Oklahoma has a College Football Playoff history it would like to change.
In the 12-year history of the CFP format, only three other teams have made more playoff appearances than the Sooners, who are a playoff participant for the fifth time. The only problem being Oklahoma has been unable to make it beyond the first game in all four of its previous appearances in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Alabama, Oklahoma's opponent on Friday night in the first-ever playoff game ever played at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, leads all teams with 10 playoff appearances, which have resulted in three national championships and a 9-5 overall record. Ohio State is next with eight appearances, Clemson has seven, and then comes OU, tied with Georgia with five.
The Sooners stand alone, though, with a dubious distinction among that notable group of historical CFP participants. Oklahoma is the only team with at least four playoff appearances that has yet to win a single playoff game.
Oklahoma has most CFP appearances without a win
No. 8 Oklahoma hosts No. 9 Alabama on Friday night in the opening round of the 2025 College Football Playoff. It is the Sooners' first playoff appearance in six seasons, and OU is hopeful of breaking a couple of historical precedents in Friday's playoff matchup with the Crimson Tide.
This will be the second time the Sooners and Crimson Tide have played each other in the playoff. Alabama was the top seed in the four-team 2018 playoff and paired in the opening round against No. 4 Oklahoma. That game featured that season's Heisman winner, OU quarterback Kyler Murray, against Heisman runner-up Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama. The Sooner defense couldn't slow down the explosive Bama offense, and the Tide rolled to a 45-34 win.
A win Friday over the Crimson Tide not only will send the Sooners beyond the first round of the playoff for the first time, but it also would mark the first time Alabama has lost twice to the same team in the same season in its long football history.
Oklahoma made the playoff in 2015, the second year of the playoff format. No. 1 Clemson was the Sooners' opening-round opponent. It was No. 4 OU's first season with Baker Mayfield as quarterback, but Clemson prevailed 37-17. The Sooners missed out in 2016, but were back in the playfield field for three consecutive seasons in 2017, '18 and '19.
In 2017, Oklahoma and Georgia squared off in what was the No. 2 Sooners' best chance to date to capture a playoff win. The Sooners built up a 31-17 halftime lead, but couldn't hold on to it in the second half, ultimately falling to the No. 3 Bulldogs 54-48 in two overtimes.
The Sooners' other playoff appearance, and most recent, was in 2019. In that contest, OU was once again paired with the tournament's top seed, the LSU Tigers. That Tiger team featured quarterback Joe Burrow and a host of future NFL stars, and has to be high on the list of the greatest college teams ever assembled. LSU played like that, too, handing Oklahoma and QB Jalen Hurts a 63-28 beatdown and one of the worst postseason loss in program history.