Oklahoma and Alabama are set for a high-stakes rematch in the opening round of the 2025 College Football Playoff, and if history is any indication, the Sooners have their work cut out for them.
Just over a month ago, Oklahoma went into one of the toughest environments in college football and pulled off what’s still their signature win of the season-taking down Alabama on the road. Now, they’ll try to beat that same Crimson Tide team again, this time with even more on the line and the playoff lights shining brighter than ever.
But here’s the twist: Alabama knows this feeling all too well. Earlier this season, the Tide handed Georgia its only regular-season loss, a gritty 24-21 win in Athens that reminded everyone why Alabama is never out of the national title conversation.
That win came "between the hedges," no less-one of the most unforgiving places to play in the sport. It was a statement win and a reminder of Alabama’s championship pedigree.
Fast forward to the SEC Championship Game on December 6, and the script flipped. Georgia came back with a vengeance and left no doubt, rolling to a 28-7 win and showing just how hard it is to beat a great team twice in one season-especially when that team has had time to regroup, refocus, and circle the rematch on the calendar.
That’s the exact scenario Oklahoma now faces. Alabama, bruised from that earlier loss, comes into Friday’s matchup with a chip on its shoulder and a history of bouncing back. The Sooners, meanwhile, are trying to avoid the same fate that Alabama just suffered at the hands of Georgia-winning the first round, only to fall flat in the sequel.
And if you’re into historical trends, here’s one worth noting: teams that lost in the regular season are 17-7 all-time in rematches during bowl games or the postseason. That’s not just a trend-it’s a pattern.
The last time a team pulled off the sweep-winning both the regular-season matchup and the postseason rematch-was back in 2007, when Purdue beat Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl. Since then, regular-season winners have dropped nine straight postseason rematches.
The College Football Playoff itself has only seen two of these rematch scenarios in its 11-year history, and both times, the team that lost the regular-season game came back and won when it mattered most. In 2021, Alabama beat Georgia in the regular season but lost the national title game by 15. Last year, Oregon edged Ohio State in the regular season, only to get doubled up in the playoff rematch.
So the question for Oklahoma is simple: can they buck the trend?
They’ve done it before. In their last two meetings with Alabama, the Sooners came in as underdogs and came out with wins. They’ve shown they can handle the moment, the pressure, and the physicality that comes with facing a Nick Saban-coached team.
But this is a different stage. This is the College Football Playoff. And Alabama, fresh off a humbling loss in the SEC title game, is coming in with something to prove.
Friday night won’t just be about talent-it’ll be about adjustments, resilience, and who can win the chess match the second time around. For Oklahoma, the challenge is clear: beat Alabama again and punch a ticket to the next round. For Alabama, it’s about redemption and reminding the country that they don’t stay down for long.
Buckle up. This one’s got all the ingredients of a classic.