It's official. The Oklahoma Sooners are in the College Football Playoff, and they are hosting a first-round game in Norman.
That's huge news for OU. A game at home gives the team a massive leg up over anyone who comes to town. However, the team they are set to face in Round 1 is going to be a massive hurdle for the Sooners to clear.
None other than the Alabama Crimson Tide is Oklahoma's opponent in the first round, a rematch of the upset game that the Sooners pulled off just a few weeks ago.
Oklahoma and Alabama on a rematch crash course
With the Sooners ranked No. 8 and the Crimson Tide ranked No. 9, the two SEC programs are set to face each other in the CFP for the first time since 2018, when Alabama walked away with a 45-34 win over Oklahoma.
In the regular-season game, the Sooners shocked the nation, securing a 23-21 victory over the Tide, and virtually locking in their place in the playoffs (an 11-point win over then-No. 22 Missouri just a week later didn't hurt either).
The penultimate rankings had Oklahoma at No. 8 as well, meaning that not playing over Championship weekend didn't affect the Sooners' ranking. However, when Alabama did play in the SEC Championship and lost to the Georgia Bulldogs, the Crimson Tide also didn't move in the rankings.
Starting Point » 8️⃣ pic.twitter.com/fE2mzuxtb3
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) December 7, 2025
Alabama will come to Norman for the College Football Playoff first-round game against Oklahoma, giving the Sooners a hopeful advantage over the Tide, but 'Bama will also be seeking revenge, which could spell trouble for OU.
Oklahoma and Alabama are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. CT Friday, Dec.19, and the first-round matchup will be broadcast on ABC.