Three things to watch for: Oklahoma, Alabama battle as IU football awaits winner
- Josh Pos
- 1h ago
The first round of the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) begins Friday evening in Norman, Oklahoma, where eighth-seeded Oklahoma hosts No. 9 Alabama. The winner will advance to face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on January 1 in Pasadena.
Brent Venables led the Sooners to a 10–2 season and their fifth CFP appearance and first since 2019.
Former Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer guided Alabama to a 10–3 campaign, marking the program’s ninth playoff appearance and its first in the newly expanded format.
Oklahoma won the regular season matchup, a 23–21 victory in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 15.
Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers await the winner. Here are Inside the Hall’s three things to watch for on ABC/ESPN Friday night.
Oklahoma’s vaunted defense gets a boost
Defensive end R Mason Thomas returns after missing three games, including the victory over the Crimson Tide, with a quad injury. The senior recorded 23 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 6.5 sacks in 9 games before the injury.
He bolsters an already strong Oklahoma defensive line that led the country with 41 sacks during the regular season. The Sooners allowed less than 14 points per game.
All-American Kadyn Proctor highlights the offensive line for Alabama, which is susceptible to allowing sacks of quarterback Ty Simpson. The Crimson Tide allowed four sacks in its SEC championship game loss to Georgia.
As is the case with most high-profile college football games, this game will be won in the trenches. If Thomas and the Sooners can keep an already ineffective Alabama run game at bay, then their chances of winning increase drastically.
Which quarterback can return to form?
This quarterback matchup was between two Heisman frontrunners early in the season. Oklahoma’s John Mateer suffered a broken bone in his right hand in late September, while Simpson’s hopes faded with poor performances in conference play.
Once at the top of the Heisman race, Simpson struggled in the SEC championship earlier in the month, completing 48 percent of his 39 passes for 212 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Mateer is still not fully recovered from his hand surgery, wearing a protective brace since his return. He has been far from his pre-injury numbers of 1,215 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in five games. The junior finished the season with 2,578 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
The Oklahoma defense is similar to Indiana’s numbers-wise, so it’s worth noting how Simpson handles the heat, especially on the road.
Will rest play a factor?
While Simpson and the Crimson Tide played in Atlanta, Mateer and the Sooners benefited from additional rest. Oklahoma enters Friday having played one fewer game and with an extra week to prepare – an advantage that could loom large early.
The Sooners last took the field on Nov. 29, edging LSU 17–13. Since then, Mateer has progressed out of the wrap on his throwing hand, a welcome development for Brent Venables and Oklahoma’s offense.
Alabama, meanwhile, listed four players – including star pass rusher LT Overton – as out in Wednesday’s availability report.
The opening drives should reveal whether the higher seed is sharpened or dulled by the layoff. They may also offer a preview of what awaits in Pasadena, where Indiana will hold a rest advantage over whoever emerges Friday night.
Outlook
Friday night in Norman features the most anticipated first-round matchup in this year’s CFP, with the two teams essentially even on paper. Oklahoma is a 1.5-point favorite (DraftKings), but the total of 40.5 points is where the focus should be.
If the game mirrors the teams’ previous meeting, expect a defensive struggle, with the outcome likely decided in the final plays.
Indiana will benefit from extra rest and film on whoever emerges as the winner as it prepares for its first Rose Bowl appearance since the 1967 season.
(Photo credit: Oklahoma Athletics)
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