4 Takeaways From Alabama's Comeback, Oklahoma's Collapse in CFP First-Spherical Sport

[ad_1] NORMAN, Oklahoma — The stage was set for Oklahoma. Heck, the Sooners earned the precise to set it. This was alleged to be the ushering in of a brand new period of postseason soccer for the No. 8 workforce within the nation that had received 10 video games in what was one of many hardest schedules this 12 months.

No. 9 Alabama was even a type of groups that Oklahoma beat on its method to incomes this spot. And Saturday night time, all was going properly for the Sooners. It was going so properly, in truth, that after the primary quarter, some Oklahoma followers would possibly’ve peeked at flights and lodge charges for the Rose Bowl from inside Memorial Stadium.

After which the Alabama Crimson Tide curled and rolled the Sooners, 34-24, and are headed to Pasadena. After opening with 17 unanswered factors, Oklahoma collapsed beneath the burden of that wave, changing into the one workforce in School Soccer Playoff historical past to blow a 17-point lead. And now, the Sooners have achieved it twice — earlier than Saturday, in 2018 towards Georgia.

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Listed here are my takeaways from Alabama's School Soccer Playoff first-round victory towards Oklahoma on Saturday:

1. Alabama is probably the most resilient workforce within the CFP NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Zabien Brown #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide stiff-arms John Mateer #10 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the course of the second quarter in the course of the 2025 School Soccer Playoff first-round recreation on December 19, 2025. (Photograph by Brian Bahr/Getty Photos)

Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is an avid reader and listener of faculty soccer information. Following the most important comeback win in Alabama postseason historical past, Simpson took a second to facetiously thank media members for selecting Oklahoma to win on Saturday night time.

"I assume we are able to thanks guys for that," an emboldened Simpson mentioned. "You guys form of wrote us off in a kind of method. So I admire that."

After constructing a three-score lead, the Sooners watched the Crimson Tide get better a fumbled punt, decide off Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer and return it 50 yards to the tip zone — all earlier than their First Staff All-American kicker Tate Sandell missed not one however two discipline targets within the closing minutes to solidify the worst collapse in School Soccer Playoff historical past.

In the meantime, the Alabama Crimson Tide will put together to tackle No. 1 Indiana within the Rose Bowl for the CFP quarterfinal recreation. This workforce that punches again and performed its finest soccer with its again towards the wall is one which the Hoosiers should put together for on New Yr’s Day.

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2. You possibly can’t be this up-and-down and contend for the nationwide championship NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: John Mateer #10 of the Oklahoma Sooners is hit by Deontae Lawson #0 of the Alabama Crimson Tide in the course of the first quarter in the course of the School Soccer Playoff first-round recreation on December 19, 2025. (Photograph by Brian Bahr/Getty Photos)

The Crimson Tide started down — identical to they did towards Georgia within the SEC championship recreation. However the final three quarters of Saturday's recreation demonstrated Alabama to be simply who it says it's: the form of workforce that may open with a loss to a foul Florida State and in addition be the primary workforce in six years to stroll into Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, and are available out with a win.

DeBoer’s process now's to discover a method to make sure that the workforce that confirmed up at Georgia earlier this season and at Oklahoma within the first spherical is similar one towards the Hoosiers. Linebacker Deontae Lawson mentioned that’s his job too. However Bama’s finest trait isn’t one which exhibits itself till it is in a battle for its life.

"Man, I simply suppose we’re a resilient workforce," Lawson mentioned. "And although we have been down 17-0, we didn’t actually take a look at the scoreboard. Coach DeBoer at all times says, ‘Preserve taking part in the sport. The sport will come again to you.’ … We simply preserve preventing."

3. Oklahoma's cartoonish errors NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners speaks to an official in the course of the fourth quarter towards the Alabama Crimson Tide on December 19, 2025. (Photograph by Brian Bahr/Getty Photos)

Let us take a look at the larger ones:

Mateer’s air-mailed move meant for receiver JaVonnie Gibson within the first half that may’ve gone for six Mateer’s pick-six with barely a minute left within the second quarter Punter Grayson Miller's fumble/blocked punt Sandell’s two missed discipline targets — one from 36 yards, then from 51 yards, regardless of hitting a 51-yarder within the first quarter — to convey the sport to one-score with not 5 minutes left to play These are blunders. Errors that aren’t compelled however self-inflicted. It’s tough to win any recreation with these sorts of errors in your drive chart. It’s almost inconceivable in a recreation of this magnitude, towards a workforce as gifted and as resilient because the Crimson Tide.

4. A (transient) stay live performance NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Keon Keeley #31 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners within the School Soccer Playoff first-round recreation. (Photograph by Stacy Revere/Getty Photos)

Oklahoma normally performs 50 Cent’s "Many Males" earlier than the beginning of the fourth quarter. In an try to make a press release for its first CFP recreation at Owen Area, the Sooners introduced the rapper himself out onto the sector to carry out the track for followers in a Arduous to Kill Hoodie.