In a rematch game with everything on the line, it is very hard to determine how things may be different than it was the first time around. Many are expecting the same type of game as we saw in November, with great defense, lack of scoring, and turnovers being the difference in the game when Alabama and Oklahoma meet in the first playoff game of this season, Friday night in Norman.
Everybody is looking for what will be the big x-factor, and for me, it is simple, and it will be the performance of Ty Simpson. This is a man who went from a Heisman contender to a guy who looks like his only option is now to return to school next season.
There are many theories on why Ty Simpon was not the same guy in November or the first week in December as he was in October, but honestly, it seems to come down to he faced better defenses. No matter how bad LSU and Auburn were on the offensive end for a majority of the season, their defenses were some of the best in the country. We did see Simpson have a solid performance moving the ball against the Sooners' secondary, which, of course, was overshadowed by the three turnovers that ruined homecoming and made Selection Sunday a much more stressful event than it needed to be for Alabama fans.
Simpson needs to find his confidence that we saw from him earlier in the season. It is crucial that he be able to step into his throws rather than throw off his back foot, and as long as every possession ends with some sort of kick, we should see a different result on the final scoreboard. There are enough playmakers for Simpson to find, even if Josh Cuevas is not available, and it is up to Ryan Grubb to make it as simple for Simpson as possible. We know he does not have a strong deep ball, but his mid-range game is tops in the country, and the receivers in the middle of the field cannot be missed.
Early success in the passing game should open up the running game enough to keep the OU defense honest and, most importantly, help the confidence of the offensive line. Of course, it will be crucial that the receivers hold onto passes that hit them in their hands, as seems to have become a bigger issue as of late. It is going to be a war in Norman, but as long as Ty can stay away from some of the mistakes that have become more common recently, Alabama should find itself back in the Rose Bowl to start the new year.