When Alabama fell to Oklahoma earlier this season, emotions were already running high. But what happened after the final whistle added a little extra fuel to the fire. As workers roped off the midfield logo at Bryant-Denny Stadium-a routine postgame procedure-a group of Sooners decided to step over the rope and pose for photos smack in the middle of the Tide’s iconic logo.
It didn’t sit well. An Alabama staffer quickly intervened, ushering the Oklahoma players away from the spot. Words were exchanged, and while no penalties were handed out, the moment lingered-especially now, with a rematch looming in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked about the incident during his Monday press conference. His response? Measured, focused, and very much in line with the mindset he’s trying to instill in his team.
“I guess I wasn’t aware of that,” DeBoer said. “Now I am, so I’m gonna talk to our team about it.”
He acknowledged he’d seen “something” about the incident but made it clear that the Tide’s attention is locked in on the bigger picture.
“This is about our playoff game,” DeBoer continued. “We respect who they are as a football team.
They’ve obviously got the better side of things the last two times we played. And so that’s really where our focus is at.
It hasn’t even been a conversation in our meetings. This is win or go home.
We need to be giving everything we have to be at our best.”
And he’s right. Alabama had every opportunity to win the last matchup.
The Tide outgained Oklahoma in total yardage and moved the ball consistently, but three turnovers and a missed field goal proved costly. The result?
A narrow two-point loss-their first defeat at Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2023.
That kind of game sticks with you. And while the postgame logo moment might be the flashpoint fans latch onto, inside the locker room, the message is clear: don’t let emotion override execution.
Captain and defensive lineman Tim Keenan echoed that sentiment.
“We saw it,” Keenan said. “But we just can’t make it a personal battle. We just gotta address it and go play.”
Still, there’s no denying the motivation that comes from feeling disrespected-especially on your home turf. Linebacker Justin Jefferson didn’t mince words when asked about the Sooners’ postgame antics.
“That type of disrespect will be addressed on the field,” Jefferson said. “We’ve got to go give it to them. We’ve got to take the ball off them and bring it home for Alabama.”
That’s the kind of edge you want heading into a playoff game. But the Tide will need more than motivation-they’ll need poise, discipline, and a full four-quarter effort in what’s expected to be a tough road environment.
As the No. 9 seed, Alabama heads to Norman to face the No. 8 Sooners in a true road playoff game. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the crowd at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium will be ready to make life difficult for the visitors.
“We know it’s going to be a hostile environment, just like any other road game,” linebacker Deontae Lawson said Monday. “We know that it’s everyone’s Super Bowl.
Man, we gotta go in there with a warrior mentality. You gotta be ready for war for all four quarters.”
Lawson’s words capture the mindset Alabama needs to bring into Friday night’s showdown. This isn’t about revenge.
It’s about survival. It’s about advancing.
And it’s about proving that the Tide still belongs in the championship conversation.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT Friday in Norman. The game will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN.