Why Oklahoma HC Brent Venables is ‘Incredibly Excited’ to Host First-Round Game

The reward for Oklahoma’s four-game winning streak to end the regular season turned out to be a home playoff game.

The Sooners, ranked No. 8 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, will host No. 9 Alabama in a CFP first-round game on Friday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.

“Just incredibly excited to be able to have a game here in Norman for our fans,” OU coach Brent Venables said in his Sunday afternoon press conference, conducted via Zoom. “It’s been fantastic all year long.”

OU finished the regular season 6-1 in games played at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Sooners’ lone defeat came on Oct. 25, when they fell 34-26 to Ole Miss, which checked into the final CFP rankings at No. 6. (The Rebels will host 11-seeded Tulane in their first-round game).

Of Oklahoma’s six home regular-season wins, four of them — games against Auburn, Michigan, Missouri and LSU — were decided by 14 points or fewer. Venables believes that the Sooner faithful played a major role in the team’s ability to win those close contests.

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“It's been a big advantage for us all year,” Venables said. “I'm sure it will be again, just as far as it'll be an electric environment, one where they’re going to show up with great passion and energy and make it difficult for the opponent to communicate.”

OU and Alabama have already played once this year, with the Sooners beating the Crimson Tide 23-21 in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 15.

The last time that the teams met in Norman was equally magical for Oklahoma: The Sooners defeated Alabama 24-3 in Norman in 2024. That game clinched bowl eligibility for OU, while the Crimson Tide’s loss knocked them out of last year’s CFP field.

This is the second year of the 12-team College Football Playoff where the four highest-ranked teams that didn’t receive byes get to host their first game. A year ago, Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State and Texas were selected as first-round hosts.

From the moment the College Football Playoff moved to 12 teams, Venables dreamed of the opportunity to host a postseason game at Owen Field.

Now, that dream will be a reality.

“Our fan base is incredibly hungry,” Venables said. “They've been waiting for this moment for a long time. So, that opportunity is sitting right in front of us, they're gonna be excited.”