OU (10-2, 6-2 SEC) remained No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings and will play host to No. 9 Alabama (10-3, 7-1) in the first round at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in a game that will air on ABC/ESPN.

The Sooners enter the matchup with momentum, having beaten Alabama earlier in the season in Tuscaloosa in a narrow 23-21 win. OU’s defense scored 17 points off three turnovers in that game, including an 87-yard interception return for a touchdown by sophomore defensive back Eli Bowen.

This will be the Sooners’ first College Football Playoff appearance since 2019, when the Sooners lost 63–28 to LSU in the Peach Bowl.

The playoff bracket breaks down as follows:

Playoff first round

No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 James Madison

6:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Dec. 20 (TNT/HBO Max) in Eugene, Oregon.

No. 6 Mississippi vs. No. 11 Tulane

2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Dec. 20 (TNT/HBO Max) in Oxford, Mississippi.

No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami

11 a.m. CT Saturday, Dec. 20 (ESPN/ABC) in College Station, Texas.

No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama

7 p.m. CT on Friday, Dec. 19 (ESPN/ABC) in Norman.

Playoff quarterfinals

No. 2 Ohio State
vs. Texas A&M-Miami winner

6:30 p.m. CT Dec. 31

Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.

No. 4 Texas Tech
vs. Oregon-James Madison winner

11 a.m. CT Jan. 1

Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens, Florida.

No. 1 Indiana
vs. Oklahoma-Alabama winner

3 p.m. CT Jan. 1

Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

No. 3 Georgia
vs. Mississippi-Tulane winner

7 p.m. CT on Jan. 1 at the Sugar Bowl

Playoff semifinals

6:30 p.m. CT Jan. 8

Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona

6:30 p.m. CT Jan. 9

Peach Bowl in Atlanta

National championship

6:30 p.m. CT Jan. 19

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami


Ticket Information for OU vs. Alabama

Season ticket holders will have an exclusive presale beginning Monday, Dec. 8. Access times are based on Sooner Club membership level and Championship Points, with details provided via email.

The public on-sale starts Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 10 a.m., with tickets beginning at $173 per seat.

Student season and partial-plan ticket holders can purchase Monday, Dec. 8 — Sooner Club Collegiate Members at 10 a.m., and all other student ticket holders at 1 p.m. Any remaining student tickets will be available to full-time OU students without a football ticket plan on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 10 a.m., priced at $35 each.

Season ticket holders will also receive information on potential ticket requests for CFP quarterfinal, semifinal, and national championship games on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

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