Alabama Rallies Past Oklahoma to Set Up Rose Bowl Clash with Unbeaten Indiana
The Rose Bowl is getting a matchup we’ve never seen before - and one that promises plenty of intrigue. On New Year’s Day, top-seeded Indiana will take on Alabama in Pasadena, with a trip to the national championship hanging in the balance.
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET.
Indiana, a perfect 13-0 and ranked No. 1, enters as a 6-point favorite. That alone says a lot about how far the Hoosiers have come - but don’t sleep on Alabama, not after what they just pulled off.
On Friday night, the Crimson Tide delivered a comeback for the ages, storming back from a 17-point deficit to beat Oklahoma 34-24 on the road. It was the first true road win in College Football Playoff history, and it was vintage Alabama - tough, resilient, and opportunistic when it mattered most.
A Tale of Two Halves
Early on, it looked like Alabama might be heading home early. The Tide were outgained 118-12 in the first quarter, and Oklahoma jumped out to a commanding 17-0 lead. But momentum shifted midway through the second quarter, and once it did, Alabama never looked back.
Quarterback Ty Simpson got things going with a clutch 39-yard completion to Lotzeir Brooks on third-and-five, a play that snapped the offense out of its early funk. A few snaps later, Simpson found Brooks again - this time on fourth down - for Alabama’s first touchdown of the night.
Then came the play that flipped the script entirely: freshman defensive back Zabien Brown jumped a route and took it 50 yards to the house. Just like that, it was 17-17 at halftime, and Oklahoma’s grip on the game was gone.
“We had to create our own breaks a little bit,” head coach Kalen DeBoer said afterward. “It was going to be a fist fight.
We knew it was going to be a physical game. You just have to keep playing.”
Simpson’s Steady Hand
Simpson, who finished 18-for-29 for 232 yards and two touchdowns, played with poise beyond his years. His second touchdown pass to Brooks - a 30-yarder early in the third quarter - gave Alabama its first lead of the night. From there, the Tide leaned on their defense and special teams to close the door.
Kicker Conor Talty added a pair of field goals, and running back Daniel Hill iced it with a 6-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma had chances to claw back, but two missed field goals by All-American kicker Tate Sandell - from 36 and 51 yards, both into the wind - sealed the Sooners’ fate.
Simpson credited a gutsy early fourth-down call for helping the team find its rhythm.
“It’s been like that all year for us,” he said. “A ton of situation stuff, and a ton of confidence in all our guys.”
That confidence was on full display during Alabama’s final scoring drive, when wide receiver Germie Bernard made one of the most eye-popping catches of the season - pinning the ball against a defender’s helmet for a 24-yard gain that kept the drive alive.
“I knew it was one-on-one coverage,” Bernard said. “This guy [Simpson] trusts me with the ball.
Earlier in the game, I missed one, and he said he was going to come back to me. I couldn’t let him down in that moment.”
A Familiar Face Returns to Bloomington Roots
Now, Alabama turns its attention to Indiana - a team DeBoer knows well. Before becoming a head coach, DeBoer spent the 2019 season as Indiana’s offensive coordinator under Tom Allen.
That year, the Hoosiers won eight games. This year, they haven’t lost a single one.
Indiana has been the most consistent team in the country all season long, and they’ve earned their spot atop the rankings. But Alabama’s battle-tested group - now 11-3 and riding the high of a playoff road win - won’t be intimidated by the moment or the setting.
The Rose Bowl has always been a stage for classic college football showdowns. With Indiana chasing history and Alabama chasing another title shot, this one has all the makings of a New Year’s Day thriller.