Five Takeaways From Oklahoma's College Football Playoff Meltdown Against Alabama

NORMAN — It was all there for Oklahoma.

The Sooners sprinted out to a 17-0 lead on Alabama to open the College Football Playoff, allowing OU fans to dream of a redemption trip to the Rose Bowl.

Instead, Alabama got off the mat, fought back and silenced Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Fans started to slowly make their way toward the exits with six minutes remaining, as Alabama milked the clock after going up two scores.

A night that started so promising in Norman ended in a crushing 34-24 defeat to the Crimson Tide, ending Oklahoma’s season at 10-3 and sending Alabama to the Rose Bowl to battle No. 1 Indiana.

OU became just the second team in CFP history to blow a 17-point lead, matching the 2017 Sooners, who lost to Georgia in Pasadena after jumping all over Georgia early.

Here are five takeaways from the Sooners’ season-ending defeat:

Oklahoma Throws Away Perfect Start

Oklahoma Sooners, Isaiah Sategna — Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna celebrates after a touchdown against Alabama in the CFP. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

Life was good with about 11 minutes to play in the second quarter.

The Sooners were up 17-0, “Jump Around” was blaring and the fans were so fired up that the press box at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium was shaking.

By the time the drone show started at halftime, Alabama had tied the game up and OU fans were sitting in stunned silence.

At the intermission, Oklahoma had out-gained the Crimson Tide 236-100, but just like the prior meeting in Tuscaloosa, a Pick-6 and a big special teams play meant the game was still undecided entering the second half.

OU allowed 27 unanswered points before it stopped the bleeding, but by that time, the Crimson Tide had made enough plays to turn a tight contest.

The Fiddy Effect

I present to you: 50 Cent live in Norman pic.twitter.com/pmFK2NErJE
— Ryan Chapman (@_RyanChapman) December 20, 2025

“Many Men” has become an anthem for the Sooners since adopting their “Hard to Kill” mantra.

And Oklahoma got the man himself, 50 Cent, to perform his hit live heading into the fourth quarter.

The crowd was antsy, and while the Sooners were driving, there was little urgency.

Two plays after the performance, Deion Burks raced 37 yards into the end zone to cut Alabama’s advantage to 27-24.

OU’s defense got a stop, but then things got dicey again.

Oklahoma’s offense couldn’t get off its own goal line, and Grayson Miller botched another punt to set the Crimson Tide up at OU’s 35.

Alabama turned the mistake into another seven points to push its advantage back out to two scores.

The performance momentarily got the crowd back in the game, but unfortunately for the Sooners, Alabama’s players enjoyed the performance just as much, and it’ll be the Crimson Tide that remembers 50 Cent’s drop-in for a long time.

Strength Turns Into Major Weakness

Oklahoma Sooners, Grayson Mille — Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Tim Keenan III recovers a blocked punt in the CFP against Oklahoma. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Entering the game, Oklahoma had a decided special teams advantage.

But Alabama blocked a punt and benefitted from another scuffed Grayson Miller kick for its best field position of the day.

Add in a late hit penalty called against Taylor Wein on another punt to move the Crimson Tide 15 yards further forward, and all of the big special teams plays went the way of the visitors.

Tate Sandell did tie an FBS record by knocking through his eighth field goal of 50-plus yards, but just as a Pick-6 and excellent special teams play proved decisive for OU in Tuscaloosa, Alabama returned the favor in the CFP.

Sandell’s streak of 24-straight made field goals even came to an end before the clock struck midnight on Oklahoma’s season.

The stellar kicker missed his last two attempts of the night as OU tried to cut the deficit back down to a touchdown with 2:57 left and then the Sooners again threw Sandell out to kick a 51-yard field goal into the wind with 1:13 remaining.

Opportunity Dropped

Oklahoma Sooners, Xavier Robinso — Oklahoma's Xavier Robinson drops a crucial pass in the Sooners' loss to Alabama in the CFP. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Plenty happened in the second half, but it’s hard not to look at Xavier Robinson’s drop as a turning point in the game.

Alabama had just scored to cut OU’s lead to 17-7, but the Sooners were again on the move.

Facing third-and-3 from the Oklahoma 47-yard line, John Mateer rolled back to his left.

He had a massive running lane to move the chains, but he instead found his running back streaking back across the field.

Mateer uncorked a deep shot, but the ball bounced off Robinson’s hands.

The Sooners then took a delay of game penalty to give Miller more room to punt, but Alabama blocked the kick.

Five plays later, Alabama kicked a field goal to cut the deficit to 17-10.

As the Sooners tried to get more points on the board ahead of halftime, Mateer and Keontez Lewis were on completely different frequencies, and Mateer threw the ball directly to Alabama’s Zabien Brown, who returned the pick 50 yards to the house to tie the game.

Before the drop, Mateer completed 12-of-18 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown.

Mateer finished the contest 26-for-41 for 307 yards with two passing touchdowns and the Pick-6. He also rushed the ball 19 times for 15 yards and an additional touchdown.

Crushing End Sours Bounce-back Season

Oklahoma Sooners, Brent Venable — Oklahoma coach Brent Venables | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

It’s going to take a while for everyone in Norman to wash the bitter taste out of their mouths after blowing a 17-point lead in the CFP.

But eventually, when the dust settles, the 2025 season will be remembered as a season that got Oklahoma back on track, allowing Brent Venables and his staff to regain both the support of the fan base and momentum on the recruiting trail.

The transfer portal window opens on Jan. 2, and the Sooners will undoubtedly have some work to do.

General manager Jim Nagy will have to land a few linebackers to replenish Venables’ room, but the young pieces that emerged on the offensive line will allow Oklahoma’s front office to hunt down difference makers at the skill positions to surround Mateer with more talent in 2026.

Defenders across the country will want to play for Venables and Oklahoma again, and the program has its identity moving into its third season in the SEC.