned against Missouri after missing five games, was also out due to a concussion suffered in the fourth quarter of that game. Additionally, Jalil Farooq, who broke his foot in the season opener before making a brief return against Missouri, was unavailable.

With no Barnes, Oklahoma turned to its true freshman running back duo, Taylor Tatum and Xavier Robinson. Robinson, who decided to forgo his redshirt and play in the final two games of the season, showed promise with nine carries for 56 yards against Missouri.

That promise continued in this game. Robinson electrified the crowd with a 40-yard run on his first carry. Unfortunately, the Sooners’ momentum was short-lived, as his fellow freshman Tatum fumbled on the next play, setting up an Alabama field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

Oklahoma responded by putting together a drive that reached the red zone. However, an ambitious double-pass play went awry when Brenen Thompson threw to a wide-open Bauer Sharp in the end zone, only for Sharp to drop the sure touchdown. The Sooners then turned to Zach Schmit for a 39-yard field goal attempt, but he missed wide, leaving the Sooners empty-handed.

Things went from bad to worse when Thompson suffered an ankle injury and had to be helped off the field. This left Oklahoma without its top six wide receivers. Despite this, the Sooners managed another scoring drive, capped by a successful 29-yard field goal from Schmit to tie the game at 3-3.

To the surprise of many, Oklahoma found success in the trenches. The offensive line—featuring Logan Howland, Heath Ozaeta, Troy Everett, Febechi Nwaiwu, and Spencer Brown—powered the Sooners to an impressive 205 rushing yards in the first half. Leading the charge was Xavier Robinson, who continued his breakout performance with an 18-yard touchdown run just before halftime. His effort gave Oklahoma a 10-3 lead heading into the locker room.

Robinson, who was initially set to redshirt, finished the half with eight carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, solidifying his status as a key contributor in the season’s final stretch.

It was a strong first half for Oklahoma, and that momentum carried into the second half. True freshman cornerback Eli Bowen intercepted Jalen Milroe on Alabama’s opening drive, returning it to the 14-yard line. Shortly after, fellow true freshman Robinson powered in a 1-yard touchdown — his second of the night — extending Oklahoma’s lead to 17-3.

The last time Alabama overcame a 14 point deficit was the 2019 SEC championship against Georgia. Could they do it against Oklahoma? Only time would tell.

On the next Alabama drive, things went from bad to worse for the Crimson Tide. Kip Lewis, already known for his “Kip Six” against Auburn, added another to his name. Lewis picked off Jalen Milroe and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown, extending Oklahoma’s lead to 24-3 over Alabama.

Lewis’ interception wasn’t the last for the Sooners. Woodi Washington added Oklahoma’s third pick of the night late in the fourth quarter. For the fifth-year senior, it was a moment to remember—clinching an upset victory over Alabama, securing bowl eligibility, and doing it all on Senior Night.

The 24-3 upset victory over Alabama was monumental for Oklahoma, as it clinched bowl eligibility and sparked a field storm—the first in Norman since 2000. The Sooners will now close out the regular season next weekend in Baton Rouge, aiming to move to 7-5 with a win over LSU.

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