Alabama Rallies Past Oklahoma in CFP Thriller, While Sooners’ Playoff Struggles Continue
The College Football Playoff opened with a bang Friday night, delivering a game that had everything-momentum swings, high-stakes drama, and a result that flipped the script after the opening quarter. Oklahoma came out firing, jumping to a 17-0 lead and looking every bit like a team ready to make a statement. But Alabama, as it so often does, responded with poise and power, rattling off a 34-7 run to eliminate the Sooners and advance.
For Brent Venables and Oklahoma, this one stings-and not just because of how it ended. The Sooners had the game in their grip early, dominating both sides of the ball.
The defense was flying around, the offense was efficient, and Alabama looked rattled. But that fast start faded, and what followed was a harsh reminder of the gap between starting strong and finishing strong in the postseason.
Alabama’s comeback wasn’t just about talent-it was about adjustments, execution, and championship DNA. The Tide settled in, found their rhythm, and turned the game on its head.
The offense got rolling, the defense tightened up, and Oklahoma simply couldn’t match the shift. What looked like a potential blowout in one direction turned into a statement win in the other.
And now, the conversation around Oklahoma’s place in the Playoff is going to get louder.
With this latest loss, the Sooners fall to 0-5 all-time in College Football Playoff games. That’s not just a stat-it’s a pattern.
They’ve now been one-and-done every time they’ve made the field, losing by an average of 16.4 points per game. That’s not just falling short-that’s getting outclassed on the sport’s biggest stage.
For years, the narrative around Oklahoma in the Playoff was about their defense. They could score with anyone, sure, but when it came time to stop elite offenses, they just didn’t have the personnel or the scheme to hold up.
This time, it was the offense that faltered. The same unit that raced out to a 17-point lead couldn’t sustain drives when it mattered most.
Alabama adjusted, and Oklahoma didn’t have an answer.
And here’s where the broader debate comes in.
In the lead-up to this year’s Playoff, much of the national conversation centered on the inclusion of two Group of Five teams-Tulane and James Madison-while a brand-name independent like Notre Dame was left out. Critics argued that those smaller programs would be easy outs, that they didn’t belong on the same field as the blue bloods. But if we’re going to scrutinize Group of Five teams for being “automatic losses,” then Oklahoma’s Playoff track record deserves the same critical lens.
This isn’t about one bad night. This is about a trend.
Five appearances, five exits, and not one performance that truly threatened to flip the Playoff hierarchy. If a Group of Five team had that résumé, the calls for reform would be deafening.
Oklahoma still carries the weight of its brand. They’re a marquee program with a passionate fan base, a deep tradition, and now, an SEC logo on their jersey.
That earns them respect-and often, the benefit of the doubt. But at some point, production has to match perception.
And in the Playoff, the Sooners haven’t delivered.
The loss to Alabama will linger, not just because of what it means for this season, but because of what it says about the program’s ability to compete at the highest level. Oklahoma had a golden opportunity to shift the narrative, to finally break through and show they belonged among the elite. Instead, they’re left with another early exit and more questions about where they go from here.
The Playoff field is expanding soon, and that will open the door for more teams to get their shot. But for Oklahoma, the challenge remains the same: it’s not about getting in-it’s about proving you can win once you're there.