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eli lederman
Norman, Okla. – Returning to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019, No. 8 oklahoma Earned an undeserved distinction on Friday night. After losing a profit of 17 points in lost 34-24 till number 9 alabamaThe Sooners now have the two largest leads in playoff history.
On Nov. 15, a month after Crimson Tide mistakes led to Oklahoma’s 2025 season-defining win, Alabama flipped the script inside Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, feasting on quarterback errors. john mater And the Sooners’ special teams swept the hosts in the first round of the CFP and booked a date in the Rose Bowl quarterfinals with the No. 1 seed. Indiana On 1 January.
After falling behind 17–0 early in the second quarter, the Crimson Tide scored on five of their next seven possessions and scored 27 unanswered points to equal the largest comeback in CFP history, overcoming a 17-point deficit. Georgia Oklahoma came out on top in a double-overtime, Rose Bowl thriller on New Year’s Day 2018. According to ESPN Research, teams leading by 17 or more in CFP games are 28–2 all time. Both losses are to the Sooners.
Additionally, Friday’s result marked the program’s second-largest home win since Oklahoma Memorial Stadium opened in 1923. Without a win in five playoff trips since 2015, Oklahoma now has more losses than any program in CFP history.
“Despite some incredibly important mistakes, we had the ability and the opportunities to overcome it all, even in the last several minutes of the game,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. “But it wasn’t in the plan for us tonight.”
The team motto the Sooners adopted this fall was “Hard to Kill.” The same night rap legend 50 Cent performed inside Oklahoma Memorial Stadium with the words written on his sweater, the Sooners buried themselves with a parade of mistakes.
An Oklahoma offense that started in the postseason was ranked 90th nationally on three of its first four possessions. wide receiver by time Isaiah Sategna III A 7-yard touchdown catch from Miter with 10:51 remaining in the second quarter took a 17–0 lead, the Sooners had three consecutive three-and-outs and were trailing Alabama 135–12.
After Alabama responded with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, the dynamics of the second meeting between the two programs in the last 34 days came down to three plays.
Facing third-and-3 from midfield, Miter dodged a sack and rolled out of the pocket with open space in front of him. He could run for a first down. Instead, Miter fired more than 40 yards downfield to the running back. Xavier RobinsonWho failed to advance in the throw. On the next snap, the Oklahoma punter grayson miller Missed his punt attempt and turned the ball over on downs, setting the stage for Alabama’s 35-yard field goal Connor Talty Due to which the lead became 17-10.
“Field position is very important for their defense against that Oklahoma team, so that was huge,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “It was a really big deal for us.”
On the ensuing series, Alabama showed a disguised defensive look that appeared to confuse Miter. Coverage with safety and dropped into Oklahoma wide receiver Keontez Lewis Heading downfield, Miter, inexplicably, fired at none other than Alabama’s defensive back zbn brownWho intercepted the pass and raced down the Sooners’ sideline for a 50-yard pick-six.
Suddenly, the game was tied at 17–17 with 1:18 remaining in the second quarter. Of the 15 teams to trail by at least 17 in the first half of a CFP game, the Crimson Tide became the first team not to trail in their last two games, courtesy of Miter’s fourth interception.
“I was cheated and it’s very bad,” Mateer said. “I mean, you watch the tape. It was clear it wasn’t Cover 0. I got cheated, and that happens sometimes. But when you get cheated, you have to minimize the damage, and I didn’t do that.”
DeBoer described Alabama’s first-round win as “the opposite of the first game at home.” In fact, the Crimson Tide was statistically dominant in Oklahoma’s 23-21 win in Tuscaloosa last month. But the Sooners took advantage of the mistakes to get a signature win.
The roles were reversed in Friday’s rematch. second-half touchdown Lotzeer Brooks And Daniel Hill Gave the Crimson Tide a 34-24 lead with 7:24 remaining. Attempting to close the gap, Oklahoma reached field goal position twice in the final three minutes, setting the stage for the Lou Groza Award winner. tate sandellWho had converted each of his last 24 field goal attempts.
Battling strong winds, Sandell fired the first attempt – 36-yards – wide left. Ninety seconds later, he missed a 51-yard attempt, his first miss by 50-plus yards this season.
Sandell’s pair of misses were the final markers of a night that ended going Oklahoma’s way after a torrid opening 20 minutes. after a great win Tennessee and Alabama in November, and a similar surprise appearance by 50 Cent in Norman on Friday night, the Sooners’ magic ended, with Alabama ultimately beating them at their own game.
“When we needed to, we couldn’t get one out like we’ve done in a lot of other games this year,” Venables said.
