NORMAN, Okla. (The Oklahoma Post) Dec. 7, 2025
Quarterback John Mateer led Oklahoma to a 10 win, 2 loss regular season record in his first year with the Sooners, and now the dual threat signal caller projected as a potential first round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has a chance to showcase his talents on college football’s biggest stage.
Oklahoma will host Alabama in a first round College Football Playoff game on Dec. 19 in Norman after the Sooners were placed at No. 8 in the 12 team field and the Crimson Tide at No. 9 in Sunday’s selection show. The winner will advance to face top seeded Indiana in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal on Jan. 1.
The matchup gives Oklahoma a playoff game in front of its home crowd in the first year of the expanded format and sets up a rematch of the Sooners’ regular-season road win in Tuscaloosa.
Home crowd. Tight sideline. Cold air. Alabama helmet. Playoff stakes. That’ll do.
Alabama Again, But Different
If this all feels familiar, it should. OU and Alabama already played a thriller in Tuscaloosa back on November 15, when the Sooners slipped out with a 23 to 21 win. Mateer scored a 20 yard rushing touchdown in that one, spinning around multiple defenders to give the Sooners a 17 to 7 lead in the second quarter, and OU’s defense did just enough to get the plane wheels up with a victory.
Now the Tide get the rematch, only this time it’s in Norman, under playoff lights, with the whole college football world watching.
This isn’t your old four team bracket with two neutral site semifinals. The new 12 team format makes places like Owen Field matter again in December, just like they did in Bud Wilkinson’s day.
2025 Bowman Chrome University 1955 Autograph JOHN MATEER #55AV-JM OU Sooners CFP | eBay
The 2025 Sooners took a different road to the postseason but reached a similar stage. Under coach Brent Venables, Oklahoma went 10 and 2 in the regular season and navigated a tougher schedule in its new conference home.
Quarterback John Mateer transferred in from Washington State and quickly became the centerpiece of the offense. His combination of passing and rushing production helped the Sooners secure key wins and keep their ranking inside playoff range despite setbacks, including a midseason hand injury that briefly threatened his year.
Oklahoma and Alabama already met once in 2025, when the Sooners left Tuscaloosa with a narrow win behind Mateer’s 20 yard rushing touchdown and a strong defensive stand. The defense forced three Alabama turnovers, including an 87 yard interception return for a touchdown by sophomore defensive back Eli Bowen. The playoff meeting adds higher stakes and flips the setting to Owen Field.
What Happened in 1955 for Oklahoma Football
In 1955, Oklahoma built one of the most dominant seasons in college football history. The Sooners finished 11 and 0, claimed the Big Seven Conference title and completed the year ranked No. 1 in both major polls.
They capped the season with a comeback victory over Maryland in the Orange Bowl, turning a 6 to 0 halftime deficit into a 20 to 6 win. That season sat in the middle of what became a 47-game winning streak under coach Bud Wilkinson, a streak that still defines the program’s early national power.
What the CFP Means to Mateer
For John Mateer, this playoff game represents more than just a chance to extend Oklahoma’s season. The quarterback who entered the year receiving first round praise from NFL draft analysts saw his stock tested by a hand injury that sidelined him for three games midseason. Now healthy and back under center, Mateer has an opportunity to remind NFL evaluators why some mock drafts projected him as high as a top 15 pick in the 2026 draft. A strong performance against Alabama on the playoff stage, in front of a national audience and with NFL scouts watching closely, could cement his status as one of the premier quarterback prospects in next year’s draft class. The dual threat signal caller has already drawn comparisons to former Oklahoma Heisman winners for his ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs. A playoff win over the Crimson Tide would add the kind of marquee moment that separates good prospects from great ones, much like quarterback Jimmy Harris did in 1955 when he led the Sooners to the national championship without losing a single game during his time as starter.
What this Game Means for Oklahoma
A win over Alabama would give Oklahoma a place in the national quarterfinals and keep the program in the center of the new playoff era. It would also strengthen the bridge between past and present, adding a modern postseason chapter alongside seasons like 1955 in school history.
A loss would still mark 2025 as a step forward, but the standard in Norman has always been measured by championships and January football. With Alabama coming to town, the Sooners now have a clear path to chase both.
The complete first round College Football Playoff matchups are:
First Round Games:
- No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma – Friday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. CT (ESPN/ABC)
- No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M – Friday, Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. CT (ESPN/ABC)
- No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss – Friday, Dec. 20 at 2:30 p.m. CT (TNT/HBO Max)
- No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon – Friday, Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT (TNT/HBO Max)
Top Four Seeds (Byes to Quarterfinals):
- No. 1 Indiana
- No. 2 Ohio State
- No. 3 Georgia
- No. 4 Texas Tech
Quarterfinal Matchups:
- Rose Bowl (Jan. 1): No. 1 Indiana vs. Oklahoma/Alabama winner
- Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31): No. 2 Ohio State vs. Texas A&M/Miami winner
- Orange Bowl (Jan. 1): No. 3 Georgia vs. Ole Miss/Tulane winner
- Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1): No. 4 Texas Tech vs. Oregon/James Madison winner
SOURCES
SI.com, “How to Watch Alabama at Oklahoma in Opening Round of College Football Playoff,” Dec. 7, 2025 https://www.si.com/college/alabama/football/how-to-watch-alabama-at-oklahoma-in-opening-round-of-college-football-playoff
SI.com, “Oklahoma Officially Back in the College Football Playoff, and Here’s How (and Why) It Happened,” Dec. 7, 2025 https://www.si.com/college/oklahoma/football/oklahoma-officially-back-in-the-college-football-playoff-and-here-s-how-and-why-it-happened-01kbwsx5jc0p
ESPN.com, “Oklahoma defense shines in takedown of No. 4 Alabama,” Nov. 15, 2025 https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46980462/oklahoma-defense-shines-takedown-no-4-alabama
News9.com, “Oklahoma earns No. 8 Seed, will face Alabama in College Football Playoff rematch at Owen Field,” Dec. 7, 2025 https://www.news9.com/sports/university-of-oklahoma/ou-to-host-alabama-in-college-football-playoff-first-round
CBS Sports, “Oklahoma Sooners vs. Alabama Crimson Tide Live Score and Stats,” Nov. 15, 2025 https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/gametracker/recap/NCAAF_20251115_OKLA@BAMA/
OU Daily, “‘Determine our destiny’: OU football keeps College Football Playoff hopes alive in Alabama win,” Nov. 15, 2025 https://www.oudaily.com/sports/oklahoma-sooners-sec-football-alabama-brent-venables/article_a7054450-b934-4f71-80a3-72c9000c95c0.html
University of Oklahoma Official Athletics Site, “1955 National Champions” https://soonersports.com/news/2013/5/20/208798517
Wikipedia, “1955 Oklahoma Sooners football team” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1955_Oklahoma_Sooners_football_team
Sports Reference, “1955 Oklahoma Sooners Schedule and Results” https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/oklahoma/1955-schedule.html
Writing By: Robbie Robertson | Editing by Robbie Robertson
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