MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Alabama set a new school record with 31 points in the first half of a bowl game. The previous record of 28 points was set in the 1983 Sun Bowl against SMU and tied in the 2011 Capital One Bowl against Michigan State.
Alabama scored 21 points in the first quarter, the most in the history of the Orange Bowl.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma was held to just 10 points at the break. The Sooners had broke double digits in the first half in every other game this season. It did so in the first quarter in all but three games, too.
The lowest score Oklahoma went into halftime with was 17 points against Texas during the regular season. Alabama’s low was 10 points against The Citadel. Oklahoma lost that game. Alabama won.
Tidebits
Alabama’s permanent captains represented the Crimson Tide at the coin flip. Senior running back Damien Harris, senior tight end Hale Hentges, senior outside linebacker Christian Miller and senior center Ross Pierschbacher took the field together. … Former Alabama running back Shaun Alexander was inducted into the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. He had 25 carries for 161 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-34 loss to Michigan in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2000. … Oklahoma won the toss and elected to defer. Alabama is 7-7 in coin tosses this season. The Crimson Tide has elected to receive on four of the occasions on which it won the toss. … Attendance was announced at 66,203.. … Alabama is now 6-2 all-time in the College Football Playoff. … Coach Nick Saban now has 82 wins against AP Top 25 teams, tied with Bobby Bowden for 2nd most all time. … Oklahoma kicker Austin Seibert set a new NCAA scoring record for kickers on a third-quarter field goal that gave him 496 career points.
Staff Writer Terrin Waack contributed to this story. Reach Ben Jones at ben@tidesports.com or 205-722-0196.
