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What to Know About Oklahoma's College Football Playoff Opponent: Alabama Crimson Tide

The Sooners have very recent history against Alabama. Here's a look at what to know about the Crimson Tide in 2025 and historically.
Ryan Aber|
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Peyton Bowen (22) closes in to make a tackle on Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Isaiah Horton (1) at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Peyton Bowen (22) closes in to make a tackle on Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Isaiah Horton (1) at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

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Oklahoma Sooners

NORMAN — Oklahoma is back in the College Football Playoff.

And unlike the Sooners’ previous trips, this time they’ll be opening the playoffs at home.

Eighth-ranked OU will take on No. 9 Alabama at 7 p.m., Dec. 19 at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

The Sooners beat the Crimson Tide 23-21 in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 15.

Here’s a look at the Sooners’ first-round opponent:

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Alabama Crimson Tide

Record: 10-3 (7-1 SEC)

Best win: Alabama beat then-No. 5 Georgia 24-21 on Sept. 27. The Crimson Tide also beat Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee.

Losses: Bama lost to Florida State 31-17 in the season opener Aug. 30. The Crimson Tide didn’t lose again until falling to the Sooners on Nov. 15, then got trampled by Georgia 28-7 in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday.

Best player: There are plenty of candidates here, but let’s go with wide receiver Germie Bernard, who has 57 catches for 762 yards and seven touchdowns. Bernard had seven catches for 71 yards against the Sooners earlier this year and had six catches for 62 yards and a touchdown in the SEC title game. Bernard was consistent, putting up big numbers when with just one game of more than 100 yards receiving. He had eight catches for 146 yards in the loss to Florida State. Bernard also ran for two touchdowns. 

Other notable players: Wide receiver Ryan Williams had 631 yards and four touchdowns on 42 catches. Quarterback Ty Simpson has thrown for 3,268 yards and 26 touchdowns with five interceptions. He threw for 326 yards and a touchdown with an interception against OU. Safety Bray Hubbard has four interceptions and three forced fumbles with 66 tackles. Tackle Kadyn Proctor is one of the top offensive linemen in the country. Linebacker Deontae Lawson leads the Crimson Tide with 75 tackles and also has two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.

Extra points: Both Oklahoma (ninth, 273.6 yards per game) and Alabama (12th, 383.3) are in the top 12 nationally in total defense. … OU has the No. 5 rushing defense in the country, allowing just 81.4 rushing yards per game. It held Alabama to just 80 rushing yards on Nov. 15. The Crimson Tide rushed for minus-3 yards in the SEC Championship Game loss to Georgia.  

Oklahoma-Alabama History

Alabama CFP history: The Crimson Tide’s nine appearances are the most for a program since the CFP began. Clemson and Ohio State are second with seven. Alabama is 9-5 in the playoff, winning titles in 2015, 2017, and 2020 and making the title game in 2016, 2018 and 2021.

History against Oklahoma: The Sooners lead the all-time series with the Crimson Tide 5-2-1, including 2-0 in Norman. OU has won the last two matchups, also beating Alabama 24-3 last season in Norman. The other meeting at Oklahoma came in 2002, a 37-27 victory. This will be the fifth postseason meeting between the two blue-blood programs. Alabama won 17-0 in the Orange Bowl to end the 1962 season, the teams tied 24-24 in the 1970 Bluebonnet Bowl, Oklahoma beat the Crimson Tide 45-31 in the Sugar Bowl to end the 2013 season, and Alabama beat the Sooners 45-34 in the Orange Bowl in 2018 in a CFP matchup.

OU CFP history: Fifth appearance (0-4). The Sooners are in the playoff for the first time since 2019 when they made their fourth appearance in five seasons. OU lost to Clemson 37-17 in Miami in 2015, to Georgia 54-48 in double overtime in Pasadena in 2017-18, to Alabama 45-34 in Miami in 2018, and to LSU 63-28 in Atlanta in 2019. Each of those appearances came in the old four-team CFP format.

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Ryan Aber
RYAN ABER

Ryan Aber has been covering Oklahoma football for more than a decade continuously and since 1999 overall. Ryan was the OU beat writer for The Oklahoman from 2013-2025, covering the transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley to Brent Venables. He covered OU men's basketball's run to the Final Four in 2016 and numerous national championships for the Sooners' women's gymnastics and softball programs. Prior to taking on the Sooners beat, Ryan covered high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Oklahoma City Barons for the newspaper from 2006-13. He spent two seasons covering Arkansas football for the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas before returning to his hometown of Oklahoma City. Ryan also worked at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Muskogee Phoenix. At the Phoenix, he covered OU's national championship run in 2000. Ryan is a graduate of Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

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