The majority of the words written about Alabama in the aftermath of a frustrating 23-21 loss to Oklahoma have been negative. That's understandable. It was a difficult loss to stomach, one that the more pessimistic fans took as par for the course for Kalen DeBoer and this new coaching staff.
But unlike previous losses in the DeBoer era, this one felt different. This wasn't a football team that wasn't prepared to play. No, this loss felt a lot more like a typical Crimson Tide loss during the Nick Saban era. Fluky plays, turnovers, disastrous special teams. It followed the exact script of Saban-era Tide losses like 2015 Ole Miss and 2019 Auburn.
The five previous losses for Alabama under DeBoer felt different than this. Those losses felt like a team that wasn't prepared properly. Against Oklahoma, the coaching staff consistently put the players in a position to succeed. They just made too many mistakes.
A -3 turnover margin, a missed chip-shot field goal, and a big punt return allowed were the difference in the game. You really only have to look at the difference in field position to get the story of the game. Oklahoma's average starting field position was its own 46-yard line. Alabama started drives 20 yards further back at its own 26.
That's how Oklahoma managed 23 points despite never having a drive go for longer than 41 yards. Alabama's defense was dominant, holding Oklahoma to just 4.2 yards per play and 212 total yards. Credit the Sooners' offense for taking full advantage of all three Alabama turnovers and scoring 17 points, but the Crimson Tide's defense completely shut down John Mateer and company.
Oklahoma's offense had a success rate of just 33%, a mark that ranks in the 10th percentile in college football, per Game on Paper. Alabama's defense held Oklahoma to just 3-of-13 on third down, and just 74 rushing yards on 2.8 yards per attempt. Oklahoma hit an explosive play on just 4% of its offensive snaps, something that had been a weakness for Kane Wommack's defense this year, particularly in run defense.
It was an all-around terrific performance for the Tide's defense. One that is further encouraging that Wommack has this unit playing as well as we thought it could in the preseason. If the offense can snap out of a recent funk, there's reason to believe Alabama could do some damage in the postseason.
And the numbers show that that the offense actually took a step forward against Oklahoma.
Alabama's offense was better than you think against Oklahoma
Oklahoma has an elite defense, but the Sooners didn't dominate the Alabama offense like some may want to believe. The two Ty Simpson turnovers were back-breakers, but on a down-to-down basis, the Crimson Tide's offense moved the ball consistently against one of the best defenses in the country. It was, whether you want to believe it or not, a step forward on that side of the ball after a couple of weeks of average or worse play.
There's a reason DeBoer said in the post-game he thought Alabama played "pretty good football" outside of the disastrous plays.
Alabama racked up over 400 yards of offense. Its 46% success rate ranks in the 73rd percentile in college football this season, per Game on Paper.
Simpson was sacked four times, but for the most part, the offensive line played a solid game. They certainly played better than they have in recent weeks, and perhaps a lack of rotation is the reason why.
Alabama started, from left to right, Kadyn Proctor, Kam Dewberry, Parker Brailsford, Wilkin Formby, and Michael Carroll against Oklahoma. The only rotation took place at left guard, with Geno VanDeMark subbing in for Dewberry at times.
A couple of the sacks and pressures could have been avoided by quicker decisions by Simpson, including the strip-sack fumble late in the third quarter that ultimately led to the game-winning score by Oklahoma. It was the fifth consecutive game that Simpson lost a fumble on a sack.
Perhaps the most encouraging part of the offense is that Alabama actually found some success running the football. Admittedly, that was a low bar to clear, but Alabama's EPA per rush ranked in the 55th percentile against Oklahoma, per Game on Paper. That's a pretty good mark against an elite defense, particularly for a running game that came into the game ranked 128th out of 136 FBS teams in rushing success rate.
Daniel Hill looks like the obvious RB1 moving forward. He carried the ball 15 times for 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His 28-yard run in the second half was the longest run from scrimmage from a Tide RB since AK Dear broke a 56-yard touchdown in garbage time against UL Monroe in Week 2.
Alabama ran the ball for 102 sack-adjusted yards on over four yards per attempt. That may not sound like much, but it was a massive step forward. The leap from one of the worst rushing offenses in the country to merely average is a giant one. It's one that could make a massive difference for the Crimson Tide against Auburn in a couple of weeks and in a hypothetical College Football Playoff game or two.
Losing to Oklahoma wasn't fun. It was a fluky game, however. Alabama's post-game win expectancy was 95.2%. Alabama should have won the game. It unfortunately made too many mistakes to earn that result.
But all is not lost. Alabama still controls its own destiny. And the Crimson Tide can build upon the way it played against Oklahoma outside of a handful of back-breaking plays.