Even With His Pick Six, Oklahoma CB Eli Bowen Believes He Can Improve in Alabama Rematch

The Sooners' sophomore defensive back believes the OU defense can raise its play to another level in the CFP rematch with the Crimson Tide.

Oklahoma defensive back Eli Bowen runs an interception back in the Sooners' victory over Alabama last month. | Gary Cosby-Imagn Images

NORMAN — For many, an 87-yard pick-six to help topple Alabama would be a good day at the office. 

But Eli Bowen wants more. 

Oklahoma will take on the Crimson Tide again in the College Football Playoff after toppling the Tide 23-21 last month, and the sophomore cornerback believes he can still play much better.

“I didn’t have my best game besides some big plays the last time we played them,” Bowen said Wednesday. “I want to have an overall good game this time.”

His biggest play helped the Sooners put seven points on the board and take command of the game early, and it was his second interception against Alabama in as many games. 

Bowen also added five tackles and a pass breakup. 

As a unit, the defense held the Crimson Tide to 21 points on 75 plays, though Alabama did total 406 yards of offense. 

“For me, personally, and the rest of the defense, we didn’t have a great defensive game overall,” Bowen said. “We caused turnovers, which saved us. We didn’t have a highly detailed and executed game from the defensive side.”

Oklahoma defensive back Eli Bowen (23) drives Alabama wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks (17) out of bounds. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Tight end Josh Cuevas led Alabama with 80 receiving yards and a touchdown on six catches. 

Receiver Germie Bernard added 71 yards on seven catches, and Ryan Williams totaled 45 yards on three receptions. 

Bowen himself only allowed Bernard to make one catch on three targets when he was in coverage, per Pro Football Focus, and the only catch for Williams with Bowen in coverage resulted in a loss of a yard. 

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Bowen also allowed Isaiah Horton one catch for 15 yards on two targets, though he thinks he can play even better against Alabama’s star-studded receiver corps. 

“I know they’re all NFL-level talents at receiver,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for all the DBs, in general, just to play good against them and have good film against them because we know how talented they are.”

Despite the success in Tuscaloosa, Bowen said the OU defense was hard at work this week trying to correct the mistakes they made in the first matchup against the Crimson Tide so that the showing on Dec. 19 in Norman can be even better. 

“I feel like we’re focusing on fixing those mistakes and having a better game overall instead of just the matchup,” Bowen said. “Even some of the negative plays, there was a lot to learn from it because we didn’t have the right footwork or right alignment. It’s fixing the little mistakes to be even better next time.”