Alabama Rallies Past Oklahoma 34-24 in College Football Playoff

NORMAN: In the opening round of the College Football Playoffs on Friday night, No. 9 seed Alabama overcame a 17-point hole to defeat No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24 thanks to a 232-yard and two-touchdown throw from Ty Simpson.

“I just couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” stated Kalen DeBoer, the coach at Alabama. “Resilience. Although it has been a recurring theme throughout the season, it made an appearance on the road tonight. We overcame a 17-point deficit by taking one point at a time and simply persevered.”

Lotzeir Brooks, a freshman from Alabama, scored two touchdowns in addition to season highs of five receptions and 79 yards. Brooks did not score a touchdown during the regular season.

The schools had met for the third time in thirteen months. Oklahoma defeated the Crimson Tide 23-21 on the road last month after defeating Alabama 24-3 at home in November of last year.

DeBoer won the Crimson Tide’s first postseason game since coming from Washington two years prior. On January 1, Alabama (11-3) advanced to meet Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza and No. 1 seed Indiana in a quarterfinal in the Rose Bowl.

John Mateer of Oklahoma tossed for 307 yards and two touchdowns, but in the second quarter, he had a costly interception that Zabien Brown of Alabama recovered 50 yards for a touchdown. For the Sooners (10-3), Deion Burks had seven receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown.

“It was a really good game that had some really great moments for the Sooners,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “And obviously, some really ill-timed moments as well — coaching, playing, the things that they’ve helped us be successful all year long. Tonight, when we needed it the most, we just didn’t have what it takes.”

With his eighth field goal of 50 yards or more, Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell, the Lou Groza Award winner for the finest kicker in the country, tied an FBS single-season record. Late in the first quarter, he made his 24th consecutive field goal, drilling a 51-yard shot against a strong wind to give the Sooners a 10-0 lead.

In the first quarter, the Sooners outgained the Crimson Tide 118 yards to 12, and their dominance persisted into the second quarter. Oklahoma’s lead increased to 17-0 after Mateer’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna.

Midway through the second quarter, Simpson connected Brooks for a 10-yard score to cut Oklahoma’s lead to 17-7, and Alabama, which had gone three-and-out on its first three possessions, finally got its offense going. Brown’s interception return later in the quarter leveled the game at 17.

Early in the third quarter, Simpson’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Brooks gave Alabama the lead. Conor Talty’s 40-yard field goal gave the Crimson Tide a 27-17 lead, ending Alabama’s streak of 27 consecutive points.

“There wasn’t a doubt in my mind at all,” Simpson said. “I mean, the guys that we have, the players, the coaches. Like, 17-nothing, I mean, it’s nothing to us. Give us the ball, we’ll go down, do what we do.”

Two plays into the fourth quarter, Burks caught a 37-yard touchdown throw from Mateer to reduce Alabama’s advantage to 27-24.

Sandell’s streak came to an end when he missed from 36 yards with less than three minutes left, with Alabama leading 34-24. With just over a minute remaining, he missed once more from 51 yards out.