Survive and Advance: Alabama Overcomes 17-Point Deficit to Beat Oklahoma 34-24 in CFP Opener

They were down 17-0 before the first quarter ended. The hostile crowd in Norman was deafening. The season seemed to be slipping away. But Kalen DeBoer's Alabama Crimson Tide refused to fold, orchestrating the largest comeback in College Football Playoff history to stun Oklahoma 34-24.

The Comeback

The game began as a nightmare for Alabama. Two early turnovers and a special teams blunder gifted the Sooners a commanding 17-0 lead. It looked like a repeat of the regular season matchup in Tuscaloosa.

The turning point came in the second quarter. Quarterback Ty Simpson (232 yards, 2 TDs) engineered a disciplined 12-play drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Williams. The defense, adjusting to Oklahoma's tempo, forced a critical three-and-out, swinging the momentum entirely.

Second Half Dominance

Alabama outscored Oklahoma 20-7 in the second half. The rushing attack, bolstered by the return of Jam Miller, wore down the Sooners' defensive front. Miller finished with 88 yards on the ground, including the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Defensively, without star LT Overton, young players stepped up. The Tide recorded four sacks in the second half, suffocating the Oklahoma offense that had looked unstoppable in the opening minutes.

Rose Bowl Bound

With the victory, Alabama advances to the CFP Quarterfinals. They will travel to Pasadena to face the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. It presents a fascinating matchup: the historic powerhouse against the season's Cinderella team led by Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.