NORMAN, Okla. -- Alabama quarterback Tyler Watts lay face down on the Oklahoma midfield logo, his face mask buried in the crimson grass and the searing September sun shining down on his uniform No. 14.

The stadium around him, a candy cane of Sooner crimson and cream, shook in jubilation as Eric Bassey's fumble return with 24 seconds remaining sealed No. 3 Oklahoma's 37-27 escape.

No doubt, Watts' anguish contrasted with the Sooner jubilation set the defining scene of a downright wild game. It also offered some insight to the future of both teams.

	Mark Clayton was one of the few bright spots on OU's offense with 129 yards receiving and 2 TDs.

For Oklahoma, the defensive touchdown showed how yet again in the Stoops era, a timely defense can overcome flaws. Despite losing starting quarterback Jason White for the season with an ACL tear, putting forth an embarrassing special teams effort and showing an impotent run game, OU showed how its D and few fortuitous bounces can fuel a national title run.

"We were lucky," said Stoops, who quickly pointed out that Alabama, even on probation, doesn't equal "East Popcorn State."

Bama coach Dennis Franchione's gutsy play calling and deft adjustments showed that probation era Crimson Tide will return to their feisty ways. And Watts, who Franchione pulled in the second quarter before he led a gutsy comeback, said he'll forever rue fumbling untouched with Triandos Luke open downfield and the Sooners trailing 30-27.

"The damn thing just slipped out of my hand," said Watts, who slogged off the field like he'd just finished a marathon. "If there's one play in my career I'd love to have back, it would be that one."

Instead, the 75,564 fans dispersed joyously into the arid Norman night, their beloved Sooners' fate quite similar to last season.

While running an option right with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter, sophomore quarterback Jason White attempted to turn the corner and tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee (he tore his left ACL at Nebraska last year).

So out trotted Nate Hybl, last year's starter when White went down, whose roasting became the offseason hobby for OU fans after the high crime of losing to Oklahoma State.

Again entrenched as starter, a role he defines as "pretty sweet," Hybl put forth a solid performance and engineered the game winning 80-yard drive. And again, the national title hopes of this football-crazed region will fall on the shoulders of the Georgia transfer.

The Sooners' utter lack of a run game also looked familiar. Despite the aggressive schemes imported by new running backs coach Kevin Wilson, the Sooners finished with minus-23 yards on 23 carries. A futile option game, Bama's staunch defensive line and six Tide sacks kept the Sooners on a treadmill all day.

But after Alabama seized a 27-23 lead in the fourth quarter, Hybl stayed calm and threw a huge third-and-10 pass to Antoine Savage to keep the game winning drive alive. Kejuan Jones scored from 8 yards out three plays later.

"I lost two games last year," said a fiery Hybl after the game. "You keep games in the back of your mind, and (last year) we couldn't get it done. We did today. We're going to grow from this."

Not if the special teams fail to improve, however. OU allowed Bama to recover two onside kicks, block two punts (one for a TD), block a field goal and also committed a litany of other gaffes like a 15-yard illegal block and a 26-yard shanked punt.

And while the Bassey's giant defensive play bailed out both the special teams and the run game, there's still some glaring holes. Alabama dominated the third quarter by running a series of counters and traps. They freed up the middle of the defense by lining up a wide receiver in the fullback position and putting him in motion, dragging a linebacker out of the middle of the OU defense.

After gaining just 64 net yards in the first half, Franchione's adjustment loosened up the defense, creating more second and shorts, allowing the field to loosen up for Watts (16-for-32 for 185) and the passing game.

Alabama ended up with 288 total yards on the day, even with two third-quarter holding penalties that stymied a drive and took away an Ahmaad Galloway touchdown. (That drive ended in Michael Ziifle missing 22-yard field goal.)

Stoops freely admitted that his defense, much like against Kansas State and North Carolina early last season, is fallible.

"Our national championship year, KU had us down and nobody thought we'd ever be able to cover a pass," he said. "By the end of the year, we were able to shut out Florida State. That's been our progression... But we at times helped Alabama by not being in the right position."

With a two-year bowl ban and 21 scholarships missing over the next three seasons, Franchione isn't in an ideal position (though, the sanctions are under appeal). But by calling an onside kick to start the game, which Bama recovered, and by scoring on a fake field goal, Franchione showed that the Tide's predicament will not effect its competitiveness. He coached with a controlled recklessness the whole game, compensating the clear talent gap with savvy adjustments and gutsy calls.

Franchione told the team on the bus ride to the airport in Tuscaloosa the plan to onside the opening kick, sending a wave of excitement through the team. And while he called the underdog moves "calculated," they clearly sent a strong message.

Setting a tone for the rest of the season, Franchione wasn't smiling in the postgame.

"I don't believe in moral victories," he said. "I don't want to talk about that."