Alabama vs. Oklahoma: A CFP Clash with Rose Bowl Stakes on the Line
The College Football Playoff kicks off with a heavyweight showdown as No. 9 Alabama travels to Norman to face No.
8 Oklahoma in a first-round matchup that’s anything but a warm-up. The winner punches a ticket to the Rose Bowl for a New Year’s Day quarterfinal against Indiana.
The stakes? Massive.
The setting? One of college football’s most storied venues.
The intensity? Off the charts.
How to Watch
Set your reminders: kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 19, with ABC carrying the broadcast live from Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Calling the action will be the familiar duo of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit, with Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge providing reports from the sidelines.
A Look at Alabama’s Road to the Playoff
Alabama’s 2025 campaign was a rollercoaster-one that included dominant wins, gritty escapes, and a couple of gut-check losses. The Crimson Tide opened the season with a tough loss to Florida State, but quickly rebounded in emphatic fashion, dropping 73 points on Louisiana Monroe and then rolling through Wisconsin and Georgia in back-to-back statement games.
From there, Alabama found its rhythm. Wins over Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Tennessee showcased their versatility-whether it was grinding out close contests or lighting up the scoreboard. A narrow win over South Carolina and a defensive clinic against LSU kept them in the playoff hunt.
But the November slate brought a reality check. Alabama fell to Oklahoma in a tight 23-21 game in Tuscaloosa-a matchup that now sets the stage for a high-stakes rematch. The Tide bounced back with a blowout of Eastern Illinois and a hard-fought Iron Bowl win over Auburn, but their SEC Championship hopes were dashed in a rematch with Georgia, who handed them a 28-7 loss in Atlanta.
Still, Alabama did enough to earn a CFP berth. And now, they get another crack at the Sooners-with the Rose Bowl waiting on the other side.
The Rematch Factor
That November loss to Oklahoma looms large. Alabama knows what went wrong, and you can bet they’ve spent the past few weeks dissecting every play from that game.
Expect adjustments. Expect intensity.
And expect a team with something to prove.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, will be aiming to prove that their win wasn’t a fluke. They’ll have the home crowd behind them, and they’ve already shown they can go toe-to-toe with the Tide.
What’s Next
The winner of this game moves on to face Indiana in the Rose Bowl on January 1, a matchup that could vault either program into the national spotlight heading into the semifinal round. But first, they’ve got to survive each other.
Bottom Line
This isn’t just a playoff opener-it’s a battle between two bluebloods with unfinished business. Alabama wants revenge.
Oklahoma wants validation. And fans get a front-row seat to one of the most compelling matchups of the postseason.
Tune in Friday night. This one’s got all the makings of a classic.