Just over a month after their regular-season clash, Oklahoma and Alabama are set to run it back-this time with everything on the line.
The eighth-ranked Sooners and ninth-ranked Crimson Tide will meet Friday in Norman, Oklahoma, in the opening round of the College Football Playoff. The stakes?
A trip to Pasadena to face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
For Oklahoma (10-2), the path to this moment has been anything but easy. Since a late-October loss to Ole Miss, the Sooners have been in playoff mode-win or go home. And they’ve delivered, rattling off four straight victories to close the regular season, including a gritty 23-21 win over these same Crimson Tide on Nov. 15 in Tuscaloosa.
Head coach Brent Venables knows the challenge ahead is massive, but he’s keeping his team locked in on the present.
“I want our guys to be fully immersed in the moment,” Venables said. “The enormity of the challenge is real. We're going to have to be an improved version of ourselves.”
That challenge includes facing an Alabama (10-3) squad still searching for consistency. Since the November loss to Oklahoma, the Tide have stumbled, falling to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game (28-7) and needing every last second to escape Auburn with a 27-20 win in the Iron Bowl.
Off the field, Alabama’s also been navigating the distraction of coaching rumors. Head coach Kalen DeBoer has been linked to the open Michigan job, but he’s done his best to shut down the noise.
“I haven’t talked to anyone about another job and don’t plan to,” DeBoer said. “Our guys, if there’s any distraction, I haven’t seen it, haven’t felt it. I’m really proud of the way they’ve handled whatever noise is out there.”
This is familiar territory for Alabama. The Crimson Tide are making their ninth appearance in the College Football Playoff and first since 2023. They’ve been here before-15 CFP games, three national titles (2015, 2017, 2020), and a reputation for showing up when the lights are brightest.
Oklahoma, on the other hand, is hoping to finally break through. This marks the Sooners’ first CFP trip since 2019, and while they’ve made the playoff four times before, they’re still chasing that elusive first win.
One of the biggest matchups to watch? Oklahoma’s secondary versus Alabama’s wide receivers.
Sooners cornerback Eli Bowen has been heating up at the right time, with two interceptions in his last three games-including an 87-yard pick-six in that earlier showdown with Alabama. He’ll be tested again by Germie Bernard, who leads the Tide with 57 receptions for 762 yards and seven touchdowns. That one-on-one battle could tilt the field.
In the trenches, Oklahoma got a key boost this week. Defensive lineman R Mason Thomas, who’s missed the last three games with a quad injury suffered while returning a fumble 71 yards for a touchdown against Tennessee, has been cleared to play. That’s a big-time addition for a defense that’s been trending upward.
Alabama, meanwhile, will be without defensive end LT Overton, who’s sidelined by illness for the second straight game. Overton’s absence leaves a hole in the Tide’s front, especially against a Sooners offense that’s found its rhythm late in the season.
But Alabama did get some good news on the injury front. Tight end Jose Cuevas-who had six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown in the first meeting with Oklahoma-returned to practice this week after missing time with a foot injury.
He’s questionable for Friday, but trending in the right direction. Running back Jam Miller, who missed the SEC title game with a leg injury, is expected to be ready for the rematch.
Oklahoma’s offensive line could be a storyline to monitor as well. Starting center Jake Maikkula missed the regular-season finale due to an infection and remains questionable for Friday’s game. If he can’t go, the Sooners will need to rely on depth in the middle of their line to hold up against Alabama’s defensive front.
Historically, Oklahoma has had the upper hand in this series. The Sooners are 5-2-1 all-time against Alabama-one of the few programs with a winning record over the Tide. But history won’t mean much once the ball is kicked.
This is playoff football. One game to decide who moves on and who heads home. And if their last meeting was any indication, we’re in for a battle.