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Halftime: OU 17, Alabama 17, things getting interesting in Norman

Bob Przybyloby: Bob Przybylo12/20/25BPrzybylo

How quickly this one changed for OU and Alabama. The Sooners scored the initial 17 points of the game and looked to be on their way to an all-time blowout victory.

Instead, the Crimson Tide roared back. And now? Game on in the College Football Playoff.

OU quarterback John Mateer threw for a touchdown and ran for another. However, he also threw a pick-six, so getting to experience everything that comes with Mateer.

Alabama gets the ball to begin the second half.

Scoring plays

John Mateer 8-yard rush (OU 7-0)

Just a solid drive by the Sooners, something that had been missing the last month. Mateer wasn’t always on target through the air early, but he was ready to go from the jump when it came to running the ball.

Tate Sandell 51-yard field goal (OU 10-0)

It’s the little things. Alabama had OU backed up to a third-and-18 after a terrible penalty by offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis. The Sooners weren’t trying to get all 18 back, but Isaiah Sategna broke some tackles to give Sandell a chance. And 51 yards into the wind? Not a problem.

John Mateer 7-yd touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna (OU 17-0)

You might call this the Deion Burks drive. A couple of massive catches, including one on the sideline that kept the drive going. Mateer faked as though he was about to run it, stepped back and found Sategna wide open.

Ty Simpson 11-yd touchdown pass to Lotzeir Brooks (OU 17-7)

Alabama went for it on fourth down, and Simpson and Brooks came through.

Conor Talty 35-yard field (OU 17-10)

A bad special teams blunder by OU punter Grayson Miller allowed the Tide to earn a free three points. Defense did well to stop it in the red zone.

Zabien Brown 50-yard interception return (OU 17, Alabama 17)

Unreal. The Sooners were sort of in that in between territory. Aggressive or conservative? Mis-communication, for sure, and Brown took it the distance. Mateer could not make the tackle this time around. Remember, of course, it was Eli Bowen with the pick-six in Tuscaloosa.

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