The first round of the NCAAF playoffs is upon us, and we have an all-SEC match-up as the Alabama Crimson Tide travel to take on the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Crimson Tide have had a fantastic season, earning a 10-3 record up to this point, having been well beaten in the SEC Championship game last time out. The Sooners, on the other hand, have earned a 10-2 record this season in a fine campaign.
The winner of this match will face off against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl, so both teams will be keen for victory. We’ll break down the match-up and provide you with our best free NCAAF betting picks to earn you some extra cash while you enjoy the action on the field.
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Oklahoma had a difficult 2024 season, but have bounced back with a terrific 2025, and are deservedly among the top sides in the country this year.
The season opened with a fantastic five-game winning streak for the Sooners, as they defeated Illinois State Redbirds (35-3), Michigan Wolverines (24-13), Temple Owls (42-3), Auburn Tigers (24-17), and Kent State Golden Flashes (44-0) with some super impressive performances.
Their first defeat of the season followed, as rivals Texas Longhorns were able to claim a 23-6 win at home, before the Sooners bounced back with a 26-7 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks on the road in their next game. That momentum was short-lived though, as Ole Miss Rebels were able to condemn Oklahoma to a 34-26 defeat.
Since then, though, Oklahoma have gone on a four-game winning streak. They defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 33-27 before claiming a surprise 23-21 road victory over this week’s opponents. They made it three-in-a-row with a 17-6 win over the Missouri Tigers, before defeating the LSU Tigers 17-13 in their final game of the season.
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Alabama are always considered to be among the top contenders for championships, but their 2025 season started in surprising fashion, as they fell to a 31-17 defeat against the Florida State Seminoles.
The Crimson Tide bounced back quickly though, and put together an excellent eight-game winning run. The first of that streak was a stunning blowout 73-0 win over the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, before a strong 38-14 win over the Wisconsin Badgers in week three.
Alabama then claimed victories over the Georgia Bulldogs (24-21), Vanderbilt Commodores (30-14), Missouri Tigers (27-24), Tennessee Volunteers (37-20), South Carolina Gamecocks (29-22), and LSU Tigers (20-9).
The winning run was abruptly ended by Oklahoma, but the team once again claimed a sensational 56-0 blowout victory over the Eastern Illinois Panthers to get back on track. A 27-20 win over the Auburn Tigers followed, before the Georgia Bulldogs destroyed them 28-7 in the SEC Championship game last time out.
This is no doubt going to be a real scrap of a football game, with both teams very evenly matched up and chasing a spot in the playoffs in the new year.
The Crimson Tide are the more complete side of the two. Alabama have scored 406 points so far this season, averaging 31.4 points per game, while Oklahoma have managed just 317 points this season, for an average of 26.4 points per game.
Defensively, though, it’s a lot closer. Alabama have allowed just 226 points this season, an average of 17.4 points per game, while the Sooners have allowed 167 points this season, an average of 13.9 points per game. This is where the game will be won.
The meeting between the two sides earlier this season was close, and relatively low-scoring. Oklahoma’s defense held up in that game in the latter stages, and Alabama will be keen to put that right, knowing that they have been excellent in third and fourth down situations throughout the year.
Ty Simpson will also be desperate to put the SEC Championship game behind him, and he is the better quarterback between the two teams.
Oklahoma have an edge with their run defense, but the Crimson Tide will be looking to use their advantage on long-range passing plays, and they should come out on top in what will be a high-quality game decided by the best players.
At pick’em odds, this is a difficult game to predict. However, Alabama has the better individuals, will be coming in looking for revenge after the defeat last time out, and has responded to losses this season with some of their best performances of the season. If they can continue that, then they should have enough to get the win on the road and set up a clash against Indiana on New Year’s Day.
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About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
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