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    • OU football crushes Alabama in big win to achieve bowl eligibility
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    OU football crushes Alabama in big win to achieve bowl eligibility

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    NORMAN — The first time seemed a little premature.

    But when the opening notes of House of Pain’s “Jump Around” began with 6:53 left in the fourth quarter Saturday vs. Alabama, the crowd at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium was ready to explode.

    OU pulled off a stunner, blowing out No. 7 Alabama 24-3 on Saturday.

    The second time the song was played came in the wake of Woodi Washington’s interception, the third for the Sooners in the second half on Crimson Tide star quarterback Jalen Milroe.

    In the final minute, in anticipation of the win, OU fans stormed the field and the goal posts on both sides were lowered to prevent fans from taking them down.

    Before the match resumed, the field had to be cleared before fans rushed onto the field. It was Owen Field’s first storming of the field since OU’s victory over Nebraska in the 2000 national championship.

    The win ended a four-game SEC losing streak for the Sooners and secured a bowl berth for the 26th consecutive season.

    Only Georgia has a longer active bowl streak in FBS.

    The win was the first for an unranked Sooners team over a top 10 opponent since OU defeated No. 6 Oregon in the 2005 Holiday Bowl.

    Here are five takeaways from the win:

    More: OU football upset of Alabama couldn’t have come at a better time for Brent Venables

    Sooners defense keeps Jalen Milroe confused

    OU linebacker Danny Stutsman set the tone from the Sooners’ first defensive play.

    Stutsman stepped into the gap and met Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe near the line of scrimmage, delivering a crushing blow.

    It was the start of a tough day for the Crimson Tide star.

    Slowing down Milroe’s running game was a major focus for OU’s defense and the Sooners did an excellent job containing Milroe.

    But it wasn’t just on the ground where the Sooners’ defense was successful against Milroe.

    On the third play of the second half, freshman cornerback Eli Bowen jumped Milroe’s pass, intercepted it and put it back down 25 to the Alabama 14.

    Five plays later, the Sooners extended their lead to 14 on Xavier Robinson’s touchdown run.

    The defense made an even bigger play on the next drive, when linebacker Kip Lewis picked off a pass from Milroe and returned it 49 yards for a score.

    It was Lewis’ second interception return for a score this season, the other coming late in OU’s win over Auburn on September 28.

    Milroe finished 11 for 26 for 164 yards and with 15 carries for 7 yards on the ground.

    More: Oklahoma upsets Alabama: College football world reacts to Sooners upset over Crimson Tide

    Xavier Robinson takes over

    Xavier Robinson extended his left arm and jumped into the end zone.

    The ball shot loose from Robinson’s hand, but it didn’t matter as it was already over the goal line when it was released.

    Less than three weeks ago, the plan was to redshirt Robinson, Carl Albert’s freshman product.

    But with Jovantae Barnes injured and Taylor Tatum struggling to hold onto the ball, Robinson’s role has steadily grown in recent games.

    Robinson finished with 18 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns, more than doubling his output for the season.

    Early in the first quarter, the Sooners were driving thanks to Robinson’s 40-yard run on his first carry of the game.

    But three plays later, Tatum coughed up the ball on three-and-2.

    It was recovered by Deontae Lawson on Alabama 21.

    The fumble was Tatum’s fourth of the season – the third resulting in a turnover.

    More: What is Billy Bowman’s legacy with OU football? Accelerate security in building future leaders

    Sooners grind it out on the ground

    It wasn’t just Robinson.

    From the start, the Sooners controlled the game on the ground.

    Quarterback Jackson Arnold had a career-high 101 yards on 20 carries on the ground, with a variety of read options throughout.

    Against halftime. OU had 205 yards on the ground – more than 60 yards more than their season average per inbound game.

    The Sooners’ offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage, a stunning result for Bill Bedenbaugh’s group.

    OU had struggled to find success on the offensive line all season, but Logan Howland, Heath Ozaeta, Troy Everett, Febechi Nwaiwu and Spencer Brown created plenty of gaps and kept Arnold clean on the rare occasions the Sooners threw the ball.

    Freshman Eddy Pierre-Louis even got in on the action, replacing Nwaiwu on a drive in the second quarter and helping the Sooners get on the board just before halftime.

    Alabama did not record a sack in the game.

    More: Which OU football seniors are ineligible or can return for the 2025 season?

    Playing tricks almost pays off early

    Earlier this week, OU coach Brent Venables recalled Alabama’s only other visit to Norman, in 2002.

    In that game, an unranked Crimson Tide pulled out the stops and kept the Sooners on their toes before No. 2 OU settled for a 37-27 win.

    Seemingly outmatched on Saturday, it was Venables who called for some trickery.

    Late in the first quarter, with OU down 3-0, Jackson Arnold turned a lateral to Brenen Thompson in the flat.

    Thompson ran to the line of scrimmage before pulling up and completing a pass to a wide-open Bauer Sharp near the end zone.

    But Thompson’s pass was to the outside of the field, forcing Sharp to contort his body, and the ball bounced through Sharp’s hands for an incomplete pass.

    On the next play, OU kicker Zach Schmit pushed his 39-yard field goal attempt wide left.

    Schmit’s miss was his first of the season after starting the season 7 for 7.

    More: Here’s what Oklahoma will have to pay Alabama for storming the field after a Week 13 upset

    Brent Venables does it again

    The Sooners’ win was the largest for any opponent against Alabama since the 2018 College Football Playoff championship game.

    The Crimson Tide loss was handed out by Clemson, whose defense was coordinated by Brent Venables.

    Alabama’s 234 yards were the Crimson Tide’s fewest in a game since they had 227 against Arkansas in 2014.

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