Roll what? Oklahoma Football returns to prominence
Jan 2, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Frank Shannon (20) celebrates a sack against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Oklahoma defeated Alabama 45-31. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
If I was to preface this, without the reader knowing who won the game, just rattling off statistics, 32 of 44 attempts, 348 yards, 4 TD’s, 1 interception, 7 Sacks, 5 turnovers, and just threw out two team names, Alabama and Oklahoma, you probably would have assumed Alabama racked up those statistics that I just listed. You of course, would be wrong. Those stat’s belong to the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners played their best football of the season and possibly their best football in years.
Things appeared to look bad at the beginning of the game. Alabama scored a touchdown in only 1:49 to start the game. Trevor Knight moved the ball and threw an interception giving Alabama the ball back. Okay, here we go. To the delight of many OU fans however, AJ McCarron would throw into triple coverage right into the waiting arms of Gabe Lynn. Trevor Knight then rectified the mistake with a quick strike to LaColtan Bester for a touchdown tying the ball game at 7-7. Alabama then again marched down the field and scored a field goal. 10-7. OU was still in this thing, at that point. The Sooners continued to march down the field, and they were off to the races. Before we know it the half time score was 31-17 OU over Bama. Not only was the offense awesome in the first half, the Sooners were able to get 21 points off of turnovers. OU fans were ecstatic at this point. I know I was.
Alabama in the third quarter looked like a different ball team, scoring a touchdown and essentially, bogging down the OU offensive attack. Oklahoma on the flip side, though they allowed 7 points, held Alabama fairly well. Though at this point OU Fans I imagine were getting nervous since it was 31-24. The absence of the OU offense, however, was short lived, much to Nick Sabans dismay. The 4th quarter the Sooners roared back to life. Trevor Knight connected with LaColtan Bester getting them inside the 10. Two plays later, Trevor Knight capped the drive as he threw across his body to connect with Sterling Shepard, after just masterfully extending the play. Alabama would score again on a long run from Derrick Henry. It was a ball game again. 38-31. OU was then able to piece together a time draining drive, which was helped by a pass interference call on 3rd and 8. Bama had to use their last time out but did get the ball back with 0:56 left for their last possession. Oklahoma’s defense stripped the ball from AJ McCarron and scored the final touchdown of the game.
That was how the game happened, but the big question is how did this happen? The national experts are asking “How could Oklahoma have beaten someone like Alabama?” in the fashion they did. A team that lost to Texas, lost to Baylor, both of which lost their bowl games. Mark May, gave a lop sided score in the pregame show. Oklahoma played up to what they are capable of firstly. As Coach Stoops said, Oklahoma can rush, they can put pressure on opposing offenses. Mike Stoops had a game plan that slowed Alabama down, which allowed Trevor Knight and the offense to decimate the Alabama defense.
TREVOR KNIGHT?! Where did he come from? He played out of his mind to just totally wreck the Alabama defense. Early on in the season, he had struggled in games against Big XII foes. Shredded them for 348 yards, 4 touchdowns, completing 72% of his passes, only having one miscue in an interception that was more of an awesome heads up play by Alabama than it was a bad throw from Trevor Knight. The ball got to Saunders hands, it was just a little too high for him. Knight, behind a Frankenstein rehashed line, was able to complete some incredible passes. The play of the year was the touchdown pass in the 4th quarter to Sterling Sheppard, after throwing it across his body after being chased out of the pocket. Oklahoma ran the ball to the tune of 87 yards including 7 yards by Trevor Knight.
The list will and can keep going, but you know, at the end of the day, the ENTIRE Oklahoma Sooner football team from the players, to the coaching staff, they where all in sync. Bob Stoops, Mike Stoops, Josh Heupel, and all the coaches had prepared this Oklahoma team as well as you could prepare a team. Looking at what OU has coming back from this team next year, as well as the recruits that are reported to be joining the Sooners, OU fans should be extremely excited about next year. Bob Stoops and the Sooners have sent a message to the football world at the expense of Alabama. Oklahoma, is back.