Norman, Okla. — Alabama’s resilience finally broke Oklahoma.
Quarterback Ty Simpson threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns as the No. 9 seed Crimson Tide erased a 17-point hole and surged past No. 8 Oklahoma, 34-24, on Friday night in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.
After a sluggish start that saw Alabama pinned down early, the Crimson Tide flipped the game by scoring 27 unanswered points, turning a raucous road environment into a stunned silence inside Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our guys,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “The resilience has been there all season, and it showed again tonight. We stayed patient, stayed together, and took it one possession at a time.”
Oklahoma strikes first
The Sooners controlled the opening quarter, outgaining Alabama 118-12 and setting the tone with a 51-yard field goal from Tate Sandell, the Lou Groza Award winner, to go up 10-0. Sandell’s kick tied the FBS single-season record for made field goals of 50 yards or more with his eighth.
Oklahoma extended the lead early in the second quarter when quarterback John Mateer found Isaiah Sategna for a 6-yard touchdown, pushing the advantage to 17-0 and putting Alabama on the brink.
Tide turns before halftime
Alabama finally found life midway through the second quarter. Simpson connected with freshman Lotzeir Brooks on a 10-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 17-7. Moments later, the game swung completely when defensive back Zabien Brown jumped a pass and returned the interception 50 yards for a touchdown, tying the score before halftime.
From that point on, momentum belonged entirely to the Crimson Tide.
Brooks sparks the comeback
Brooks, who had not scored a touchdown during the regular season, delivered the performance of his young career. He finished with five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns, including a 30-yard score early in the third quarter that gave Alabama its first lead.
A 40-yard field goal by Conor Talty stretched the lead to 27-17, completing a stunning 27-0 run by Alabama.
“There was never any doubt,” Simpson said. “Seventeen points doesn’t feel like much with the guys we have. We knew if we kept executing, things would turn.”
Late push falls short
Oklahoma responded early in the fourth quarter when Mateer hit Deion Burks on a 37-yard touchdown pass to make it 27-24. Burks finished with seven receptions for 107 yards and a score, while Mateer threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns.
But special teams issues plagued the Sooners down the stretch. Sandell, perfect all season, missed consecutive field goals from 36 and 51 yards in the final three minutes, sealing Oklahoma’s fate.
Earlier, a mishandled snap by All-SEC punter Grayson Miller led to a blocked punt and set up an Alabama field goal that helped fuel the comeback.
Looking ahead
The victory marked DeBoer’s first playoff win with Alabama since arriving from Washington. The Crimson Tide improved to 11-3 and advanced to face No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza in a quarterfinal matchup at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
Oklahoma finished 10-3 and was left to lament missed opportunities after dominating early but failing to finish.
“It was a really good football game with some great moments,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “But when it mattered most, we didn’t make the plays we needed.”
A strange soundtrack
The Sooners briefly regained energy late in the third quarter when 50 Cent’s “Many Men (Wish Death)” blared through the stadium — a hype song Oklahoma had leaned on in recent weeks. This time, the spark was short-lived, as Alabama quickly reasserted control and marched on in the playoff.
