Special Teams Collapse Dooms Sooners in Stunning Playoff Loss to Alabama
For most of the 2025 season, Oklahoma’s special teams were a steady hand - a unit the Sooners could count on when the margins were thin. But on the biggest stage, in front of a home crowd in Norman, that same strength unraveled at the worst possible time.
Oklahoma, ranked No. 8, saw a 17-point lead vanish in a 34-24 loss to No. 9 Alabama in the first round of the College Football Playoff. And while there’s plenty to unpack from a game that flipped on its head, the biggest headline is this: the Sooners' special teams - a unit that had been rock-solid all year - became the Achilles’ heel when it mattered most.
A Costly Turn of Momentum
The early script looked like a dream for Oklahoma. The Sooners jumped out to a 17-0 lead, controlling the tempo and keeping Alabama’s offense on its heels. But momentum can shift fast in college football, and when it did, it shifted hard.
After Alabama finally broke through with a touchdown in the second quarter, the Sooners were forced to punt from their own 42. That’s when things started to unravel.
Grayson Miller, the First-Team All-SEC punter who had been one of the most consistent players on the roster all season, mishandled a clean snap. He dropped the ball, recovered it, and tried to salvage the play - only to have his punt blocked by Alabama’s Tim Keenan III.
The Crimson Tide took over at the OU 30 and turned the mistake into a field goal.
It was a moment that didn’t just give Alabama points - it gave them life.
Miller’s Rough Night Continues
Miller came into the game leading the SEC with an impressive 46.2 yards per punt, but Friday night wasn’t his night. With Oklahoma clinging to a 27-24 deficit in the fourth quarter, Miller delivered a rare shank - a 32-yard punt that gave Alabama the ball at the Sooners' 35-yard line. That short field turned into a Crimson Tide touchdown just a few plays later, stretching the lead to two possessions with 7:24 left.
Suddenly, the game was slipping away. And the unit that had helped carry Oklahoma all season was now putting them in a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
Sandell’s Streak Ends in Controversy
If there was one player Oklahoma fans had complete faith in, it was Tate Sandell. The Lou Groza Award winner had been automatic all season, riding a streak of 24 consecutive made field goals dating back to Week 2. But with under three minutes to play and a chance to cut Alabama’s lead to one possession, Sandell’s 36-yard attempt was ruled just outside the upright.
It was close - close enough to spark debate across social media and in the broadcast booth. But close doesn’t count on the scoreboard. The miss ended Sandell’s perfect run and left Oklahoma still trailing by 10.
Despite the miss, head coach Brent Venables didn’t hesitate to call on Sandell again. With 1:13 left and the Sooners needing a miracle, Sandell lined up for a 51-yarder - a distance he’d already hit earlier in the game.
But this time, the kick came up short. And with it, so did Oklahoma’s season.
From Reliable to Regrettable
It’s hard to overstate how much Oklahoma leaned on special teams this year. Between Miller’s booming punts and Sandell’s clutch leg, the Sooners had two of the best in the country.
Both were named First-Team All-SEC. Both were All-Americans.
And both had been as reliable as they come - until Friday night.
After the game, Venables tried to keep perspective. “Nothing surprises me, it’s football,” he said.
And sure, that’s true. Football is unpredictable, and even the best players have off nights.
But there’s no sugarcoating this one: Oklahoma’s special teams, the most dependable part of its roster, picked the worst possible moment to falter.
The Sooners had the lead. They had the talent.
But in a game where every possession mattered, it was the miscues in the kicking game that flipped the script. And now, a season that once felt like it could end in glory ends instead with a bitter reminder of how quickly things can fall apart - even when you think you’ve got the surest thing in the country.