Alabama defeats Oklahoma for the first time in the Kalen DeBoer era

December 19, 2025 – NORMAN, OK – The Alabama Crimson Tide finally exorcised it's Oklahoma demons on Friday.

The Tide had went and played a struggling Oklahoma team in Coach Kalen DeBoer's first season as Alabama head coach. That shocking 2024 loss cost Alabama a trip to the NCAA's first twelve- team playoff. This year Alabama was undefeated in conference play and appeared destined for a high seedtyt in the playoffs. Then Oklahoma came to Tuscaloosa. Alabama outgained Oklahoma nearly two to one but a pick six for a touchdown, some drive ending penalties, a turnover that led to Oklahoma taking a field goal lead and Alabama fell at home to the Sooners. The Tide never looked the same, struggling against a dreadful Auburn team and then getting destroyed by Georgia in the SEC Championship game.

A three loss Alabama just barely made the playoffs as the twelfth seed – just nudging out a two loss Notre Dame team that hasn't lost a game since mid-September and the committee punished Alabama for their mediocre performance in November with a first round trip to Oklahoma. Oklahoma only made the playoffs because of that November win over the Tide. That and favorable ranking by the Committee gave the Sooners a first round home game to start the playoffs.

After a quarter and a half it looked like the Committee would have been wiser to have chosen the Fighting Irish as the Sooners' opponent......and then suddenly Alabama (offensively, defensively, and special teams) turned into the much better team.

Tide Quarterback Ty Simpson found Lotzeir Brooks for a 10‑yard touchdown pass capping off a nine-play 75 yard drive for the Tide to get on the board 7 to 17 with 6:52 to play in the second quarter.

A suddenly reinvigorated Tide defense stopped Oklahoma from scoring again in the first half and all of the third quarter.

Oklahoma went nowhere against that furious Tide defense. The Sooners then muffed the punt snap giving the Tide great field position. Alabama's Conor Talty converted a 35-yard field goal to turn it into a one score game Alabama 10 Oklahoma 17 with 2:08 left in the first half.

On the next possession, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer threw an interception to the Tide's Zabien Brown. Brown would not be denied, running the ball 50 yards for a touchdown and tying the game with 1:18 left in the half 17 to 17 before a shocked Oklahoma home crowd.

The third quarter was all Alabama. Simpson found Brooks again for a thirty-yard touchdown pass with 11:21 to play in the third quarter giving the Tide a 24 to 17 lead over the Sooners.

Bad decision making by Simpson arguably cost Alabama the Oklahoma game six weeks ago, but Simpson was nearly flawless this night. Despite the windy conditions and the hostile crowd, Simpson had 18 completions on 29 attempts for 232 passing yards, two 2 passing touchdowns, and no interceptions in the game.

The Tide capped off a nine play forty yard drive with a 40-yard Talty field goal with 4:30 left to play in the third quarter to take a 27 to 17 lead over the Sooners.

The shock of that moment apparently woke Oklahoma out of its offensive slumber. The Sooners went on an eight play 75 yard 4:45 drive capped off with a 37-yard Mateer to Deion Burks touchdown pass to narrow the lead to a 27 to 24 with 14:45 left to play in the fourth quarter; but the Tide offense was not done yet.

Bama capped off a four play 35 yard drive with Daniel Hill 6‑yard run for a touchdown. That score was made possible due to an incredible Gernie Bernard catch where it appeared that Bernard picked the ball off of the defender's back. This gave Alabama a 34 to 24 lead with 7:24 left in the game.

Oklahoma was not done though. The Sooners mounted a methodical drive that advanced the ball all the way to the Tide's 18 yard line. The Tide defense stiffened in the red zone leading to a 36 yard field goal attempt. The ball went over the top of the goal posts. Under the terms of a new 2025 NCAA rule, the kick was deemed no good.

Bama went 3 and out on its next possession.

Oklahoma needed to score ten points in less than two minutes to force the game into overtime. The Sooners methodically moved the ball down the field to get the ball into scoring position. On third down O.U. head Coach Brent Venables made the controversial decision to attempt a 51-yard field goal in windy conditions. The ball was just short of the crossbar effectively ending Oklahoma's season and Venables win streak over DeBoer.

Coach DeBoer said after the win, "I could not be any more proud of these guys."

Reporters asked DeBoer about the incredible turnaround after the 17 to 0 start.

"We just made some plays," DeBoer said.

DeBoer did say that there is room for improvement.

"We've got some passes that could be caught. You can throw a little bit better here and there."

Alabama plays number one in the country 13 and 0 Indiana next – in the Rose Bowl on New Year's day. Indiana is led by Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. A win over Indiana would vault Alabama into college football's final four.

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