Crimson Tide weather early storm, surge past Sooners in CFP opener

photo by lasvegassportsbetting.com

By Walker Johnson

Dec 20, 2025, 12:17AM

NORMAN — The No. 9 seed Alabama Crimson Tide opened the expanded College Football Playoff with a reminder of their postseason pedigree, overcoming an early deficit to defeat the No. 8 seed Oklahoma Sooners 34–24 in a first-round matchup that swung dramatically after halftime.

Oklahoma came out sharp and aggressive, feeding off the energy of the home crowd and John Mateer’s dynamics jumping out to a 17–0 first-quarter lead. The Sooners attacked Alabama’s defense vertically and capitalized on early mistakes, looking every bit like a team poised to pull off a playoff upset. Alabama struggled to find rhythm offensively in the opening quarter, misfiring on key third downs and failing to establish its running game.

The turning point came midway through the second quarter when Alabama finally found momentum on a gutsy fourth-down touchdown pass from Ty Simpson to Lotzeir Brooks, igniting a comeback that shifted control of the game. From there, the Tide’s defense began to assert itself, tightening coverage and forcing Oklahoma into tougher throws. A momentum-changing 50-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Zabien Brown tied the game and silenced the crowd, marking the moment Alabama seized control.

In the second half, Alabama’s balance proved decisive. The Tide leaned on methodical drives, mixing the run with efficient passing to wear down Oklahoma’s defense. Sustained possessions limited the Sooners’ opportunities, and Alabama’s physicality in the trenches began to show as the game wore on. Oklahoma managed a handful of explosive plays, including a long touchdown connection from John Mateer to Deion Brooks early in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t sustain drives consistently enough to keep pace.

Defensively, Alabama forced critical third-down stops late and prevented Oklahoma from mounting a final comeback push. Especially, considering the two late missed field goals by Tate Sandell which was very unlike his performance all season. The win showcased Alabama’s resilience, poise, and ability to adapt. These are qualities that have long defined the program in playoff settings. With the victory, Alabama advances to the Rose Bowl quarterfinal to face top-seeded Indiana, while Oklahoma’s season ends after a promising but ultimately incomplete playoff debut.