Oklahoma football: Five best Sooner games of the decade
By Chip Rouse
No. 5 — Oklahoma vs. Alabama, Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2, 2014
Third-ranked Alabama was coming off back-to-back national championships and had just missed out playing for a third consecutive national crown. Instead, Auburn won the SEC championship that season, and the Crimson Tide were relegated to playing in the New Year’s Six Sugar Bowl against 11th-ranked Oklahoma.
The Sooners had finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Big 12 and with an 11-2 overall record. OU was a 16-point underdog coming into the and virtually no one was giving them much of a chance to upset mighty Alabama.
Although, a funny thing happened on the way to this bowl game. The Sooners came in and played like they wanted to win. Alabama’s performance, on the other hand, was more as is they really didn’t want to be there.
OU freshman quarterback Trevor Knight played the game of his career. He had completed just 47 passes all season coming into the game and just 52 percent of his pass attempts. He completed 32 against the Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl for 348 yards and an incredible four record-tying touchdowns, two of which exceeded 40 yards.
Alabama quarterback Scott McCarron completed 19 of 30 passes for 387 yards, including a couple of touchdowns, but also three two costly interceptions that led the Oklahoma touchdowns.
The Sooners led 31-17 at halftime, and although Alabama fought back to within seven points twice in the second half, Oklahoma responded every time and ended up winning by almost the amount by which they were predicted to lose.
The final score was Oklahoma 45, Alabama 31.
In his postgame comments, Sooner head coach Bob Stoops said, “I have the utmost respect for Alabama, and I think this shows obviously we can play with anybody.”