By the time Friday night wraps, Indiana will know who’s waiting for them in Pasadena.
All eyes in Bloomington - and across the college football world - will be on Norman, Oklahoma, where No. 8 seed Oklahoma hosts No. 9 seed Alabama in a College Football Playoff first-round showdown. The winner punches a ticket to the Rose Bowl to face Indiana on New Year’s Day, marking the Hoosiers’ first trip to Pasadena since 1967. For Curt Cignetti and his crew, this SEC-Big 12 clash isn’t just must-see TV - it’s a sneak peek at what’s coming.
This isn’t the first time these two teams have squared off this season. Oklahoma edged Alabama 23-21 in Tuscaloosa back in mid-November. Now, the Crimson Tide get a shot at redemption, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Let’s dive into the matchups that could tilt the balance - both in this game and in a potential Rose Bowl meeting with Indiana.
Ty Simpson vs. the Oklahoma Secondary
This one starts and ends with Ty Simpson. The Alabama quarterback has had a rollercoaster season - calm and composed early on, but a bit shaky down the stretch.
He’s thrown five interceptions this year, and four of them came in the final four games. One of those picks?
Against this very Oklahoma defense.
That said, the Sooners haven’t exactly been ball hawks this season. They’ve forced just 13 turnovers - tied for 94th nationally - and have gone six games without an interception. When they don’t generate takeaways, things tend to go south, as seen in their losses to Ole Miss and Texas.
Simpson has the weapons. Germie Bernard and Ryan Williams are high-upside receivers who haven’t quite exploded statistically, but the talent is there.
Tight end Josh Cuevas is trending toward playing - and that’s big. He led the Tide with 80 yards and a touchdown in their first meeting with OU, and his presence over the middle gives Simpson a reliable outlet.
The question is which version of Simpson shows up. If it’s the early-season version - the one who looked like a legitimate Heisman contender alongside Fernando Mendoza - Alabama’s offense can hum. But if the late-season turnover bug bites again, Oklahoma’s defense might not need to be opportunistic - the opportunities could come to them.
Alabama’s Run Game vs. Oklahoma’s Front Seven
Let’s not sugarcoat it - Alabama’s run game was a mess in the SEC title game. The Tide finished with negative three rushing yards against Georgia. Sure, Georgia’s defense is elite, and Alabama was missing starting running back Jam Miller, but that number is still jarring.
Miller is back now, and that’s a boost. But even with him in the lineup, Alabama hasn’t exactly been dominant on the ground. He averaged just 4.01 yards per carry this season - a figure that pales in comparison to Indiana’s trio of backs, all of whom topped five yards per carry.
And now Alabama faces an Oklahoma defense that’s been stout against the run all year. The Sooners are allowing just 81.4 rushing yards per game - fifth-best in the country, and just a tick behind Georgia.
That’s not an accident. This group is disciplined, physical, and doesn’t give up much between the tackles.
Alabama doesn’t need to run wild to win this game. But they do need to be competent.
If they can’t stay on schedule or keep Oklahoma honest, it puts even more pressure on Simpson to carry the load. And that’s a dangerous spot to be in, especially against a team that’s already beaten you once.
Isaiah Sategna III vs. Red Morgan
On the flip side of the ball, this is the matchup to watch when Oklahoma has possession. Isaiah Sategna III is a problem - plain and simple.
He’s one of the most electric playmakers in the country, finishing second in the SEC with 948 receiving yards on 65 catches and seven touchdowns. He’s a YAC machine, racking up 513 yards after the catch, ninth-most in the nation.
What makes Sategna so dangerous is how Oklahoma uses him. A lot of his production comes on short throws - behind the line or within 10 yards - and he turns them into big gains with his speed and vision. He’s the kind of player who can take a screen pass and make it a 40-yard chunk play before the defense knows what hit them.
But here’s the twist: Alabama’s Red Morgan has already found a way to slow him down. In their first meeting, Sategna managed just four catches for 26 yards - his second-lowest output of the season. Morgan’s emergence late in the year has given Alabama a reliable presence in the secondary, and he’ll likely be tasked with shadowing Sategna again.
That said, Oklahoma isn’t a one-man show. Deion Burks and tight end Jaren Kanak both cleared 500 receiving yards this season, and quarterback John Mateer has shown he can spread the ball around. Sategna doesn’t have to dominate for OU to win - he had just 44 yards in their upset over Michigan - but when he’s rolling, this offense becomes a different animal.
If Morgan can replicate what he did last time, Alabama’s defense has a shot to control the tempo. But if Sategna starts slipping tackles and breaking loose, it could open up the floodgates for the Sooners.
Bottom line: Friday night’s clash in Norman isn’t just about advancing - it’s about momentum, redemption, and setting the tone for what’s ahead. Whether it’s Alabama looking to avenge a narrow loss or Oklahoma trying to prove the first win wasn’t a fluke, the stakes are sky-high.
And for Indiana? It’s a front-row seat to scout their Rose Bowl opponent. One way or another, the Hoosiers are in for a heavyweight fight on January 1.