The Alabama Crimson Tide survived their first-round College Football Playoff matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday night in Norman, defeating OU 34-24 in a game they were trailing 17-0 during the first quarter.
The fight they showed was spurned on by freshman receiver Lotzeir Brooks' first of two touchdowns in the second quarter, Alabama's first touchdown of the game. It continued because Kane Wommack's Crimson Tide defense clamped down and gave up a single touchdown over the final 45 minutes.
ESPN's Bill Connelly puts the onus on quarterback Ty Simpson to lead Alabama over their next test in the Rose Bowl, the undefeated No. 1-ranked Big Ten champion Indiana Hoosiers. Connelly feels an upset is possible because of the defense and emergence of a game-breaking playmaker like Brooks, but only if Simpson can help him make those plays and keep the defense off the field.
As Connelly notes, Indiana's defensive line doesn't have the hulking beasts that Oklahoma does, but the Hoosiers have fast athletes that can threaten Simpson in the backfield if he's not making quick reads and getting rid of the ball.
The blueprint has been formulated to beat the Tide by the Florida State Seminoles during FSU's 31-17 victory over Alabama from Tallahassee in Week 1. The Sooners had that going, but couldn't keep the pressure on.
"Alabama's reward for the comeback win is a trip out West: The Tide will meet unbeaten and top-seeded Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Bama's defense will obviously face a stiffer test from Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers' attack, but Bama's defense has been mostly up for the test this season. The Tide's ability to pull an upset will be determined by Ty Simpson and the Alabama passing game," Connelly wrote.
"Simpson began Friday night's win just 2-for-6 with a sack, and though he improved from there and didn't throw any interceptions -- his final passing line: 18-for-29 for 232 yards, 2 touchdowns and 4 sacks (6.0 yards per attempt) -- his footwork still betrayed him quite a bit during the game, and he misfired on quite a few passes. Oklahoma's pass rush is fearsome, but Indiana's defense ranks seventh in sack rate, and with almost no blitzing. The Hoosiers generate pressure and clog passing lanes, and they held Oregon's Dante Moore and Ohio State's Julian Sayin to 5.1 yards per dropback with 11 sacks, 2 touchdowns and 3 picks. Bama will be an underdog for a reason.
"But kudos to the Tide for getting off the mat. They were lifeless at the start, missing tackles and blocks and looking as unprepared as they did in their season-opening loss to Florida State. But Brooks' playmaking lit the fuse, and Bama charged back."
Auburn also showed that Ty Simpson is vulnerable
The Noles showed what it's like to slow Simpson down and win. The Auburn Tigers almost showed what it was like during a 27-20 loss at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Week 14.
As was the story of the 2025 season, it was close but no cigar for Auburn. They lost close games to the Vanderbilt Commodores, Kentucky Wildcats, Missouri Tigers, TAMU Aggies, and Oklahoma Sooners, so it was only fitting the Tide won in that fashion.
In sacking Simpson three times and holding him to 122 passing yards on 19/35 passing, the Tigers got in his head before his worst showing of the season in the SEC Championship in their 28-7 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs.
IU must draw from AU, FSU, and UGA in game-planning how to slow down, or even stop, Simpson on New Year's Day.