No. 9 Alabama and No. 8 Oklahoma will meet for the second time this season Friday night in the first round of the College Football Playoffs.
The Crimson Tide trail in the series 2-5-1 but hold a 2-2 record against the Sooners in the postseason. Friday’s first-round matchup will be the second meeting between the two schools in the College Football Playoffs, with the last instance a 45-34 victory for the Crimson Tide in the 2018 Orange Bowl.
Here are a few things to watch in the first round of the College Football Playoffs.
- Win the Turnover Battle
In the last game against Oklahoma, Alabama turned the ball over three times and forced zero turnovers. Those three turnovers resulted in 17 points for the Sooners, including a pick-six. Despite the three turnovers, the Crimson Tide were still in the ballgame. Forcing turnovers is not a must, but the offense taking care of the football and avoiding short fields is key.
- Special Teams Needs to Play Better
While turnovers were key in the first meeting, special teams also played a significant role. One of the three turnovers happened on a punt return that was fumbled. A huge punt return by Oklahoma set up the Sooners’ first points of the game. To top it off, Conor Talty missed a field goal that would have given the Crimson Tide the win. Special teams will need to execute much better on Friday night.
- Can Cuevas Contribute?
Tight end Josh Cuevas has missed the past three games with a foot injury and has been greatly missed. All signs are pointing to Cuevas suiting up on Friday night to help the Alabama offense. In the previous meeting, Cuevas led the Crimson Tide in receiving with six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.
- Handling the Pressure
Oklahoma recorded four sacks in its 23–21 victory in November, while Georgia finished with three sacks in the SEC Championship Game. Alabama’s offensive line will need to do a better job of protecting Ty Simpson so he can have time to find the open Alabama receivers. One plus is that the offensive line should be at full strength, but so is the Oklahoma defensive front. The Sooners are expected to get back R. Mason Thomas, their best pass rusher, who was out for the first meeting this year.
- Establish the Run
It’s no secret that running the football has been Alabama’s weakness all year long. Jam Miller was off to his best game of the season in the Iron Bowl, but was knocked out of the game with an injury. Miller missed the SEC Championship Game but is expected to make a return Friday night. Getting the run game going to slow the Oklahoma pass rush is essential.
Alabama will travel to Norman to face the No. 8 seed Oklahoma at 7 p.m. on Friday. The game will be televised on ABC and ESPN.
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
