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. In addition, Jalil Farooq, who broke his foot in the season opener before making a brief return against Missouri, was unavailable.

Without Barnes, Oklahoma turned to its true freshman running back duo of 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 match. Robinson electrified the crowd with a 40-yard run on his first carry. Unfortunately, the Sooners’ momentum was short-lived, as 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. An ambitious double-pass play went awry, however, 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 to score again, capped by a successful 29-yard field goal by Schmit, tying 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 – carried 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 slated to redshirt, finished the half with eight carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, solidifying his status as a key contributor heading into the final stretch of the season.

It was a strong first half for Oklahoma, and that momentum continued into the second half. True freshman cornerback Eli Bowen intercepted Jalen Milroe on Alabama’s opening drive and returned him to the 14-yard line. Shortly thereafter, fellow true freshman Robinson provided 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 in the 2019 SEC Championship against Georgia. Could they do it against Oklahoma? Only time would tell.

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

Lewis’s 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, it was a moment to remember: a win over Alabama, securing bowl eligibility, all on Senior Night.

The 24-3 win over Alabama was monumental for Oklahoma as it secured bowl eligibility and set off a field rush – the first in Norman since 2000. The Sooners now close out the regular season next weekend in Baton Rouge, aiming to move to 7-5 with a win over LSU.

Not a premium member of OInsider.com? Sign up today and get plenty of insider information about Oklahoma football, softball, basketball and recruiting for just a few dollars a month. Click HERE to get started!

Follow us on Twitter @OUInsider and on Instagram @ouinsiderofficial!

Subscribe to YouTube at click here for daily video content on all things Oklahoma!