No. 9 Alabama climbed out of a 17-0 hole and beat No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24 to advance to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. It was the first road win for a team in the playoff in the second year of the 12-team format.
The Crimson Tide will next face No. 1 seed Indiana in the Rose Bowl. The 17-point comeback matches the largest in playoff history set by Georgia against Oklahoma in the 2018 national semifinals at the Rose Bowl.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson completed 18 of 29 attempts for 232 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, carrying an offense that couldn’t produce on the ground.
The rematch of Oklahoma’s defense-driven 23-21 win against the Crimson Tide in early November – one that launched the Sooners off the periphery of the playoff race and into at-large position - took on a much different feel by halftime.
The Sooners scored first on a touchdown run by quarterback John Mateer with 5:29 left in the first quarter. Oklahoma added a 51-yard field goal by Lou Groza Award winner Tate Sandell to lead 10-0 after the opening quarter.
