Another national outlet completely dismisses OU's chances in rematch vs Alabama in CFP

Yet another staff of a national sports media outlet completely wrote off the Oklahoma Sooners in their rematch against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The No. 8 Sooners will host No. 9 Alabama on Friday, Dec. 19, in Norman, and despite already beating the Crimson Tide 23-21 this season in Tuscaloosa, it seems no one believes OU can accomplish the feat again with even more on the line and at home, including CBS Sports’ entire college football staff.

Entire CBS Sports staff picks Bama over Sooners in College Football Playoff

CBS Sports college football writer Tom Fornelli posted his full bracket prediction on X, and his post also shared a link to view the picks from all eight staff writers as he jokingly commented, “If you wanna see everybody else's to see which of your teams we hate.” Well, the CBS Sports crew seriously hates the Sooners’ chances against Bama in Round 2.

Of the eight writers who filled out brackets, none had the Sooners getting past Bama in the first round. And it’s not even that the staff just likes the Crimson Tide that much. After beating the Sooners, no one had Bama upsetting No. 1 Indiana next in the quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. And none of them picked Indiana to win it all as the top seed. It has nothing to do with matchups and path, but all about the Sooners.

This has been the common occurrence, not only since the bracket was revealed on Sunday, but all season for the Sooners. OU used an undefeated November to get into the playoff and was an underdog in half of those games, including a 6.5-point dog to Bama ahead of Round 1. This time, the Crimson Tide opened as 1.5-point favorites.

Even outside of Vegas, college football experts around the country are quickly counting out the Sooners. Of ESPN’s 11 college football writers who made predictions, only four picked the Sooners over Bama, and none had OU getting beyond Indiana in the quarterfinals.

OU head coach Brent Venables admitted he had heard the noise even before the Sooners were officially in, though.

“Our focus, our energy, detail, is to be able to play for a championship, no matter how crazy that might seem to everybody else,” Venables said on Sunday.

Although it can frustrate fans, if there’s any real effect actually on the team, it’s only positive when it can all be used as bulletin board material.