No. 9 seed Alabama Crimson Tide orchestrated a breathtaking late comeback to defeat No. 8 seed Oklahoma Sooners 34-24 in the first round of the College Football Playoff, advancing to the quarterfinals against No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl.
The Crimson Tide overcame a 17-0 second-quarter deficit, scoring 27 unanswered points in a dominant stretch that flipped the script on a raucous home crowd in Norman. Quarterback Ty Simpson threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns, while freshman wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks delivered a breakout performance with five catches for 79 yards and two scores—his first touchdowns of the season.
Momentum shifted dramatically before halftime. After Brooks‘ first touchdown cut the lead to 17-7, Alabama blocked an Oklahoma punt, leading to a field goal. Moments later, cornerback Zabien Brown intercepted quarterback John Mateer and returned it 50 yards for a pick-six, tying the game at 17-17 and igniting the Tide’s resurgence
Oklahoma briefly narrowed the gap to 27-24 in the fourth quarter on a long touchdown pass to Deion Burks, but Alabama responded with a touchdown run by Daniel Hill to restore a double-digit lead. The Sooners’ hopes faded when Lou Groza Award-winning kicker Tate Sandell missed two late field goals, sealing one of the largest collapses in CFP history.
This marks the biggest comeback in College Football Playoff history tied with Georgia’s 2018 rally against Oklahoma. Alabama avenged a regular-season loss to the Sooners and secured the first road win in the expanded 12-team playoff format, showcasing resilience under coach Kalen DeBoer.
The victory propels the Crimson Tide (11-3) to Pasadena for a New Year’s Day showdown, while Oklahoma ends its season at 10-3, remaining winless in five playoff appearances.
Alabama’s stunning late surge not only stunned Oklahoma but reaffirmed the program’s playoff pedigree, setting up an intriguing quarterfinal clash in one of college football’s most historic venues.
