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F R I D A Y , J A N U A R Y 3 , 2014
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SUGAR CRASH
Oklahoma scores four touchdowns off Alabama turnovers; Crimson Tide ends season on sour note with Sugar Bowl loss
STAFF PHOTO | DUSTY COMPTON
Oklahoma defensive end Geneo Grissom (85) sacks Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron in the fourth quarter of the Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on Thursday. Oklahoma sacked McCarron seven times and forced five turnovers to beat Alabama 45-31.
McCarron throws for 387 yards; sacked season-high seven times By Cecil Hurt Sports Editor
STAFF PHOTO | ROBERT SUTTON
Despite the loss, Alabama freshman running back Derrick Henry had a career night, running for 100 yards on eight carries and a touchdown. He also had a 61-yard reception for a score.
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NEW ORLEANS | Instead of repairing the fl aws that ended the regular season at Auburn, the University of Alabama relived some of them and saw a few more exposed in the Sugar Bowl. No. 11 Oklahoma used a strong offensive performance Thursday night and capitalized on five Alabama turnovers — three in the fi rst half — to take a 45-31 win, dropping the Crimson Tide to 11-2 on the season and leaving Nick Saban and his staff with some serious work to do in the offseason. Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight, who was a mystery starter, came on to throw for four touchdowns — an Oklahoma bowl record — and lead an offensive effort that befuddled Alabama for most of the night. “We faced adversity all year, but Coach ( Josh) Heupel told us we
Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight
both had to be ready,” Knight said. “It was just fi nding that confidence and having faith in my lord, Jesus Christ. “We’ve been battling the underdog thing all year long, and it was good to come out and show that Oklahoma is back.” “The result we got tonight wasn’t what we wanted, but we learned some lessons from it,” Saban said. “As a team, we didn’t play well enough to win and Oklahoma outplayed us.” SEE T IDE | 3C
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Trevor Knight has career-night passing against Alabama
Tide special teams play fails to deliver
Grissom, Striker cap Sooner win in grand fashion.
Tide makes big plays, but turnovers prove costly
Interception, defensive lapses key to Alabama loss
OU’s 31 first-half points a rare feat against Alabama
Questions about the Tide’s Sugar Bowl performance answered
Despite loss, McCarron leaves as one of Tide’s all-time greats
“We’ve been battling the underdog thing all year long, and it was good to come out and show that Oklahoma is back.”
For video and a photo gallery of the Sugar Bowl, go to www.tidesports.com