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Ty Simpson and Alabama rallied from 17-0 down for a 34-24 win in the CFP first round. Here's what Oklahoma's Brent Venables had to say about Alabama.

It was as if 17 points magically appeared for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the blink of an eye.

It was a little longer than that, of course, but Alabama overcame a 17-0 deficit in the first half to defeat the Oklahoma Sooners, 34-24, in the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff Friday night at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.

The Crimson Tide (11-3) will head to the Rose Bowl to face No. 1 Indiana (13-0) on New Year's Day, two years after the Tide played in Pasadena for a matchup against another No. 1 team, the Michigan Wolverines.

Alabama was held to 20 total yards on eight plays in the first quarter and opened the game with three straight three-and-outs. The Crimson Tide didn't have a first down until Ty Simpson found freshman Lotzeir Brooks for a 29-yard gain on an under-thrown pass with 9:52 to play in the second quarter.

Facing fourth-and-2 from the Sooner 10-yard line later in the drive, coach Kalen DeBoer and Alabama stayed aggressive. Brooks made a catch just outside the 5-yard line, then broke no less than three tackles and spun his way into the end-zone for the Tide's first touchdown with 6:52 to play in the half.

The game changed on a dime from there.

Alabama forced an Oklahoma (10-3) punt after four plays, only normally sure-handed punter Grayson Miller dropped the snap while attempting to punt with 4:30 to play until halftime. Tim Keenan III gobbled up the ball at the Oklahoma 30-yard line to gift Alabama incredible field position.

The Tide would have to settle for a 35-yard Conor Talty field cut to cut the Sooner lead to 17-10 with 2:08 to play. On Oklahoma's next series, cornerback Zabien Brown picked off quarterback John Mateer and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to tie the game with 1:18 before halftime.

It was Brown's second pick-six late in the first half of a game this season after the sophomore returned one 99 yards to close out the first half against Tennessee in the Third Saturday in October rivalry on Oct. 18 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

About those 17 Alabama points that seemed to come in the blink of an eye: they happened in 5:34 of actual game time, and 21 minutes, 54 seconds of real time -- a stunning turnaround in front of the 80,000-plus crowd at Memorial Stadium and countless more watching the game on ABC and ESPN.

After halftime, Alabama took the lead on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Simpson to Brooks with 11:21 to play in the third quarter. The Tide made it 27-17 on another field goal by Talty, this one from 40 yards, with 4:30 left in the period.

Daniel Hill capped the Tide's scoring with a six-yard touchdown run with 7:24 to play in the fourth quarter. Simpson finished the night 18 of 29 with 232 passing yards, and Brooks led Alabama receivers with five catches for 79 yards. Isaiah Horton added five catches for another 65 yards.

Special teams miscues cost Oklahoma dearly. Lou Groza Award winner Tate Sandell missed two field goals in the game's final three minutes to ensure Alabama of its 10th win in the College Football Playoff era since 2014.

After the game, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables met with reporters to discuss his team's 34-24 loss to the Crimson Tide. Here's what the fourth-year Sooners coach said about Alabama.

Brent Venables reflects on Oklahoma loss to Alabama football in CFP

"I know everybody, our players and fans alike and certainly our coaching staff, are incredibly disappointed in the outcome here tonight. I thought it was a really good game that had some really great moments for the Sooners, and obviously some really ill-timed and poor moments, as well: coaching, playing, the things that have helped us be successful all year long.
"Tonight when we needed it the most, we just didn't have what it takes; whether that's making a stop, making a field goal, doing the basics well, snapping and catching and punting. Had a 17-point lead, had great momentum and we just lost the momentum. We gave up a 75-yard drive and a third-and-6 that we lost leverage in coverage, and gave up a fourth-and-2 on that drive."

Oklahoma football coach Brent Venables credits Alabama after Tide comeback

"Alabama's got a really good football team and a really good staff, and they were able to slowly but surely creep back into the game. Then we had a couple of really ill-timed mistakes that they capitalized on with the pick six there and going in 17-all at the half. Came out, got a three-and-out on defense. Offense goes three and out. Then we had... not a great punt. Then we get a penalty, a personal foul, and that just gave them a short field and they convert and score out of that.
"We just couldn't dig ourselves out. We end up scoring a touchdown there later in the quarter, but we couldn't complement each other when we needed to the most and make the plays that we needed to and that we have made all season.

Was Brent Venables surprised by Oklahoma's poor special teams against Alabama?

Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Tim Keenan III (96) blocks the punt of Oklahoma Sooners kicker Grayson Miller (43) during a first-round College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family Ã Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.

Venables said:

"Nothing surprises me. It's football. There was a heck of a lot more that was amazing than poor, so I put it all in perspective. I know what it takes, the strength of this football team. Those things couldn't afford to play poorly against a good team. At times we were solid and at times we weren't what we needed to be. But you look at the body of work and the scoreboard is all that matters.
"I know what we preached the last time when we played them. Without seeing some of the penalties and maybe some of the special teams plays, you look at the statistics and... we had our opportunities all the way until the very end, despite some of those issues. We had the opportunities to overcome those in just the last several minutes of the game despite some incredibly critical mistakes. But it just wasn't in the cards for us tonight."

What did Brent Venables see when Alabama began comeback?

NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - DECEMBER 19: Zabien Brown #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide returns an interception for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners during 2025 College Football Playoff First Round Game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on December 19, 2025 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Venables was asked by The Tulsa World's Barry Tramel what happened to the Sooners' offense and defense when the game began to flip in the second quarter. Here's Venables' response:

"(Alabama) had a 75-yard drive there. Again, they converted. Got them to third-and-6, backed up, and they throw a corner route. We lost leverage on it. We had an opportunity, got them to fourth-and-2 inside the 10 and they catch it underneath. They threw it quick, just a little window. They scored a touchdown there. We come back and when we weren't in rhythm, it couldn't have come at a worse time.
"We go three-and-out and then we send the punt team out. We have a delay. We've got to have better awareness there. Then we drop the punt and give them a short field. They kick a field goal and then we punt. They get the ball and then we have a personal foul. We (threw) the pick six after that. Next thing you know, it's 17-17 going into half."

Venables added:

"They end up getting up by 10. We pull back and get it three. And again, when we needed to, we couldn't pull one out like we have several other games this year."

Oklahoma football's Brent Venables praises Alabama defense after CFP loss

"Alabama is one of the best defenses in college football with a group of personnel that's as good as there is and they're incredibly well-coached. Moving the ball, scoring points, creating explosive plays, which we did all of those things, it was going to be incredibly difficult. And the timeliness of some of the (mistakes). You're going to win typically because of how you complement each other. Some of the mistakes that we made in all three phases really stagnated us as a football team and created opportunities for them.
"By and large, we're really good in the red zone. We created several explosive plays, out-gained them in total yards, and on third downs and fourth downs we dominated the totals there. They were 23 percent conversion rate. We were just under 50 percent. I thought we were efficient throwing the ball, but they're going to stack the box and not let you run it, too. Both of us ran for under two yards a carry. Got to get better there. That's going to be a tremendous focus for us moving forward."

"Alabama is a good team and a good DNA," Venables added.

Final thoughts from Brent Venables after Oklahoma loss to Alabama football

"Most games I've coached in, you'd like to get this drive back or this call back, and that certainly is the case tonight. How you could have helped them be more successful, but this has been a dominant group. It's been a group with incredible passion and energy and toughness. Having an edge to them, a toughness, a never-say-die mindset. A group that never pointed fingers or blame. If they did anything, they brought the team closer together. They were a force field for the football team. They really were and they elevated everybody around them. When people watched them play, I think they made people proud. And if you didn't like the Sooners, you respected the Sooners after watching the Sooners compete.
"Played like it was recess. Played with great energy and just that relentless mindset I think resonates with everybody if you love football. You saw that in this group. The foundation that they left, the legacy that they left, really special. We'll be so much better because of them and the contributions that they've left behind."

Watch Venables' full postgame press conference.