Alabama pulls off comeback win over Oklahoma in College Football Playoff first round

College Football

Alabama pulls off comeback win over Oklahoma in College Football Playoff first round

Alabama overcame a 17-0 deficit against Oklahoma, with Germie Bernard's circus catch helping seal victory.

Jackson Thompson Fox News

Published

December 20, 2025 12:17am EST

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The Alabama Crimson Tide advanced in the College Football Playoff after a comeback win against Oklahoma in the first round on Friday night.

Oklahoma jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first half before the Crimson Tide slowly crept back, scoring 10 unanswered, then tying it on a 50-yard interception return by Zavien Brown before the half.

Alabama then scored the first 10 points of the second half to go up 27-17. But Oklahoma wasn't done fighting. Sooners quarterback John Mateer cut the deficit to four with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Deion Burks.

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Alabama's Zabien Brown (2) intercepts a pass intended for Oklahoma's Keontez Lewis (9) during the College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Gaylord Family.

But Alabama wouldn't let it get any tighter, extending the lead back to 10 with a touchdown drive inside the final 10 minutes. The drive was highlighted by a circus catch by Germie Bernard, setting up a short rushing score for Daniel Hill, as they went on to win 34-24.

The Alabama win ensured one of the program's finest streaks remained intact, as no team has beaten the Crimson Tide twice in a single season since 1893.

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Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws a pass under pressure by Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Owen Heinecke (38) and defensive lineman Jayden Jackson (65) in the second half at Gaylord Family OK Memorial Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

Oklahoma was looking to become the first team to pull off that feat after upsetting Alabama earlier in this season, but couldn't outlast the Tide's furious comeback.

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Alabama will move on in the Playoff, and will take on top-ranked Indiana in the second round.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.

Alabama pulls off comeback win over Oklahoma in College Football Playoff first round