Alabama scores 27 straight points to stun Oklahoma 34-24 and advance to Rose Bowl vs. Indiana
- - Alabama scores 27 straight points to stun Oklahoma 34-24 and advance to Rose Bowl vs. Indiana
Nick Bromberg December 19, 2025 at 11:12 PM
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Alabama receiver Lotzeir Brooks runs away from an Oklahoma defender after making a catch during Friday's College Football Playoff in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) (Brian Bahr via Getty Images)
No. 9 Alabama ripped off 27 straight points after a horrific start to beat No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday night.
The Sooners led 17-0 with 10:51 to go in the second quarter after John Mateer hit Isaiah Sategna III for a 7-yard score. Less than 10 minutes later, Alabama had the game tied at 17-17 in the midst of a flurry that stretched through the third quarter.
After Oklahoma cut Alabama’s lead to three at the start of the fourth quarter, the Tide pushed the lead back to 10 on a 6-yard TD run by Daniel Hill with less than 7:30 to go. His touchdown was set up by Germie Bernard’s incredible catch as Bernard reached over an Oklahoma defender’s helmet to set up first-and-goal.
GERMIE BERNARD WITH WHAT MAY BE THE CATCH OF THE YEAR 🤯 pic.twitter.com/wtnW47NkF5
— College Football Report (@CFBReport) December 20, 2025
Oklahoma (10-3) promptly went three-and-out after Hill’s TD. The Sooners had the faintest of hopes with just under three minutes left but kicker Tate Sandell — the Lou Groza Award winner for best kicker — missed just his second field goal of the season as OU tried to cut Alabama’s lead to one possession.
Given the way the game started, it was once impossible to envision how Oklahoma was going to need a comeback. But the Sooners’ disastrous second quarter let Alabama back into the game.
The Crimson Tide (11-3) will face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
How Oklahoma unraveled
The Tide had 12 yards on their first three possessions and didn’t get their first first down of the game until they trailed by 17 points. But that first down came on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a 10-yard TD pass from Ty Simpson to Lotzeir Brooks.
Oklahoma had a great chance to push the lead back to 17 points as Mateer escaped the pocket on third down and had a wide-open Xavier Robinson downfield. But Mateer’s pass went through Robinson’s hands. Robinson might have scored a TD had he caught the pass. At worst, Oklahoma would have been in the red zone.
Gotta catch that pic.twitter.com/TWK8xeMZ9K
— NFL Paint (@NFLPaint) December 20, 2025
Things immediately got worse after the drop. As Oklahoma punted the ball to the Tide on the next play, reliable punter Grayson Miller simply dropped the ball as he went to kick it. The drop resulted in a blocked punt and an Alabama field goal to cut the lead to seven points.
BLOCKED ❌📺ABC/ESPN pic.twitter.com/T2CJTkyTyg
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) December 20, 2025
Four plays after the field goal, Alabama had the game tied. Mateer clearly got confused by Alabama’s coverage and threw a pass straight into the arms of a wide-open Zabien Brown. The problem, of course, was that Brown is an Alabama defensive back and not an Oklahoma receiver, and he ran 50 yards the other way for a pick-6.
GIMME THAT!!! 😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/zubvWHDdYt
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) December 20, 2025
The Tide found themselves tied at halftime despite having minus-3 rushing yards and just 100 total yards in the first half.
And they took their first lead of the game with 11:21 to go in the third when Brooks caught his second touchdown of the game.
Oklahoma took down Alabama in November
Friday night’s box score had a lot of similarities to the stats from Oklahoma’s win in Tuscaloosa in November. But with the teams flipped.
The Sooners had just 212 yards of offense in their 23-21 win over Alabama — a game that essentially put Oklahoma in the playoff and gave the Sooners home-field advantage on Friday night. They forced three Alabama turnovers in that game and got a pick-6 themselves, as Alabama significantly outgained Oklahoma.
This time, Oklahoma had 98 more yards than Alabama. But it was Alabama that took advantage of special teams mistakes and got a defensive touchdown.
Alabama officially finished with just 28 rushing yards after sacks and kneel downs. Even taking out QB Ty Simpson’s minus-22 rushing yards and the kneel downs, Hill and Jam Miller combined to have just 16 carries for 54 yards. And 30 of those yards came on one run by Hill.
Simpson finished the game 18-of-29 passing for 232 yards and the two TD passes to Brooks. The freshman receiver had five catches for 79 yards.
A bitter end for the Sooners
No one mistook Oklahoma for a national title favorite entering the College Football Playoff. But the Sooners closed as favorites on Friday night and, in the game’s early stages, the offense looked the best it had since Mateer broke his hand late in the Week 4 win over Auburn.
Instead, Oklahoma found itself in a familiar position of being unable to run the ball as well. The Sooners had to rely a lot on Mateer to make plays with his feet. After the pass rush was nonexistent in the first half, Alabama cranked the pressure up in the second and finished with five sacks of Mateer as he ended up with 19 rushing attempts for 15 yards. Mateer was 26-of-41 passing for 307 yards and two touchdowns.
With Mateer’s eligibility now up after his one season in Norman after transferring from Washington State, Oklahoma will be looking for a new quarterback ahead of the 2026 season. Will the Sooners dip into the transfer market for a QB for the second straight season? Will Michael Hawkins get the chance to be the Week 1 starter after starting games in each of his first two seasons at OU?
No matter who plays QB, Oklahoma has to be better on offense. Coach Brent Venables’ defense was elite. But the ceiling of this Oklahoma team was ultimately limited by its offense.
See how it all played out below:
Live54 updates -
FeaturedFri, December 19, 2025 at 7:00 PM ESTYahoo Sports Staff
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:41 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffFinal: Alabama 34, Oklahoma 24
Oklahoma scored the first 17 points of the game and then it was almost all Alabama from there.
What a win for Kalen DeBoer and the Tide.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:40 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffOKLAHOMA MISSES ANOTHER FG!
Yup, this one is over. OU’s Tate Sandell just left a 51-yarder short and Alabama will be able to run the clock out from here.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:37 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffAlabama punts it away
The Tide were held on the ensuing possession and punted it back to Oklahoma with less than 2 minutes left in the game.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:30 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffOKLAHOMA MISSES FIELD GOAL!
This thing is all but over after Tate Sandell missed a 36-yard field goal with just under 3 minutes left.
Wow pic.twitter.com/lMpkGu7r4A
— NFL Paint (@NFLPaint) December 20, 2025
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:27 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffOU into the red zone
Facing a fourth-and-5, John Mateer found Isaiah Sategna III on a long pass and they’re inside the 20 now.
The Sooners need something out of this drive. There’s just 3 minutes left in the game.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:23 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffAlabama punts it right back
Oklahoma’s defense did its job and Brent Venables used two of the Sooners’ timeouts, so they got the ball back with minimal time running off the clock.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:15 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffOklahoma forced to punt
John Mateer ate a sack deep in OU territory on third down and the Sooners have to give it right back to Alabama.
There’s just 5:55 left in the game and it feels like it’s over for Oklahoma.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:11 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffTouchdown Alabama!
Alabama is into the end zone after Daniel Hill fought his way through several tackles for a touchdown to make it a two-score game.
Alabama 34, Oklahoma 24
DANIEL HILL pic.twitter.com/memx4TxnD3
— NFL Paint (@NFLPaint) December 20, 2025
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:08 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffGermie Bernard makes miraculous catch
Alabama’s star receiver just pulled down one of the best catches you’ll ever see to get the Tide to the OU 5-yard line.
germie bernard; alabama vs oklahoma pic.twitter.com/n0G3EAIBgn
— ◇ (@F0RGIAT0) December 20, 2025
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 11:04 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffOU punts it away
The Tide will have the ball back with great field position at the OU 35 after a shank by Oklahoma’s punter.
There’s just 9:20 left in the game.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:58 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffAlabama forced to punt
The Tide went backwards from there after a third-down sack and had to punt it away to the Sooners, who will have the ball back at their own 7.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:56 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffAlabama hits on deep ball
The Tide are over midfield in a blink after a long completion from Ty Simpson to Isaiah Horton for 37 yards. They’re almost in scoring range already.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:52 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffTOUCHDOWN OKLAHOMA!
It’s a 37-yard strike from John Mateer to Deion Burks over the middle and the Sooners are right back in this thing as the fourth quarter gets underway!
Alabama 27, Oklahoma 24
deion burks touchdown; alabama vs oklahoma pic.twitter.com/9Uta6r4OTl
— ◇ (@F0RGIAT0) December 20, 2025
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:46 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffEnd of Q3: Bama 27, OU 17
The Sooners have the ball at midfield as we head to the final quarter.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:37 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffAlabama adds field goal
The Tide couldn’t find the end zone but it’s a double-digit lead nonetheless after another field goal by Conor Talty.
Alabama 27, Oklahoma 17
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:34 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffAlabama on the march
The Tide are over midfield and nearing the red zone again as we hit the midway point in the third quarter.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:28 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffOU punts it back to Bama
The Crimson Tide have it right back after a quick three-and-out by the Sooners.
This game has turned on a dime since that first TD by Lotzeir Brooks. Oklahoma has fallen apart.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:23 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffTouchdown Alabama!
The Crimson Tide have taken the lead! It’s Lotzeir Brooks again with a 30-yard touchdown catch from Ty Simpson.
The freshman hadn’t had a TD all season, but he now has two in Alabama’s biggest game of the year.
Alabama 24, Oklahoma 17
BAMA FOR THE LEAD!! pic.twitter.com/UOGo2K2sSJ
— College Football Zone (@CollegeFBonX) December 20, 2025
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:18 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffAlabama gets it back with good field position
The Sooners had a quick possession of their own and punted it away, but an ill-timed late hit by OU on the ensuing punt return will give the ball back to the Crimson Tide near midfield.
- Fri, December 19, 2025 at 10:11 PM ESTYahoo Sports StaffQuick punt for Alabama
Ty Simpson had Ryan Williams open along the sideline, but the wide receiver dropped another one and the Tide had to punt it away.
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Source: “AOL Sports”
