Brent Venables scoffs at idea Alabama is 'falling,' previews SEC move

There’s been plenty of action in college football so far that has led to some sweeping conclusions, but Saturday night’s win by Texas over Alabama might have caused the most. Even Oklahoma coach Brent Venables was swept into the aftermath.

On Tuesday, a local reporter asked him what Texas rising and Alabama falling meant for the Sooners, who are headed to the SEC next season.

“I’m only kind of smirking because Alabama falling, I’m not sure,” Venables said, trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face. “Texas apparently, I did not see the game, apparently they played fantastic. You don’t just go into Bryant-Denny Stadium and win and not play pretty danged good, so credit to them. I don’t necessarily think that’s indicative of Texas falling… or, uh, Alabama falling. I don’t even know what to say. That doesn’t sound right. So I don’t know how to say it. My brain doesn’t think like that.”

It was the facial expression and the incredulousness at the idea of Alabama falling that said it all. Venables doesn’t seem to think the Crimson Tide are going anywhere in the short term.

Which means that his Oklahoma team will be dealing with Alabama sooner or later.

“Hey man, this is the league that we signed up for,” Venables said. “And this is college football, but those are two really good programs and Alabama’s been the gold standard for a long time. That doesn’t mean they’re not vulnerable to a great game and they came up on the short side of it. That’s the game, too.”

Venables didn’t get to watch the Alabama-Texas game but correctly surmised there were some key moments that could have swung the outcome.

“I’m sure there’s moments and plays in that game where they were punished for not doing X or Y or Z the right way and then, again, this is a game of performance and guys winning their matchups,” Venables said. “It sounds like Texas made some great plays. And no surprise, it sounded like it was a great game and great venue. Those are two teams right now that are, again, early in the season playing really well.”

As far as the notion that Alabama is falling off and thus won’t be as big a problem when Oklahoma gets to the SEC? Yeah, Brent Venables isn’t buying that one either.

Still smiling, he finished off his answer on the question.

“I don’t think it’s indicative necessarily that Alabama is going to fall off the face of college football, either,” he said. “They’ll respond, I’m sure of that.”