3 burning questions answered as the Alabama Crimson Tide get ready for Oklahoma in Week 13 SEC showdown
The Alabama Crimson Tide are fighting for their College Football Playoff and SEC title lives this weekend. The Oklahoma Sooners are still trying to prove they belong among the elites in the conference. This is when legacies are made, and momentum is created. A win this weekend could propel either program toward a bright future. […]
The Alabama Crimson Tide are fighting for their College Football Playoff and SEC title lives this weekend. The Oklahoma Sooners are still trying to prove they belong among the elites in the conference. This is when legacies are made, and momentum is created. A win this weekend could propel either program toward a bright future.
However, the Crimson Tide must answer some key questions in order to win. We asked our own college football expert, AJ Schulte, three burning questions that Alabama must find the answer to in order to win.
How can Alabama win this game?
Which Oklahoma QB are you more confident in, and will we see him?
I still believe that their best option is Jackson Arnold this week. Venables has spoken at length about his leadership on the team, and as much as he has struggled, the offense looks better with him in recent weeks than it was during the few games Hawkins started.
Maybe they mix in Hawkins for some trick looks, but I’d expect them to keep with Arnold.
How worried are you about Oklahoma's injuries along the OL?
I’m not sure who will be out for this week on the offensive line, as the injury reports have yet to drop.
If Oklahoma has their starting two tackles in Jacob Sexton and Jake Taylor, I expect they’ll be able to hold up reasonably well, as the starters have been mostly fine this year. If not, things could get pretty dicey.
Oklahoma's corners have played well, so how can Alabama attack them?
Freshman cornerback Eli Bowen has been terrific this season, and it’s difficult to get much past him. The longest play he’s given up (and it feels like it’s been the only play he’s given up) was the prayer of a touchdown to Theo Wease last week, where there was a height difference of 5’9 versus 6’2 on an overthrown jump ball.
Naturally, Wease had the advantage. Unfortunately for Alabama, they don’t really have that kind of big-bodied player at receiver, so I would see about trying to exploit that matchup with a tight end split out wide. At the other cornerback spot, Oklahoma has been rotating Jacobe Johnson, Kani Walker, and Woodi Washington.
Johnson is a terrific athlete but has had a few technical lapses recently and might be able to be hit by double moves or crafty releases off of the line of scrimmage.
At the same time, Walker and Washington are good technicians but simply don’t possess the athleticism to keep up with speed on the outside. This is where Ryan Williams should mainly be attacking, as he matches up well against any of those three.
