Alabama v. Oklahoma (Sugar Bowl)

After a few years in which the UCFC was dominated by the likes of Clemson, West Virginia, and Baylor, we now have a match-up between two of the most glamorous teams in all of college football.  Consider these stats:

AP National Championships:
Alabama:  9 (1st all-time)
Oklahoma:  7 (3d all-time)

Total Wins:
Oklahoma:  841 (6th all-time)
Alabama:  838 (7th all-time)

Winning Percentage:
Oklahoma:  .719 (4th all-time)
Alabama:  .714 (7th all-time)

Weeks at AP No. 1:
Oklahoma:  101 (1st all-time)
Alabama:  71 (5th all-time)

UCFC Records:
Alabama:  29-13 (12th most victories in UCFC games)
Oklahoma:  27-16-1 (13th most victories in UCFC games)

Remarkably, these two teams have met only four previous times:

In 1963, Alabama beat Oklahoma 17-0 in the Orange Bowl.
In 1970, Alabama and Oklahoma played to a 24-24 tie in the Bluebonnet Bowl.  (Do remember the Bluebonnet Bowl?  I do.  Ten points for anyone who can remember which city hosted the Bluebonnet Bowl.)
In 2002 and 2003, Alabama and Oklahoma played a home-and-home series.  The Sooners won both games, beating Alabama 37-27 in Norman and 20-13 in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama and Oklahoma have never played for the UCFC.

I have no idea what's going to happen in this game.  The last time we saw Alabama, the Tide were suffering one of the most heart-breaking losses in college football history -- a devastating loss at Auburn that cost Alabama a chance to play for the National Championship.  The last time we saw Oklahoma, the Sooners pulled out a miraculous victory on the road against Oklahoma State to take the UCFC.  So Alabama is playing in a lesser game than it expected, while the Sooners are playing in a bigger game than most folks expected.  It's hard to say how this will affect the teams -- although it should be noted that the last time Nick Saban took Alabama to the Sugar Bowl, the Tide quickly fell behind Utah 21-0, and never recovered -- losing 31-17.

Vegas does not expect Saban and Alabama to come out flat this time.  In fact, Alabama is favored by 17 points in a game with an over-under line of 51.  That would translate into a 34-17 Alabama victory, and the return of the UCFC to the SEC.