NORMAN, Oklahoma — The stage was set for Oklahoma. Heck, the Sooners earned the right to set it. This was supposed to be the ushering in of a new era of postseason football for the No. 8 team in the country that had won 10 games in what was one of the toughest schedules this year.
No. 9 Alabama was even one of those teams that Oklahoma beat on its way to earning this spot. And Saturday night, all was going well for the Sooners. It was going so well, in fact, that after the first quarter, some Oklahoma fans might’ve peeked at flights and hotel rates for the Rose Bowl from inside Memorial Stadium.
And then the Alabama Crimson Tide curled and rolled the Sooners, 34-24, and are headed to Pasadena. After opening with 17 unanswered points, Oklahoma collapsed under the weight of that wave, becoming the only team in College Football Playoff history to blow a 17-point lead. And now, the Sooners have done it twice — before Saturday, in 2018 against Georgia.
[Best Teams in the College Football Playoff Era: Creating the Ultimate 12-team CFP]
Here are my takeaways from Alabama’s College Football Playoff first-round victory against Oklahoma on Saturday:
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Zabien Brown #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide stiff-arms John Mateer #10 of the Oklahoma Sooners during the second quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff first-round game on December 19, 2025. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is an avid reader and listener of college football news. Following the largest comeback win in Alabama postseason history, Simpson took a moment to facetiously thank media members for choosing Oklahoma to win on Saturday night.
“I guess we can thank you guys for that,” an emboldened Simpson said. “You guys kind of wrote us off in a sort of way. So I appreciate that.”
After building a three-score lead, the Sooners watched the Crimson Tide recover a fumbled punt, pick off Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer and return it 50 yards to the end zone — all before their First Team All-American kicker Tate Sandell missed not one but two field goals in the final minutes to solidify the worst collapse in College Football Playoff history.
Meanwhile, the Alabama Crimson Tide will prepare to take on No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl for the CFP quarterfinal game. This team that punches back and played its best football with its back against the wall is one that the Hoosiers must prepare for on New Year’s Day.
[College Football Playoff Predictions: First-Round Winners to The National Champion]
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: John Mateer #10 of the Oklahoma Sooners is hit by Deontae Lawson #0 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter during the College Football Playoff first-round game on December 19, 2025. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
The Crimson Tide began down — just like they did against Georgia in the SEC championship game. But the last three quarters of Saturday’s game demonstrated Alabama to be just who it says it is: the kind of team that can open with a loss to a bad Florida State and also be the first team in six years to walk into Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, and come out with a win.
DeBoer’s task now is to find a way to make certain that the team that showed up at Georgia earlier this season and at Oklahoma in the first round is the same one against the Hoosiers. Linebacker Deontae Lawson said that’s his job too. But Bama’s best trait isn’t one that shows itself until it’s in a fight for its life.
“Man, I just think we’re a resilient team,” Lawson said. “And even though we were down 17-0, we didn’t really look at the scoreboard. Coach DeBoer always says, ‘Keep playing the game. The game will come back to you.’ … We just keep fighting.”
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners speaks to an official during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide on December 19, 2025. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Let’s look at the bigger ones:
These are blunders. Errors that aren’t forced but self-inflicted. It’s difficult to win any game with those kinds of mistakes on your drive chart. It’s nearly impossible in a game of this magnitude, against a team as talented and as resilient as the Crimson Tide.
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Keon Keeley #31 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners in the College Football Playoff first-round game. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Oklahoma usually plays 50 Cent’s “Many Men” before the start of the fourth quarter. In an attempt to make a statement for its first CFP game at Owen Field, the Sooners brought the rapper himself out onto the field to perform the song for fans in a Hard to Kill Hoodie.
“I didn’t know it was live,” DeBoer said.
“I didn’t know who 50 Cent was,” Simpson said, “but I know that song.”
“We play that song at practice on Fridays,” Lawson said.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.
For Brad Vice and his family, the nightmare is over, at least for a while.
Nine years ago, Vice and his wife, Brittney, moved into the rural, unincorporated Belle Mina community in north Alabama. The house was built by Brittney’s great-grandparents and the couple welcomed their first child there two years ago.
But for the past 12 months, the dream became a nightmare when a massive 199-acre limestone quarry began blasting operations across the street.
Since then, Vice and his neighbors, including four churches, have been inundated by waves of dust that make outdoor living spaces unlivable, loud noises and bright lights that keep them awake at night, vibrations and explosions from daytime blasting and heavy truck traffic that causes backups and safety hazards on the small two-lane road that runs past the quarry.
In a Jan. 7 court hearing about the quarry, Vice testified about the impacts, called the amount of dust entering his property “unimaginable” and said that he didn’t know how much longer he could continue living in the area.
“We don’t let our daughter play outside,” Vice testified in the hearing. “The dust has altered our lifestyle completely.”
Now, he will finally get some relief.
Late Friday, Limestone County Judge Matthew Huggins partially granted a motion for a preliminary injunction to halt operations at the quarry until several conditions are met to reduce the impacts of dust, noise, traffic and bright lights on the surrounding community.
The plaintiffs—four churches and three individuals living in the small community of Belle Mina—are seeking an injunction to permanently shut down the quarry. They alleged that the dust, noise, vibrations and other impacts violated Alabama’s nuisance laws.
“We are grateful for this immediate relief from the nightmare we’ve been living for months,” Vice said in a news release after the decision. “I’m worried about my child’s health and my family’s well-being enduring constant noise, air pollution, and sleepless nights.”
The nuisance complaint names multiple companies involved with the quarry as defendants: Stoned LLC, Elephants R Us LLC, Landquest Properties LLC and Grayson Carter & Son Contracting, Inc.
Attorneys representing Stoned LLC in the matter told Inside Climate News their clients did not wish to comment on the case at this time.
The injunction requires the quarry to meet the following conditions before resuming operations:
In a hearing on the preliminary injunction earlier this month, residents and pastors from the churches testified on how the quarry has impacted their lives, introducing photos of mailboxes, cars, boats and other surfaces coated in dust, and videos that depict bright lights and loud noises coming from the quarry at night.
Expert witnesses testified for both sides about the levels of noise and dust coming from the quarry compared to other sites, and about the potential of subsidence or structural damage from blasting at the quarry.
In his ruling, Huggins held that the plaintiffs’ health concerns were not sufficiently documented to be considered in the case and that concerns about vibrations from quarry blasting and the potential for sinkholes did not meet the standards of Alabama’s nuisance law.
However, he ruled the fugitive dust entering the plaintiffs’ properties “substantially and unreasonably inconveniences” the plaintiffs, as did the noises, bright lights and traffic coming from the quarry.
Huggins said in the ruling that the plaintiffs had established a “reasonable chance of success” on the public nuisance claim, granting the preliminary injunction. The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from the Southern Environmental Law Center.
“We’re very pleased the judge heard the evidence and applied the law to limit the unnecessary mayhem community members are enduring because of this nuisance,” Sarah Stokes, a senior attorney at SELC, said in a news release. “Belle Mina residents—just like any community—are entitled to the safe, peaceful use of their homes and property. They did nothing to deserve this chaos. That’s why they intend to fight this to the end.”
The ruling is the latest chapter in the residents’ long struggle against the quarry.
Last year, some of the plaintiffs in the nuisance complaint found themselves as defendants in a lawsuit in Indiana filed by the quarry operators.
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Elephants R Us, LLC, filed a lawsuit against Belle Mina Methodist Church, New Covenant Ministries and a resident in the state of Indiana for reasons that weren’t altogether clear, seeking $1.6 million plus attorneys’ fees, arguing that their speaking against the quarry had interfered with a contract and negatively impacted the business. Court documents show Elephants R Us is a registered LLC in Indiana, but lists Alabama as its primary place of business.
That suit was dismissed by an Indiana judge last year. SELC attorneys said the lawsuit was an example of a SLAPP suit, or a strategic lawsuit against public participation, “designed to intimidate or silence opposition to the quarry,” by dragging the churches into legal proceedings in another state.
The Alabama case is scheduled to go to trial beginning April 21.
“The judge heard what this quarry has done to our lives, and gave us some relief,” Nina Perez, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said in a release. “No one deserves to have their lives upended because a rock quarry invaded their community.”
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Dennis Pillion is a reporter for Inside Climate News based in Alabama. He joined ICN in 2024 after 17 years working for Alabama Media Group, including nine as the statewide natural resources reporter. His work for AL.com and The Birmingham News, won numerous Green Eyeshade and Alabama Press Association awards for his coverage of environmental issues in Alabama. He was born and lives in Birmingham, Ala.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Prior to the 2024-25 season, the Southeastern Conference implemented a policy that requires mandatory injury reports for football, basketball and baseball ahead of all conference games. However, it is only required for conference matchups.
That being said, No. 23 Alabama men’s basketball will play its seventh SEC matchup of the regular season at home against Missouri on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT.
For the initial post, players are listed as “probable,” “questionable,” “doubtful,” or “out” on the injury report. Then, on game day, to provide further clarity, players will be designated as “available,” “game time decision,” or “out” for the upcoming game. This story will be updated throughout the week leading up to game time.
Alabama head coach Nate Oats did not disclose Allen’s injury, but he has missed two games this season during his freshman campaign. After the Tennessee game, Oats said he doesn’t expect the injuries for either Aden Holloway, who also didn’t play but is not listed on Monday’s initial report, or Allen to be long-term as the Tide prepares to face Missouri on Tuesday.
“We need to get healthy, that’s apparent,” Oats said after Monday’s practice. “Holloway was able to practice today, provided there’s no setbacks, I anticipate him playing tomorrow. Amari did not practice, so I guess he’s doubtful, but we’ll see what he feels like in the morning. So that’s the injury status.”
Holloway’s absence was sorely missed, especially on offense in the loss to Tennessee. He trails only Labaron Philon Jr. in scoring at 17.7 points per game. He’s also the Tide’s best 3-point shooter at 46.2 percent on the season. Alabama made a season-low six 3-pointers against the Volunteers.
Allen averages the Crimson Tide’s third-most points (11.7), assists (3.4) and blocks (0.9), the second-most steals (1.1) and the most rebounds (7.8) this season. He was recognized as the SEC Freshman of the Week on Jan. 25, following his efforts during the comeback road wins over Mississippi State and Oklahoma. It was the third time that he’s taken home the honor this season.
Alabama already has three players out indefinitely: forward Keitenn Bristow, guard Davion Hannah and center Collins Onyejika.
“We can’t sit around here waiting to get healthy to play good basketball, we have to play great basketball with who’s available to play,” Oats said.
Alabama aims for a much-needed win against unranked Mizzou, but it won’t be easy. The Crimson Tide had its worst defensive performance of last season in a road loss to the Tigers, and Missouri will be coming off a game where it had an overtime-forcing and a game-winning buzzer-beater against Oklahoma.
Can head coach Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide turn that momentum into its own on Tuesday evening?
Affordability is often used as a political slogan, but in Alabama, it is a real, everyday concern for families, seniors, and businesses. And the truth is simple: affordability depends on stability: stable communities, stable jobs, and stable, reliable energy.
Energy is more than what comes through a power line. It is one of the most important economic engines in our state. It attracts industry, drives job creation, supports rural revitalization, and powers every sector of Alabama’s economy. When energy systems are strong, Alabama grows. When they are strained, everything becomes more expensive.
For decades, Alabama’s electric providers — PowerSouth, TVA, Alabama Power, cooperatives, and municipal systems — have invested in reliability, diversification, and long-term planning. That commitment has protected Alabama from the instability and price shocks seen in other states that rushed into politically driven energy policies without considering the consequences. Alabama’s balanced approach has been its competitive edge.
In recent years, state leaders have become essential partners in strengthening this foundation by passing major, forward-looking packages. In 2023, the Legislature passed The Game Plan to revitalize our economic incentives. They followed it in 2024 with Working for Alabama, a landmark initiative on workforce development. But the most important step for long-term affordability may be the 2025 Powering Growth package.
Powering Growth is not about regulation. It is about partnership, modernization, and positioning Alabama for economic expansion. The package is designed to reduce borrowing costs for major energy infrastructure projects, which ultimately lowers long-term expenses that influence the cost of energy. It also streamlines the approval process for using highway rights-of-way, allowing utilities to expand electric, fiber, and gas infrastructure more quickly and efficiently. That means faster project timelines, better connectivity, and stronger support for both rural and industrial development.
These improvements are not abstract. They help attract new industry, support advanced manufacturing, create high-wage jobs, and prepare communities for future growth. They make Alabama more competitive today, and more prepared for tomorrow.
This state-led partnership aligns with efforts at the federal level as well. President Trump’s “Speed to Power” initiative is focused on accelerating the nation’s ability to build energy infrastructure, and Alabama is already ahead of the curve. That’s why the Energy Institute of Alabama joined by Governor Ivey, Speaker Ledbetter, and Pro Tem Gudger recently encouraged the U.S. Department of Energy to study Alabama’s Powering Growth model as an example of how federal and state governments can work together to strengthen the nation’s energy backbone.
The issue of affordability has also received attention from leaders like U.S. Senator Katie Britt. Her continued dedication to supporting constituents throughout Alabama is notable. Politics aside, we all agree this is an area where thoughtful, long-term solutions matter most for communities, businesses, and economic competitiveness.
As the global energy landscape evolves, Alabama must continue prioritizing what has always worked: balanced planning, reliable service, and public policy that supports, rather than hinders, economic growth. That is how we ensure affordability, protect competitiveness, and keep Alabama one of the strongest states in the Southeast.
Affordability is not a partisan issue. It is a people issue. And protecting it means protecting the energy backbone, and the economic engine, that keeps Alabama strong.
Clay Scofield is the President and CEO of the Energy Institute of Alabama. He previously served as Majority Leader of the Alabama State Senate.
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