A College Football Playoff Edition of Football Friday on The Joe Gaither Show

Let's fire up a football Friday edition of "The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral" with Mason Woods as we give our final thoughts and predicitions for Alabama's College Football Playoff first round game against the Oklahoma Sooners.

Ryan Chapman Breaks Down The Sooners Ahead of CFP First Round on The Joe Gaither Show

The program opens by circling back on the Crimson Tide's health leading into the playoff game and asking Woods once again if he's going to change his mind on the Alabama offense. We discuss the field position battle between the two programs and highlight the last several scoring drives for both teams.

What Alabama Cannot Repeat from Previous Meeting to Have Success against Oklahoma

We roll right into our traditional Friday segments, beginning with Alabama's keys to the game. Clearly the Crimson Tide has to win the turnover battle tonight in Norman, but what else does Kalen DeBoer's side need to win? Woods discusses protecting Ty Simpson and winning the special teams battle, while Gaither highlights the importance of first down and staying on schedule and hitting John Mateer.

The Alabama Position Group Kalen DeBoer Has Sat in ‘Every Meeting’ With This Week

We move right into our "Three Players to Watch" and identify the most important Crimson Tide players in tonight's College Football Playoff game. Woods selects an offensive lineman with a tall task, a veteran defensive back and a dynamic freshman, while Gaither takes the lowest hanging fruit, a reserve defensive back and a bruising running back.

Lastly, we make our picks for the four College Football Playoff games. Will Alabama leave Norman with a win and head to the Rose Bowl, or will the Crimson Tide's 2025 season end tonight?

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