CFN: Oklahoma vs Alabama Prediction: The Curveball SEC and CFP Showdown

Idk how much truth there is to it but it really does feel like we play an absurd amount of teams coming off a bye year in and year out.

Also, we NEVER get a rest advantage. Whenever we have a bye before a game the other team seems to ALWAYS also have a bye.

Anyway, I'll definitely take any win. I need us to win this game since I'm spending the whole day with my wife's family
 
Idk how much truth there is to it but it really does feel like we play an absurd amount of teams coming off a bye year in and year out.

Also, we NEVER get a rest advantage. Whenever we have a bye before a game the other team seems to ALWAYS also have a bye.

Anyway, I'll definitely take any win. I need us to win this game since I'm spending the whole day with my wife's family
Georgia, Missouri, USC, LSU and Oklahoma all had byes begore Bama. Auburn has a bye this week, but they will be preparing for us even with Mercer on Nov. 22.
 
Georgia, Missouri, USC, LSU and Oklahoma all had byes begore Bama. Auburn has a bye this week, but they will be preparing for us even with Mercer on Nov. 22.

It seems like this happens a lot too.

Both teams do usually play that late FCS matchup the same week and right before the IB but you are 100% correct they prepare for Us with that time.

In this case though yeah they will have been preparing for us for 3 weeks straight.
 
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I am going to go against the grain here. Many seem to think that we desperately need a ground attack vs. Oklahoma. I respectfully disagree. Last season, the Sooners ganged up on the LOS, took away the run, and dared us to pass. The problem was Milroe. Great kid, lousy passer. He had 11 completions in 27 attempts for 164 yards with 3 interceptions. Oklahoma cannot dare Ty to throw. If Ty reverts to form and they crowd the LOS he will rip them apart and THEN we will run successfully.

Given the way our defense is shaping up, I'm looking at an admittedly optimistic:
Crimson Tide 37 - Sooners 17

ROLL TIDE 4EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Exactly - including one pick six and one that was returned to the 14 resulting in a very short field TD drive.
 
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It seems like this happens a lot too.

Both teams do usually play that late FCS matchup the same week and right before the IB but you are 100% correct they prepare for Us with that time.

In this case though yeah they will have been preparing for us for 3 weeks straight.


Auburn Off Week Before Playing Alabama History (Modern Era 1948-2025)
Alabama Result


Both teams had AT LEAST ONE week off prior to the Iron Bowl every year from 1964-1972, 1974-77,1979-82, 1984-1992. Auburn had TWO WEEKS off in 1966. Both teams were also off in 2008, which Alabama won. In those 27 games, Alabama leads, 19-8.

I will exclude 2020 because teams had unplanned weeks off due to positive Covid tests.


1973 - Alabama played #7 LSU on Thanksgiving Day while Auburn was off, W

1978 - Alabama had two weeks off, Auburn one, W
(Alabama and Nebraska had originally been scheduled to play each other on November 25. But Nebraska didn't want to face Alabama right after playing Oklahoma and Mizzou (8-4 Liberty Bowl winners that year who beat Notre Dame, Nebraska, and put up a fight with Alabama), so when ABC offered both teams a prime time Saturday slot to open the year, they took it. Nebraska's entire schedule was a three-game season and they didn't want to play all 3 in 3 weeks. Good thing since both of their losses in the regular season were those two teams).

1983 - Auburn had two weeks off, Alabama played on the road at #15 Boston College, L

Teams not having the week off prior to the Iron Bowl appears to have really begun with SEC expansion in 1992. In fact, there were complaints about how it was unfair that Alabama's schedule (and other West teams, but Alabama was the one usually winning) had a built-in week off prior to the SECCG in 1993-99 while Florida had to face powerful FSU and the SECCG back-to-back in 1992-96, which resulted in that game being moved up a week.

2000 - Auburn had off week, Alabama played Mississippi State, who was pretty good back then, L

2007 - Auburn off week, Alabama was busy throwing the game to ULM, L

2009 - Auburn off week, Alabama played UTC, Strug-gle WIN

2010 - Auburn off week, Alabama moved up Ga State game, L

2013 - Auburn off week, Alabama played UTC, L

Now.....there's no way we were going to beat them in 2000, but the other games here are quite interesting. I remain convinced the best thing that ever happened for Auburn in 2013 was they had a week to come down from the Georgia miracle before facing us.

But note for the record that 2 of Auburn's 4 most recent triumphs against us occurred with rest advantage.
 
Back a few years ago, each and every one of our conference foes had a bye before us. Kramer may have been the commissioner then. Saban actually got in his car and drove up to the SEC office and confronted the commissioner (again, I think Kramer, who hated us). Schedules were jiggled around and it didn't happen again. Now, it sounds like it's settling back in that direction again...
 
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I am going to go against the grain here. Many seem to think that we desperately need a ground attack vs. Oklahoma. I respectfully disagree. Last season, the Sooners ganged up on the LOS, took away the run, and dared us to pass. The problem was Milroe. Great kid, lousy passer. He had 11 completions in 27 attempts for 164 yards with 3 interceptions. Oklahoma cannot dare Ty to throw. If Ty reverts to form and they crowd the LOS he will rip them apart and THEN we will run successfully.

Given the way our defense is shaping up, I'm looking at an admittedly optimistic:
Crimson Tide 37 - Sooners 17

ROLL TIDE 4EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Josh Pate had the exact opposite take. "Concede that Oklahoma has a great run defense. Bama has a poor running attack. So what? Bama has been winning without a running attack anyway." There is a certain logic to that.
Having said that, I always like an unstoppable rushing attack because it lets my team control the game and ultimately demoralizes the opponent. The game has changed, however, and those days are gone, at least for now.

If Bama's o-line pass blocks well enough to keep Ty Simpson's jersey clean, Bama will win.
 
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Back a few years ago, each and every one of our conference foes had a bye before us. Kramer may have been the commissioner then. Saban actually got in his car and drove up to the SEC office and confronted the commissioner (again, I think Kramer, who hated us). Schedules were jiggled around and it didn't happen again. Now, it sounds like it's settling back in that direction again...
Yup, 2010. Six straight SEC opponents had the week off, as did Ga State, so Bama played seven games in a row where the team had the week off before. Thanks, Mike Slive.
 
Josh Pate had the exact opposite take. "Concede that Oklahoma has a great run defense. Bama has a poor running attack. So what? Bama has been winning without a running attack anyway." There is a certain logic to that.
Having said that, I always like an unstoppable rushing attack because it lets my team control the game and ultimately demoralizes the opponent. The game has changed, however, and those days are gone, at least for now.

If Bama's o-line pass blocks well enough to keep Ty Simpson's jersey clean, Bama will win.
I liked the old school run oriented football too, but as you say; the game has changed. It is easier to run block than to pass block. On running plays, the OL knows the count and fires out at the opponent. On pass plays the OL is often backing up and taking hits, so I'm not sure what the problem with our run blocking is. It looks to me as if the RG is getting stacked up but I'm no expert.

Last season Oklahoma stacked the LOS and dared Milroe to pass, which he was unable to do and we got slaughtered. I'm hoping that Ty will light them up like a Christmas Tree. Then the running game will take care of itself.

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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I liked the old school run oriented football too, but as you say; the game has changed. It is easier to run block than to pass block. On running plays, the OL knows the count and fires out at the opponent. On pass plays the OL is often backing up and taking hits, so I'm not sure what the problem with our run blocking is. It looks to me as if the RG is getting stacked up but I'm no expert.

Last season Oklahoma stacked the LOS and dared Milroe to pass, which he was unable to do and we got slaughtered. I'm hoping that Ty will light them up like a Christmas Tree. Then the running game will take care of itself.

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think that Ty Simpson definiitely has the ability to light a defense up like a Christmas tree. The short to mid-range passing is his forte. (If he has a weakness, it might be his deep ball). Ty just needs a little pass blocking and playcalling emphasizing short passes.
 
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