Last season, Eli Bowen announced his arrival on the national stage with a dominant performance in Oklahoma’s stunning 24-3 upset over Alabama. 

The freshman defensive back racked up four tackles, an interception, and a pass breakup, helping the Sooners hand the Crimson Tide one of their most lopsided losses in recent memory. 

Now, a year later, Bowen is back—and he’s taking Alabama’s decision to schedule Oklahoma as their homecoming opponent personally.

“They scheduled us for their homecoming game for a reason,” Bowen said this week, his tone laced with defiance. “You don’t just randomly schedule (homecoming).”

He’s not wrong. Alabama has a long history of padding its homecoming slate with winnable matchups. 

Last year, the Crimson Tide hosted Missouri—a team they were favored to beat by 16.5 points. The year before, Arkansas visited Tuscaloosa as 19.5-point underdogs. Both games ended in predictable wins. 

But this year? The Sooners roll into Bryant-Denny Stadium ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll, and oddsmakers have installed Oklahoma as just a 6.5-point underdog. That’s the closest homecoming spread Alabama has faced in years.

For Bowen and the Sooners, the slight only adds fuel to the fire.“We like playing away. We like being the villains,” Bowen said with a grin. “It’s fun.”

And why wouldn’t it be? Oklahoma has transformed into a road warrior under Brent Venables. The Sooners haven’t lost a true road game in nearly a full calendar year—their last defeat coming on November 30, 2024, against LSU. 

Since then, Oklahoma has knocked off South Carolina (October 18) and Tennessee (November 15) in hostile environments, proving they thrive when the crowd is against them.

This Saturday’s clash in Tuscaloosa marks the final true road test of the regular season. After facing Alabama, the Sooners close out with back-to-back home games against Missouri (November 22) and LSU (November 29). 

Unless they draw a first-round College Football Playoff road game, this weekend represents Oklahoma’s last chance to silence a rival fanbase on its own turf.

For Bowen, the matchup carries extra weight. A foot injury sidelined him through all of spring practice, fall camp, and the first month of the season. He spent weeks in a walking boot, watching from the sidelines as his teammates opened the year without him. 

Since returning in October, Bowen has appeared in five games, recording 11 tackles and one pass defended. The numbers are modest, but his impact is growing.

Last season, as a true freshman, Bowen earned Freshman All-American honors from ESPN after posting 30 tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception, and four pass breakups. 

His performance against Alabama was the defining moment—a breakout game that showcased his instincts, ball skills, and fearless physicality.

Now fully healthy, Bowen is eager to author a sequel.

The Sooners’ defense has been one of the stingiest in the SEC this season, allowing just 14.1 points per game, which is No. 7 in the country. 

With Bowen back patrolling the secondary alongside veterans like Robert Spears-Jennings, Gentry Williams and Peyton Bowen, Oklahoma has the playmakers to disrupt Alabama’s rhythm-dependent passing attack.

This isn’t just another game for Oklahoma. It’s a statement opportunity.Alabama may have circled this date expecting a celebratory homecoming coronation. 

Instead, they’ve invited a motivated, battle-tested Sooners squad that relishes the role of spoiler. Eli Bowen, in particular, has a score to settle—and a reputation to reclaim.

When the Sooners take the field in Tuscaloosa, they won’t just be playing for a win. They’ll be playing to remind the Crimson Tide that scheduling Oklahoma for homecoming was a mistake.

And if last year was any indication? Eli Bowen is more than capable of making Alabama regret it.