Alabama Rallies Past Oklahoma in Wild College Football Playoff Comeback
If you tuned in expecting a clean, clinical College Football Playoff performance, well… this wasn’t that. What unfolded in Norman was a chaotic, mistake-filled rollercoaster that saw Alabama erase a 17-point deficit to stun Oklahoma and punch its ticket to the Rose Bowl. The Tide, once outgained 181-12 and trailing 17-0 late in the second quarter, stormed back to outscore the Sooners 34-7 the rest of the way in a game that will be remembered more for what went wrong than what went right.
Let’s break it down.
A Dream Start for Oklahoma… Until It Wasn’t
With 3:57 left in the first half, Oklahoma was in complete control. The Sooners had dominated both sides of the ball, holding Alabama to just 12 yards of total offense while racking up 181 of their own. They led 17-0 and had a chance to bury the Tide before halftime.
But that’s when the wheels fell off.
On a seemingly manageable 3rd-and-3 with 37 seconds left in the half, OU quarterback John Mateer rolled left with daylight in front of him. Instead of tucking and running for the easy first down, he fired downfield to Xavier Robinson.
The ball hit Robinson’s hands-and then the turf. A costly drop.
That miscue forced a punt, but punter Grayson Miller never got the kick off cleanly. He mishandled the drop, and Alabama blocked it, setting up a short field. The Tide capitalized with a field goal to cut the lead to 17-10 heading into halftime.
That sequence flipped the game.
A Pick Six, a Blocked Punt, and a Momentum Shift
Just before the half, Mateer had already made one critical mistake-throwing a pass directly to Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown, who took it 50 yards the other way for a Pick Six. That play, combined with the blocked punt moments later, gave Alabama all the momentum heading into the break.
From that point on, it was all Crimson Tide.
Offensive Struggles on Both Sides
Despite the final score, this wasn’t a showcase for offensive fireworks. Neither team could get anything going on the ground.
Combined, Alabama and Oklahoma rushed 58 times for just 83 yards. That’s less than 1.5 yards per carry-a number that tells you everything you need to know about the trench battle.
The offensive lines struggled across the board. Nine sacks were recorded in the game, with both quarterbacks under constant pressure. It wasn’t pretty, and at times it was downright sloppy.
Missed Kicks Seal Oklahoma’s Fate
Even with all the miscues, Oklahoma still had a shot late in the fourth quarter. But kicker Tate Sandell, nearly automatic all season (24-of-25 on field goals coming in), missed two crucial attempts-one wide, one short-ending any hopes of a late-game rally.
Those missed opportunities capped off a stunning collapse for the Sooners, who had the game firmly in their grasp before letting it slip away.
What’s Next
With the win, Alabama advances to the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day to face Indiana. After a season of ups and downs, the Tide showed resilience when it mattered most-even if it took a cascade of Oklahoma errors to get there.
For the Sooners, this one’s going to sting. They had Alabama on the ropes, at home, in front of a raucous crowd-and let it all unravel in less than two quarters. It’s a loss that will raise plenty of questions, not just about execution, but about decision-making in key moments.
Final Thoughts
This wasn’t a game defined by dominance-it was defined by who made fewer mistakes. Alabama cleaned things up just enough in the second half to pull off the comeback, while Oklahoma unraveled in every phase: offense, defense, and special teams.
It wasn’t the SEC showcase some expected, and it certainly wasn’t a banner moment for playoff football. But it was dramatic, unpredictable, and a reminder that in college football, momentum can flip in an instant-and when it does, you’d better be ready to ride the wave or get swept away.