With the clocking winding down inside of 25 seconds before halftime and No. 8 <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/oklahoma-sooners/">Oklahoma</a> moving the ball, <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/alabama-crimson-tide/">Alabama</a> was called for a 15-yard sideline interference penalty after a side judge bumped into a Crimson Tide staffer at the Alabama 35-yard line — more than 50 yards from the line of scrimmage. Ultimately, though, it wouldn’t end up costing the No. 9 Crimson Tide anything as both teams entered the break tied at 17-17 in the opening game of the 2025 College Football Playoffs.



The penalty turned a fourth-and-4 at the Sooners’ 32-yard line into a first-and-10 at the Oklahoma 47 — which is only about 15-20 yards away from the range of Lou Groza Award-winning kicker <a href="https://www.on3.com/rivals/tate-sandell-147567/">Tate Sandell</a> — with 22 seconds left in the second quarter. It was the first penalty of the night.



Check out the situation here as highlighted by ABC/ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit:



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The Sideline interference penalty on Alabama 30+yds down the field… It was gonna be 4th down & a punt for Oklahoma.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFBPlayoff?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CFBPlayoff</a> <a href="https://t.co/GL8LIAt0yv">pic.twitter.com/GL8LIAt0yv</a>— Bubba Elofskey  (v2) (@BubbaV239368) <a href="https://twitter.com/BubbaV239368/status/2002208208031539547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



During the confusion, ESPN’s cameras highlighted a Crimson Tide staffer in a blue hoodie wearing an white Alabama beanie seemingly sending in defensive signals prior to the first-down snap. Following the ensuing first-down play, ABC/ESPN replayed the penalty to show an official racing down the sideline to get in position downfield before seemingly colliding with both the staffer in a blue hoodie and another person in black clothing near the Alabama 35-yard line.



“That’s (the sideline judge’s) territory,” ABC/ESPN rules analyst Bill LeMonnier told Herbstreit, “and you’re endangered me (as the official) and you don’t belong there.”



Second-year Alabama head coach <a href="https://www.on3.com/rivals/coach/kalen-deboer-135577/">Kalen DeBoer</a> was so upset he spiked his headset after speaking with the officials. Thankfully for DeBoer and the Tide, the sideline penalty wouldn’t lead to points for Oklahoma as Sooners running back <a href="https://www.on3.com/rivals/tory-blaylock-151819/">Tory Blaylock</a> was tackled in bounds on a 6-yard pass from quarterback <a href="https://www.on3.com/rivals/john-mateer-63401/">John Mateer</a> with five seconds left as the halftime clock ran out before another snap.

Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer

On3 Football

Alabama called for sideline interference on pivotal fourth-down vs. Oklahoma

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Alabama called for sideline interference on pivotal fourth-down vs. Oklahoma

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