ESPN predicts the final score of Alabama football vs. Oklahoma in CFP

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The Alabama Crimson Tide and Oklahoma Sooners are fast becoming familiar opponents on the gridiron in the short amount of time since the latter officially joined the SEC in the summer of 2024.

The Tide will be facing the Sooners for the third time in the past 13 months when they kick off the 2025 College Football Playoff on Friday in Norman. It’s the seventh time overall the two blue-blood programs will meet in the 21st century, and the second time this season.

Alabama (10-3) is the No. 9 seed in the CFP and ranked No. 11 in the US LBM Coaches Poll; Oklahoma (10-2) is the No. 8 seed and ranked No. 8 in the top 25 polls. The winner will advance to the CFP semifinals at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day to face the No. 1 overall seed, the Indiana Hoosiers (13-0).

The Crimson Tide fell to the Georgia Bulldogs, 28-7, in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 6 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Ty Simpson threw for 212 yards, including a 23-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Germie Bernard, but Alabama was held to 209 total yards in one of the most lopsided losses of the Kalen DeBoer era.

Oklahoma last played on Nov. 29, when they closed the regular season with a 17-13 win over the LSU Tigers in Norman. John Mateer rallied the Sooners with a 58-yard touchdown to Isaiah Sategna III with 4:16 remaining, and coach Brent Venables’ defense forced a turnover on downs after LSU drove to the Sooner 29-yard line with 1:18 to play.

Will Oklahoma beat Alabama again, or will the Tide notch only their second win over the Sooners since 2002?

Will Alabama beat Oklahoma in CFP first round? ESPN makes prediction

Ahead of Alabama-Oklahoma in the 2025 College Football Playoff, ESPN’s Bill Connelly predicted who will win using his popular SP+ metrics. Connelly has the Sooners winning by three points over the Crimson Tide, which closely resembles what oddsmakers are saying.

Connelly’s final score prediction: Oklahoma 24, Alabama 21.

He gives the Sooners a win probability of 58%.

Oklahoma defeated Alabama, 23-21, on Nov. 15 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide committed three turnovers in that game that led to 17 points, including an 87-yard interception return for touchdown by Eli Bowen. The Tide also had a 36-yard field goal partially blocked to end the first half.

Alabama trails the all-time series vs. Oklahoma, 5-2-1. The Tide are 2-1-1 against the Sooners in postseason games dating back to the first meeting between the two programs at the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day 1963.

Where Alabama football sits in ESPN SP+ rankings entering CFP

Alabama is No. 13 in the ESPN SP+ team rankings, down one spot from where it sat entering the SEC title game. The Crimson Tide have an overall rating of 18.6 (down from 20.6 two weeks ago). Alabama is one spot ahead of the Iowa Hawkeyes (17.7), and one spot behind the Oklahoma (19.4) in ESPN’s team rankings.

To break down Alabama’s rating by units, SP+ gives the Crimson Tide a 33.9 rating on offense (No. 26 nationally, down four spots from two weeks ago) and a 14.7 rating on defense (No. 8). In special teams, Alabama is given a minus-0.6 rating, which ranks 113th nationally (down 13 spots).

The metrics give the Sooners a 30.7 rating on offense (No. 49 nationally), but an 11.9 rating on defense that’s No. 3 nationally, plus a 0.6 rating in special teams (No. 21).

Alabama football vs. Oklahoma: start time, channel for CFP first round game

Kickoff for Alabama-Oklahoma in the 2025 College Football Playoff is 7 p.m. CT Friday at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman. The game will be televised on ABC and ESPN.

Alabama football schedule 2025

Here’s a game by game look at Alabama’s 2025 schedule.

  • Aug. 30: at Florida State (L, 31-17)
  • Sept. 6: vs. UL Monroe (W, 73-0)
  • Sept. 13: vs. Wisconsin (W, 38-14)
  • Sept. 27: at Georgia (W, 24-21)
  • Oct. 4: vs. Vanderbilt (W, 30-14)
  • Oct. 11: at Missouri (W, 27-24)
  • Oct. 18: vs. Tennessee (W, 37-20)
  • Oct. 25: at South Carolina (W, 29-22)
  • Nov. 8: vs. LSU (W, 20-9)
  • Nov. 15: vs. Oklahoma (L, 23-21)
  • Nov. 22 vs. Eastern Illinois (W, 56-0)
  • Nov. 29: at Auburn (W, 27-20)
  • Dec. 6: vs. Georgia (L, 28-7)
  • Dec. 19: at Oklahoma, 7 p.m.

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football vs Oklahoma, CFP final score prediction from ESPN

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