Alabama tops OU in playoff game

On Friday night, the college football world descended upon Norman for a high-stakes rematch with everything on the line.

In a First Round College Football Playoff showdown at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, No. 9 Alabama overcame a disastrous start to stun No. 8 Oklahoma with a 34–24 comeback victory.

The win not only punched Alabama’s ticket to a Rose Bowl quarterfinal against No. 1 Indiana but also exorcised the demons of regular-season losses to the Sooners the past two seasons.

A Dominant Sooner Start

For the first twenty minutes, it appeared that Brent Venables and the Sooners were destined for their first-ever College Football Playoff victory. Riding the momentum of a raucous home crowd, Oklahoma’s defense stifled Alabama, forcing three consecutive three-and-outs to open the game.

The Sooners’ offense capitalized quickly. Quarterback John Mateer opened the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown scramble, followed by a 51-yard blast from Lou Groza Award-winning kicker Tate Sandell. When Mateer found Isaiah Sategna III for a 7-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, Oklahoma held a commanding 17–0 lead. At that moment, the Crimson Tide offense had managed only 12 total yards, and the Norman faithful were ready to celebrate a blowout.

The Tide Turns

The game’s complexion shifted on a single, catastrophic special teams error. Oklahoma punter Grayson Miller dropped a snap mid-second quarter; his hurried attempt to recover was blocked by Alabama’s Tim Keenan III, giving the Tide a short field. Alabama kicker Conor Talty converted a field goal to break the ice, but the real “atomic wedgie”—as some analysts described the momentum shift—was yet to come.

With under two minutes left in the half, the Tide trailed 17–10. Mateer, looking to extend the lead before the break, threw a late-out route that was jumped by Alabama sophomore cornerback Zabien Brown. Brown raced 50 yards for a pick-six, stunning the stadium and tying the game at 17–17. In a span of five minutes, Alabama had erased a three-possession lead without their offense having to drive the length of the field.

Simpson and Brooks Take Charge

In the second half, the Alabama offense finally found its rhythm under quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson, who finished with 232 passing yards and two touchdowns, developed an immediate connection with freshman wideout Lotzeir Brooks.

Brooks, who remarkably had not scored a touchdown during the entire regular season, became the game’s breakout star. He caught a 30-yard touchdown strike early in the third quarter to give Alabama its first lead at 24–17. After another Talty field goal pushed the lead to ten, Oklahoma’s John Mateer responded with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Deion Burks (who finished with 107 yards) to cut the deficit to 27–24 at the start of the fourth quarter.

However, the Alabama defense, led by a relentless pass rush that recorded five sacks, shut the door. Running back Daniel Hill capped a methodical drive with a 6-yard touchdown run with 7:24 remaining, extending the lead to 34–24.

Heartbreak for the Sooners

Oklahoma had two late opportunities to claw back into the game, but the night ended in uncharacteristic failure for their most reliable weapon. Tate Sandell, who had made 24 consecutive field goals entering the night, missed a 36-yard “chip shot” with three minutes left. He later missed a 51-yard attempt with just over a minute remaining, effectively ending the Sooners’ season.

“Resiliency has been our theme all year,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said after the game. “Down 17 on the road in this environment… I couldn’t be more proud of how they stayed the course.”

Key Statistics

The victory marks Kalen DeBoer’s first playoff win with Alabama and sets up a titan-clash in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day against Indiana and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. For Oklahoma, the loss leaves them 0–5 all-time in College Football Playoff games, despite a season that many considered a major step forward for the program.

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