Alabama players getting their ‘minds right’ for Oklahoma after taking them for granted in 2024

Ty Simpson feels Alabama football looked over Oklahoma last season and took them for granted before the Sooners defeated the Tide 24-3 in Norman.

The loss ultimately doomed Alabama’s playoff hopes. It was the team’s worst performance of an up-and-down 2024 football season.

Alabama now has an opportunity to avenge the defeat Saturday at home. Unlike last season, both teams are still fighting for a playoff spot this time around.

Ty Simpson looked back at last year’s game while talking to reporters on Saturday night after the Tide defeated LSU.

“They were in a vulnerable position as well,” Simpson said. “They were fighting for a bowl game or something like that, so they had nothing to lose, and we kind of took them for granted. So, that’s kind of how our mindset was that we were just gonna go in there and steamroll them and that wasn’t it at all. In the SEC, everybody knows this, that every game’s gonna be a hard game. So, we’re going to make sure that we get our minds right tomorrow.”

Simpson also feels last year’s game had a spooky feel to it.

“Just that whole game of how it felt and just felt spooky to be honest with you,” Simpson said. “And I don’t want to have that feeling again this year, especially at our house. A lot at stake and it’s definitely, you know, we’re not gonna think about it and make it about it, but it’ll always be remembered.”

Alabama is now set to put in the work needed to prepare for an Oklahoma Sooners team that can not afford another loss.