College Football Playoff: Oklahoma vs Alabama Odds, Analysis, & Picks

Quinn Allen
By: Quinn Allen
College Football Picks
Photo courtesy of Allison Meier (Flickr), CC by 2.0

Photo courtesy of Allison Meier (Flickr), CC by 2.0

A spot in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals is on the line on Friday evening as the Alabama Crimson Tide head to Norman for a matchup with the Oklahoma Sooners. The kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Bama somehow squeaked into the CFP despite getting blown out by Georgia in the SEC Championship, and they will have a chance to silence the doubters here. The Sooners, meanwhile, made it in as the No. 8 seed after a season that saw them go 10-2, which included four straight victories to end the year. Read on for the Alabama vs Oklahoma picks.

Highlights

  • Alabama and Oklahoma meet on Friday
  • The Crimson Tide is a very slim 1-point favorite
  • Keep reading for the odds, preview, and picks

Odds provided by Sports Interaction.

Oklahoma vs Alabama Odds

There’s no clear favorite for this CFP clash. Alabama heads into this game with -115 odds, while Oklahoma returns at -105 on the moneyline at online betting sportsbooks. The total is set at 40.5 points.

These two met in mid-November, with Oklahoma leaving Tuscaloosa with a 23-21 victory. In fact, the Sooners have won back-to-back matchups, also beating the Crimson Tide by a score of 24-3 last season.

Oklahoma vs Alabama Analysis

The Sooners may not be a high seed in the College Football Playoff, but they had a nice season and will be a potential dark horse in the tournament. Oklahoma lost just two games in 2025. QB1 John Mateer is the leader of this offense, and he’s finally healthy. Mateer played a lot of the second half with an injury, but he’s at 100%, and that’s good news for the Sooners. He completed 62% of his passes this year for 2,578 yards and 12 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, but Mateer will be looking to improve upon throwing three picks in the season finale at home against LSU.

Oklahoma is 6-1 at home, and their defense is the clear strength. This unit ranks top-10 in the country in several categories, and they come in well-rested. The Sooners allowed just 13.9 PPG this season, and managed to keep Alabama relatively quiet earlier in the year. Home-field advantage always benefits OU as well, and the energy will be rocking for such a crucial game. An average performance from Mateer could be enough if the Sooners’ defense dominates.

The critics were out in full force after the CFP committee selected three-loss Bama over Notre Dame, and to be fair, there was definitely some SEC bias. Regardless, the Crimson Tide are back in the CFP, and that’s what matters. Kalen DeBoer’s squad missed out last year when they probably should’ve made it, and it feels like the committee was trying to make up for last season’s decision.

Despite beating Georgia during the regular season, Alabama was hammered by its rivals in the SEC Title Game, losing 28-7. They were outgained 297-209, and their run game finished -3, failing to generate any offense against Georgia’s pass rush. It was a horrendous performance from Bama, and there’s no shortage of motivation to respond here due to the naysayers, and their recent struggles against Oklahoma. The November loss in Tuscaloosa was a heartbreaker, and the Tide can get revenge.

Oklahoma vs Alabama Picks

I’m not convinced that Alabama is an elite team. They’ve shown too many holes at times this season, and Georgia exposed them badly. Oklahoma is hot, and well-rested. The Sooners will feed off the home energy and win this one.

Pick: Oklahoma -105/ Sports Interaction

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Quinn Allen is a sports writer from Vancouver, Canada. His expertise spans across many sports, but he tends to write mostly European soccer betting previews for BettingTop10 Canada. He’s been in the industry for seven years. Quinn loves to be active in his free time, whether it’s working out, walking, or playing soccer.