Even Oklahoma's Players Were Surprised to See a CFP Rematch Against Alabama

The Sooners are embracing the challenge of taking on the Crimson Tide again, even if they didn't think the CFP Committee would draw up a rematch.

Oklahoma defensive back Reggie Powers III and linebacker Kobie McKinzie combine to make a tackle against Alabama. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

NORMAN — When the College Football Playoff bracket was revealed, Oklahoma’s players were just as shocked as anyone to see the Sooners paired with Alabama. 

“I was shook to say the least,” linebacker Kobie McKinzie said on Wednesday. “I was arguing with all the teammates saying, ‘They don’t want to see a rematch.’”

But the CFP Committee stayed true to their word. 

They are there to rank the teams, not avoid rematches, which resulted in Oklahoma and Alabama squaring off for the second time this season, as well as Ole Miss and Tulane.

The rematch will go down on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, but the Sooners are ready for the Crimson Tide’s best shot after OU beat Alabama 23-21 during the regular season. 

“They're a really, really good team,” McKinzie said. “You know, they haven't had their best outings the past couple weeks, but early on in the season, they were really hot, they were being some of the best teams in the country. So they might be at a hard point right now, but we still know what they're capable of.”

There will always be slight tweaks to the game plans that both teams roll out in the CFP, but Oklahoma is focused on just making the most of every practice day over the next week to be as sharp as possible. 

“Football is football, man,” defensive tackle Gracen Halton said. “… Nothing changes. Just come in ready to play, I feel like. Just being sharp on the details. Getting in the film room, getting in the playbook and just executing.”

Oklahoma’s defense would love to replicate its showing from the November matchup. 

The Sooners held Alabama to 21 points on 75 plays, and Eli Bowen’s Pick-6 and Taylor Wein’s strip sack helped put 10 points on the board in the victory. 

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John Mateer and the OU offense will need to take a few steps forward from the first meeting with the Crimson Tide, but the unit is healthier and is attacking practice with the same edge that they have all year. 

“They've been doing the same thing they've been doing,” McKinzie said. “They've been really good and really consistent, and at the right times, the right moment, it just has to click for 'em. And like I said, I say this every Monday, at some point in time Isaiah Sategna's gonna make a play. You can bank on it. So they just gotta keep their rhythm and don't get out of sync or rhythm, and they'll be just fine.”

Neither team will be short on motivation in the do-or-die playoff contest, and the winner will head off to the Rose Bowl to take on No. 1 Indiana.

“I think it's gonna be a battle of who prepares better, is what Coach (Brent) Venables said, and I believe that the same way,” McKinzie said. “Like I said, those guys in every category statistically, they beat us at their place. So they're getting preached that 'We should dominate these guys this time around and it shouldn't be close, da-da-da.'

“They're gonna come ready to play. Didn't really go really good for them in SEC championship game, so they're gonna come ready to play.”