Oklahoma Sooners vs Alabama Crimson Tide Football Stats: The 2025 CFP Breakdown You Need to Read

On December 19, 2025, two college football blueblood programs met in Norman for a CFP first-round game that had everything — a 17-point comeback, a momentum-flipping pick-six, missed field goals in crunch time, and a blocked punt that quietly changed the game’s trajectory.

Oklahoma Sooners vs Alabama Crimson Tide Football Stats walked out with a 34-24 win and a Rose Bowl invitation. Oklahoma walked out with questions.

If you want to understand what actually happened — not just who won but why — the player numbers and team comparisons below tell the full story.

Complete Team Stats: Oklahoma vs Alabama (December 19, 2025)

Oklahoma controlled the ball longer, gained more yards, converted more third downs, and committed fewer penalty yards. They still lost by 10. That paradox is what makes this game worth dissecting.

How Oklahoma Built a 17-0 Lead

In the opening 16 minutes, the Sooners were dominant across every phase. Oklahoma outgained Alabama 118 yards to just 12 in the first quarter. Alabama went three-and-out on three straight possessions and did not resemble a team in the postseason.

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer scored on an 8-yard keeper, kicker Tate Sandell hit a 51-yard field goal into the wind, and early in the second quarter, Mateer connected with Isaiah Sategna III on a 7-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 17-0.

At that point, this looked less like a contest and more like a statement.

Ty Simpson’s Passing Stats: Quiet, Efficient, Decisive

When Alabama’s offense finally got moving, it was Ty Simpson steering it.

Simpson finished the game completing 18 of 29 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, good for a passer rating of 135. Both scoring throws went to freshman Lotzeir Brooks — a 10-yarder that trimmed Oklahoma’s lead to 17-7, and a critical 30-yard strike early in the third quarter that gave Alabama its first lead of the night at 24-17.

On a season-long scale, Simpson posted 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and only 5 interceptions in 2025, ranking fourth in Alabama single-season passing history. His playoff performance reflected exactly who he’s been all year — not flashy, but almost never wrong.

John Mateer’s Stats: Outstanding Numbers, One Fatal Throw

Mateer’s box score is genuinely impressive: 26-of-42 passing, 307 yards, two touchdown passes, one rushing TD, and 55 rushing yards on 10 carries.

He matched and in some ways outplayed Simpson in pure production. His 37-yard scoring strike to Deion Burks in the fourth quarter cut the gap to 27-24 and put real pressure on Alabama.

But the one moment that mattered most went the wrong way. Late in the second quarter, with Oklahoma sitting on a comfortable 17-7 lead, Mateer threw into coverage and Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown read it perfectly. Brown returned the interception 50 yards for a touchdown, knotting the game at 17 just 78 seconds before halftime.

From there, Oklahoma was chasing a game they should have been closing out.

For the season, Mateer finished with 2,885 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions across 12 games in his first year at Oklahoma.

Rushing Attack: Neither Team Won on the Ground

Alabama’s 28 net rushing yards look alarming until you factor in sacks dragging down that total. Running back Daniel Hill carried the ball nine times for 43 yards and added a late fourth-quarter touchdown that sealed the result.

On the Oklahoma side, Xavier Robinson handled most of the load with 10 carries for 34 yards, while Mateer added 23 rushing yards and a score on his scrambles. Neither offense cracked the ground game open — both defenses controlled the line of scrimmage.

Receiving Leaders: Burks and Brooks Step Up

Alabama’s Top Receivers:

• Lotzeir Brooks — 5 catches, 79 yards, 2 touchdowns
• Isaiah Horton — 3 catches, 56 yards
• Germie Bernard — 4 catches, 40 yards

Oklahoma’s Top Receivers:

• Deion Burks: 7 receptions, 107 yards, 1 touchdown
• 4 catches, 26 yards, 1 touchdown-Isaiah Sategna III  
• J. Carter — 3 catches, 36 yards

Burks delivered the best individual performance of the night for any skill player.His seven-catch, 107-yard performance in a postseason game showed Oklahoma’s potential when the season was on the line.

For Alabama, Brooks was a revelation. The freshman caught both of Simpson’s touchdown passes and proved he can handle the moment when it’s biggest.

The Turning Point: Zabien Brown’s Pick-Six

This is the play the entire game pivots on.

Oklahoma leads 17-7. Two minutes left in the first half. The Sooners are driving, looking to extend the lead and put the game out of reach heading into the locker room.

Mateer throws. Brown reads it immediately. He catches the ball at his own 50-yard line and takes it to the house untouched. Score: 17-17.

That one play erased 17 points of work in under six seconds. Oklahoma never fully regained the psychological edge it had. The Sooners’ offense went mostly quiet in the third quarter (just 27 yards), and Alabama turned the emotional momentum from that pick-six into a 27-point run that decided the game.

Alabama’s 27-Point Run: How the Tide Flipped the Game

After going scoreless through most of the first quarter and a half, Alabama put together one of the more remarkable comeback sequences you’ll see in a playoff game:

1. Brooks 10-yard catch — Alabama trails 17-7
2. Talty 35-yard field goal — Alabama trails 17-10
3. Zabien Brown 50-yard pick-six — Tied 17-17
4. Brooks 30-yard catch — Alabama leads 24-17
5. Talty 40-yard field goal — Alabama leads 27-17

Five scoring drives. Zero Oklahoma points during that stretch. One catastrophic turnover in the middle of it. By the time Oklahoma woke up in the fourth quarter, it needed to score twice and prevent Alabama from adding more.

They got one of those two things done.

Special Teams: Where Oklahoma Lost the Margin

Three special teams plays proved decisive for Oklahoma — and none of them went the right way.

Tate Sandell, the 2025 Lou Groza Award winner, entered the game having made 24 straight field goals. He drilled a 51-yarder early and gave Oklahoma its 10-0 lead. But when the game was on the line with under three minutes remaining, Sandell missed from 36 yards. Then, with just over a minute left and Oklahoma needing points desperately, he missed again from 51.

The other damaging special teams moment came earlier: punter Grayson Miller dropped a snap, leading to a blocked punt. Alabama recovered in excellent field position and kicked a field goal shortly after.

For Alabama, kicker Conor Talty made his 35-yard attempt but missed his only other try. His two successful kicks accounted for six points in the 34-24 final — not decisive on their own, but part of a 10-point margin that felt very much earned.

Defensive Standouts

Oklahoma linebacker Kip Lewis was the most disruptive defensive player on the field. He finished with four tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a forced fumble. Over the full 2025 season, Lewis led the Sooners with 76 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks.

Alabama’s defense was most impressive in the third quarter, limiting Oklahoma to just 27 total yards and zero points after the Sooners had been rolling. Cornerback Zabien Brown added a transformational play to his stat line that no box score can fully capture.

First Half vs. Second Half Breakdown

Oklahoma’s offense looked completely different across the two halves. The Sooners gained 236 first-half yards and 126 second-half yards — a drop-off that was partly Alabama’s defense tightening up and partly Oklahoma pressing in a deficit.

Alabama was actually identical in both halves scoring-wise (17 and 17) but grew more efficient offensively after halftime.

2025 Season Context: How Both Teams Compare

In this game, Alabama averaged just 1.1 yards per carry after averaging 3.7 during the regular season. Oklahoma’s 362 total yards beat its season average by more than 80 yards. Neither team performed to type on the ground, but Alabama’s passing efficiency and turnover margin won the game regardless.

All-Time Series: Oklahoma Still Leads, But Alabama Is Climbing

The all-time series between these programs goes back to the 1962 Orange Bowl. Oklahoma leads 3-2-1 overall, but Alabama has now won the last two meetings — a 45-34 CFP semifinal victory in 2018 and this 34-24 playoff win in 2025.

The 2025 season also featured a regular season matchup. Oklahoma won 23-21 in Tuscaloosa on November 15. Alabama returned the favor with the playoff result on December 19. The programs split the year.

Five Things This Game Teaches You About Winning Playoff Football

1. Yardage doesn’t decide playoff games — turnovers do.
Oklahoma outgained Alabama by 102 yards and still lost by 10. One interception, one blocked punt, and two missed field goals made the difference.

2. Explosive plays beat sustained drives.
Alabama had fewer total plays, fewer first downs, and fewer yards — but its biggest plays (Brown’s pick-six, Brooks’ 30-yard touchdown) came at exactly the moments when they shifted momentum.

3. A slow start doesn’t equal a bad team.
Alabama looked lost for the first 15 minutes. By the fourth quarter, they were the better team on the field. Adjustments matter enormously at this level.

4. Special teams are never “just kicking.”
A blocked punt, two missed field goals in a three-point game — Oklahoma’s special teams mistakes accounted for more than the margin of defeat.

5. Freshman can carry a playoff team.
Lotzeir Brooks — in his first year of college football — scored twice and made both catches in critical moments. The pressure of the moment didn’t shrink him.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score between Oklahoma and Alabama in the 2025 CFP game?

Alabama won 34-24 in the College Football Playoff first round on December 19, 2025, in Norman, Oklahoma.

How many passing yards did John Mateer have against Alabama?

Mateer completed 26 of 42 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns, adding one interception.

Who scored touchdowns for Oklahoma against Alabama?

John Mateer (8-yard run), Isaiah Sategna III (7-yard reception), and Deion Burks (37-yard reception).

Who scored touchdowns for Alabama against Oklahoma?

Lotzeir Brooks caught two touchdown passes (10 yards and 30 yards). Zabien Brown returned an interception 50 yards for a score. Daniel Hill added a rushing touchdown.

How did Alabama overcome a 17-0 deficit?

Alabama scored 27 consecutive points spanning the second and third quarters — including two Lotzeir Brooks touchdown catches, a Zabien Brown pick-six, and two Conor Talty field goals.

What is the all-time record between Oklahoma and Alabama in football?

Oklahoma leads the all-time series 3-2-1. The teams split their two 2025 matchups — Oklahoma won 23-21 in the regular season, Alabama won 34-24 in the playoff.

Where can I find official box scores for this game?

Official game stats are available at ESPN.com, FoxSports.com, and rolltide.com (Alabama Athletics).

Final Takeaway

Alabama advances. Oklahoma reflects.

The numbers show a game the Sooners should have won — more yards, more time of possession, more first downs — but playoff football has never been a yardage contest. One throw that went the wrong direction, one snapped punt that didn’t get there, and two missed kicks in the final three minutes collectively decided a game Oklahoma had every statistical reason to win.

For Alabama, the Rose Bowl awaits. For Oklahoma, this loss becomes the offseason film session that shapes 2026.

If these two programs meet again — and with the way this rivalry is trending, they will — expect the same intensity and a result that once again hinges on moments, not statistics.

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