No. 7 Alabama’s hopes of an SEC title are over and a School Soccer Playoff look appears extremely, extremely unlikely after a 24-3 loss at Oklahoma.
The Crimson Tide have been a 14-point favourite however Oklahoma took management of the sport with a pair of third-quarter interceptions and its go rush collapsed the pocket on QB Jalen Milroe all night time.
The Sooners scored late within the second quarter to take a 10-3 lead into halftime. On Alabama’s third play of the second half, freshman cornerback Eli Bowen received his first profession interception when he jumped a brief display screen to fellow freshman Ryan Williams and returned the ball to the Alabama 14 yard-line.
Oklahoma went up 14 5 performs later when Xavier Robinson received his second dashing TD of the night time.
Alabama’s subsequent possession lasted 5 extra performs however had the identical end result. Milroe received picked off by Kip Lewis and Lewis returned it 49 yards for a pick-6.
Any hope Alabama had of a comeback disappeared within the fourth quarter throughout a weird — and certain incorrect — officiating sequence. Williams appeared to make an outstanding fourth-down TD catch to chop Oklahoma’s result in two scores. However a flag was thrown properly after the play started. The decision ended up being for unlawful touching, as officers stated Williams had been illegally coated up on the road of scrimmage.
Nevertheless, replays confirmed that Williams was the one receiver on his facet of the sphere lined up on the road of scrimmage. With a good finish additionally on that facet of the formation, Alabama had seven gamers lined up on the ball with the 2 receivers flanking Williams every lined up behind the road.
To be clear, the decision isn’t the explanation Alabama misplaced. Three turnovers and the lack to run the ball are a lot greater elements.
Oklahoma did a incredible job preserving Milroe contained. His longest run of the sport was simply 11 yards. He was additionally ineffective as a passer and completed simply 11-of-26 passing for 164 yards. The three factors Alabama scored are the fewest any Crimson Tide workforce has scored since 2004.
The Sooners, in the meantime, are bowl-eligible with a sixth win and maintain alive a bowl streak that dates again to 1998.
What number of groups does the SEC get into the playoff?
Lacking the playoff will go down as a critical failure for Alabama in coach Kalen DeBoer’s first season changing Nick Saban. And it’s onerous to see how Alabama will get into the playoff barring much more chaos through the closing week of the common season.
Alabama now sits at 8-3 general and 4-3 within the SEC. The Crimson Tide are out of SEC title rivalry with 4 groups forward of them within the standings.
And people 4 groups — Texas, Texas A&M, Georgia and Tennessee — all have a lot clearer paths to the School Soccer Playoff, particularly if the Aggies beat the Longhorns and make the SEC title sport. The SEC entered Week 13 with six groups vying to make the postseason. Now that group is all the way down to 4.
Alabama must hope that Georgia loses to Georgia Tech or Tennessee falls to Vanderbilt in Week 14 whereas Texas takes down Texas A&M. That would go away one one-loss workforce within the SEC and not more than two two-loss groups. And that will not be sufficient to maintain Alabama in playoff rivalry barring what occurs within the ACC.
Beneath Saban, Alabama made the four-team playoff eight instances in 10 seasons. Within the first 12 months of the 12-team playoff, the Crimson Tide look poised to overlook out.
