Back in November, Oklahoma came into Tuscaloosa as a heavy underdog against Alabama, with few expecting the Sooners to pull off an upset. At the time, Alabama was ranked No. 4 and Oklahoma No. 11, but the Sooners shocked the Crimson Tide 23–21. Capitalizing on three Alabama turnovers, Oklahoma turned those mistakes into 17 crucial points. This was the true difference in the game. An 87-yard interception return for a touchdown sparked the momentum shift early, and from that moment on, the Sooners never took their foot off the gas.
Now, just over a month later, the storyline has come full circle. With the College Football Playoff field officially set, Alabama and Oklahoma are preparing for one of the most anticipated rematches of the entire postseason. But this time, the matchup moves to Norman, where the Sooners will host the opening round of the expanded 12-team CFP.
Despite Alabama’s 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 6, the Crimson Tide still secured their playoff bid. This marks Alabama’s first CFP appearance of the Kalen DeBoer era, entering as the No. 9 seed with a first-round date against No. 8 Oklahoma. The game will take place on Dec. 19 at 8pm ET at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
There’s more than just pride on the line, because the winner earns a trip to face Big Ten champion Indiana, the only undefeated team in the CFP at 13-0. With a chance to knock off the top seed and keep championship hopes alive, the stakes are as high as they come.
Alabama’s presence in the postseason also highlights the SEC’s continued strength, as the Tide join No. 3 Georgia, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 8 Oklahoma in a conference-heavy playoff field. But conference pride takes a back seat now; this matchup is all about unfinished business.
The stage is set once again, and the storyline practically writes itself. Alabama enters determined to erase the sting of November’s upset, while Oklahoma is ready to prove their win was no fluke. And so the question becomes the theme of this rematch: will the Sooners repeat, or will the Crimson Tide get their revenge?
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