Alabama’s Stunning Comeback Silences Oklahoma and Sends Tide to Rose Bowl
Let me walk you through one of the most dramatic turnarounds we’ve seen in this College Football Playoff. On a loud Saturday night in Norman, No. 9 Alabama looked dead in the water early, then somehow flipped the entire script against No. 8 Oklahoma, storming back from a 17-point hole to win 34–24 and punch its ticket to the Rose Bowl.
At the start, it honestly felt like everything was going Oklahoma’s way. The Sooners jumped out fast, building a 17–0 lead midway through the second quarter. Quarterback John Mateer was in control, scoring on an 8-yard run and then tossing a touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna III. Alabama, meanwhile, was completely stuck in the mud. Just 12 yards were managed on its first three possessions, and the Tide didn’t even record a first down until they were already down by 17. For a moment, it looked like Alabama’s season might end right there.
Also Read:- Christmas Spirit Glows at Hazyview’s Carols by Candlelight Gathering
- Netflix’s New No.1 Leads a Festive Top 10 Fans Can’t Stop Watching
But then, almost out of nowhere, the momentum shifted. Ty Simpson finally settled in and led a steady nine-play, 75-yard drive, finishing it with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Lotzeir Brooks. That score seemed to wake Alabama up. A special teams mistake by Oklahoma followed, as a dropped snap on a punt led to a block and a field goal. Suddenly, the gap was shrinking.
The real turning point came just before halftime. Zabien Brown stepped in front of a pass from Mateer and took it 50 yards to the house for a pick-six. Just like that, a game that once looked lopsided was tied 17–17 at the break, even though Alabama had barely cracked 100 total yards and had negative rushing yards in the first half. It didn’t make sense, but it didn’t matter.
In the third quarter, Alabama took full control. Brooks struck again, hauling in a 30-yard touchdown pass to give the Tide their first lead of the night. Oklahoma answered with a big 37-yard scoring throw to Deion Burks, cutting the score to 27–24, but that was as close as it would get.
The defining moment came late. A spectacular, contested catch by Germie Bernard deep in Sooner territory set up a short touchdown run by Daniel Hill. That score pushed the lead back to 10 and sucked the air out of the stadium. Oklahoma still had chances, but two missed field goals in the final minutes sealed its fate.
When the clock hit zero, Alabama had completed a 27-point unanswered surge at one point and reminded everyone why it’s never safe to count out the Crimson Tide. With the comeback complete, Alabama now moves on to face top-ranked Indiana in the Rose Bowl, carrying serious momentum and a whole lot of belief.
Read More:
0 Comments