It turned out that Oklahoma was 'hard to kill', but that did not stop the Alabama Crimson Tide from winning. Why? Because killing Alabama was even harder. For much of the season, Kalen DeBoer's favorite word to define his team has been resilient. In Norman, OK, down 17-0, resiliency saved the Crimson Tide.
When Oklahoma took the 17-0 lead 20 minutes into Friday night's game, celebrations erupted across the college football world. USA Today's Matt Hayes tweeted, "Alabama is about to get run out of the building."
Without taking up for Hayes, I'm guessing many Alabama fans were agreeing with him.
In less than six minutes during the second quarter, the Crimson Tide tied the game at 17-17. The Sooners never led again as Alabama ran up 27 unanswered points. The game will go down as one of Alabama's greatest comeback victories.
After the 17-0 hole, Kane Wommack's defense came up big. Credit Wommack for making adjustments that produced seven tackles for a loss, including five sacks, plus four quarterback hurries and five pass breakups.
Ty Simpson kept fighting, and Lotzeir Brooks, Germie Bernard, Isaiah Horton, and Josh Cuevas made key plays. Brooks' spinning, touchdown run after a catch was outstanding. Germie Bernard's catch, over an opponent's helmet, was spectacular. And it was no small thing that Conor Talty was 2-for-2 on field goals, while Oklahoma's Lou Groza winner missed two.
Alabama Crimson Tide proved something with the comeback win
Many lesser college football teams would have taken the early Oklahoma punches and folded. Alabama did more than hang in; it punched back. The Crimson Tide went from being pushed around to being the aggressor. Doing that in a road playoff game should silence all complaints about the Crimson Tide not being a deserving Playoff team.
After the game, Rose Bowl staff gave Alabama players and coaches roses. It is not too early to ponder the Jan. 1 game against the Big Ten Champion, the Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana will be favored. But the Hoosiers have not come close to facing the schedule toughness Alabama has faced. The Crimson Tide will be ready. The 2026 Rose Bowl Playoff Quarterfinal comes a century after Alabama's first Rose Bowl victory, a 20-19 win over Washington in 1926.
Note: Game stats provided by StatBroadcast