The Oklahoma Sooners have one heck of a challenge on their hands this Saturday night when they take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama comes to town as the No. 7 team in the nation, hoping to solidify their place in the College Football Playoff field.

The Sooners are searching for that elusive sixth win. A win in either of their next two games gets Oklahoma to bowl eligibility and helps them finish the season on a high note. There’s no rewriting history for the 2024 season, but close it out with a win over Alabama or LSU or both and it’ll provide a little more optimism for the future.

To get you ready for the Sooners Week 13 matchup with the Crimson Tide, here are this week’s Sooners Wire Staff Predictions.

Staff Predictions for Oklahoma at Missouri

Oklahoma’s season has whittled down to just two games remaining, and both come against two of the SEC’s biggest brands. The Sooners will start with the Alabama Crimson Tide at home, the first time they’ve come to Norman since 2002.

Brent Venables coached in that game as a defensive coordinator. His defense will need to be the calling card on Saturday evening as Jalen Milroe and the Bama offense present problems primarily due to how the Crimson Tide can play off Mileoe’s dual-threat ability.

He’ll stay longer than needed in the pocket and is susceptible to sacks, which is where OU must capitalize.

Offensively, Oklahoma will find it hard to win through the air with a talented Bama secondary with players on the backend.

I want to believe Oklahoma musters up enough to scare Alabama, but the Sooners don’t have healthy horses for Kalen DeBoer’s team.

Alabama is playing for its College Football Playoff life, and that will be the difference. I think we see a reasonable effort in the first half, with the Sooners going into the half down less than ten, but Bama will right the ship and pull away in the fourth quarter.

Alabama 31, Oklahoma 13

Contact/Follow Bryant Crews

Up Next: More Sooners Wire Staff Predictions