Oklahoma’s Alabama Winning Streak a Rare Accomplishment Against the Crimson Tide

Oklahoma is looking to make some history when it takes on Alabama on Friday in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.

The Sooners and Crimson Tide square off at 7 p.m. Friday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on ABC.

A win would not only boost the Sooners into the quarterfinals, but would give them three consecutive victories over the Crimson Tide.

OU beat Alabama 24-3 last season in Norman and 23-21 earlier this season in Tuscaloosa.

Since 1960, only 12 programs have beaten the Crimson Tide in three consecutive meetings and only one such streak included a win over Alabama following Nick Saban’s first season in 2007 when the Crimson Tide went 7-6.

That streak? 

Another Sooners’ winning streak in the series, which included pre-Saban wins in 2002 and 2003 and the Trevor Knight-led Sugar Bowl win as part of the 2013 season.

In the last 65 seasons, the Sooners were only the second non-conference team to knock off Alabama in three consecutive meetings, joining Texas, which beat the Crimson Tide in 1981, 1972 and 1964.

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Now, OU has a chance to repeat the streak, but this time as part of the SEC and in a do-or-die situation.

The other most recent three-game winning streaks against the Tide were Auburn (six consecutive from 2002-07), LSU (five straight from 2003-07) and Georgia (three straight in 2003-03 and 2007).

Alabama had won 10 or more games every season since that 2007 season before last year’s team finished 9-4.

OU is 5-2-1 against the Crimson Tide all-time.

Only a handful of other programs that have played Alabama more than once have a winning record against the Tide.

Texas is 8-2-1 vs. the Crimson Tide, while Notre Dame is 5-3 and Michigan is 4-3.

The only other programs with a winning record against Alabama in more than one meeting are the Birmingham Athletic Club (3-2), Boston College (3-1), Louisiana Tech (3-2), Rice (3-0), TCU (3-2) and UCLA (2-1).

Alabama is, by any measure, one of the most successful programs in college football history, claiming 18 national championships and four Heisman Trophy winners.

Of course, the Sooners are one of the few programs that can measure up to that, with several national titles and seven Heisman winners.

No team has beaten Alabama twice in the same season.

“Obviously we have tendencies. They have tendencies,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. “They have certain matchups they like. We have certain matchups we like. At the end of the day, you can throw all that out. It’s time to start completely over. All that matters is what you do here moving forward.