The Alabama Crimson Tide's defense held the Oklahoma Sooners to 16 points during the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night, but Ryan Grubb's offensive attack couldn't do its part in a 23-21 Week 12 loss that UAT couldn't afford.
Ty Simpson, who threw a pick-six to Sooners DB Eli Bowen to account for the other OU touchdown, shouldered blame for the loss. To be fair, though, his performance was otherwise sterling. As The Tuscaloosa News' Colin Gay noted, it was more on the guys who schemed the offense for him who are to blame.
Grubb wasn't mentioned by name, but Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was -- specifically, his pregame energy being there, but gamesmanship lacking against a Brent Venables-led defense that had more answers.
"The same Alabama offense showed up against Oklahoma: the one-dimensional passing game paired with a run game that saw improvement, thanks to Daniel Hill, but still looked to be an afterthought. The brunt of production was on Ty Simpson’s shoulders — and Simpson hurt Alabama, from his second interception of the season, which was returned 87 yards for a score, to a strip sack that eventually gave the Sooners a slim lead. And when Alabama needed Simpson most, Simpson failed to step up," Gay wrote, while grading the Crimson Tide offense a "D."
"Kalen DeBoer was fired up, taking his fury out on the goal post three times before taking the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. There was seemingly no question that Alabama was up for the Sooners. The problem, for the second straight week, was with an offense unable to answer to an exceptional defensive performance," Gay added, while grading Alabama's coaching staff a "C-."
"In its last chance at revenge after home wins against Vanderbilt and Tennessee, Alabama was unable to complete the trifecta, leaving more questions about the Crimson Tide's staying power in the CFP moving forward."
Auburn is a live dog against Alabama in the Iron Bowl
While Alabama's defense showed out, the offense was ineffective enough -- with a stalled run game and an overreliance on Simpson -- to give Auburn Tiger fans hope that the Iron Bowl can finally go to the good guys this year. The last time AU won the regular season finale was in 2019, when the Tigers ended the Crimson Tide's College Football Playoff bid.
Could history repeat itself? While Ashton Daniels is no Bo Nix, many could've been fooled scanning the box score from Auburn's 45-38 overtime loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville last weekend.
Jordan-Hare Stadium hasn't seen a DJ Durkin-coached team yet. Perhaps the team's one chance against an SEC opponent this season on the Plains could speak volumes to his candidacy as head coach in the team's ongoing coaching search.