Lotzeir Brooks Delivers Breakout Performance Just When Alabama Needed It Most
All season long, Alabama fans were waiting for that game from Lotzeir Brooks-the moment when the freshman wide receiver would officially arrive. That moment came under the brightest lights possible: the College Football Playoff, against Oklahoma, with the Crimson Tide offense gasping for momentum.
Brooks didn’t just show up-he took over.
With Alabama’s offense sputtering out of the gate, Brooks provided the spark that changed everything. He finished the night with five catches for 79 yards and the first two touchdowns of his college career. Not a bad time to introduce yourself to the college football world.
But this wasn’t just about the touchdowns-though they were huge. It was the timing, the toughness, and the sheer will to make plays when Alabama desperately needed someone to step up.
A Lifeless Start, Then a Lifeline
Alabama's first three drives? Three-and-outs.
No rhythm, no energy, and by the time the Tide touched the ball for the fourth time, they were already down 17-0. The game was teetering on the edge, and it was starting to feel like a repeat of what happened two weeks ago in Atlanta.
Then came the play that started to turn the tide.
Facing a 3rd-and-5 and staring down the barrel of a fourth straight three-and-out, quarterback Ty Simpson looked Brooks’ way. The throw was underthrown, but Brooks adjusted, worked back to the ball, and hauled in a tough 29-yard catch that finally gave Alabama some life.
That drive didn’t end with just a spark-it ended with a statement. On 4th-and-2 in the red zone, Simpson went back to Brooks, who made the catch and then fought his way through contact, spinning into the end zone for Alabama’s first touchdown of the night.
That was the moment the game flipped.
Rising to the Moment-Again
By the third quarter, Alabama had clawed back to tie things up at 17. And once again, it was Brooks who delivered.
Matched up in single coverage, Simpson trusted his guy and let it fly. Brooks went up, high-pointed the ball, and came down with a 30-yard touchdown to give Alabama its first lead of the night, 24-17.
That’s two touchdowns on the biggest stage in college football. For a true freshman. In his first playoff game.
From Underrated Recruit to Breakout Star
Brooks didn’t come to Alabama with a ton of national hype. He committed as a 3-star recruit, and while the composite rankings eventually bumped him to 4-star status, he was still flying under the radar compared to some of the bigger names in the 2025 class.
But anyone who watched spring practice in Tuscaloosa knew he had something special. He came into the Playoff with 362 receiving yards on the year-solid numbers for a freshman-but this was his coming out party.
And it couldn’t have come at a better time.
With key receivers like Germie Bernard, Isaiah Horton, and Ryan Williams struggling with critical drops, Alabama needed someone-anyone-to step up and be a reliable target for Simpson. Brooks didn’t just step up. He took over.
A Star Is Born
This performance didn’t just help Alabama stay alive in the College Football Playoff-it might’ve launched the next great Crimson Tide wide receiver career. Brooks looked every bit the part of a future star, and more importantly, he played like someone who wanted the moment.
He didn’t shy away from the pressure. He embraced it. And in doing so, he may have changed the trajectory of Alabama’s postseason-and his own future.
Lotzeir Brooks didn’t just have a breakout game. He had the breakout game. And now, the rest of college football knows his name.