The Sooners and the Crimson Tide will kick off the 2025 College Football Playoff at 8:00 (or a little thereafter) on ABC and ESPN. The Sooners are a slim 1.5 point favorite at home over the Fightin’ DeBoers, which is about as close to a toss up as you’re going to get.
I expect we are in fact going to see a close one, and the first team to 17 may win this one. There’s no one in college football I trust more to shut down an offense than Brent Venables if you give him over two weeks to prepare. I think
the Land Thieves may have the only defense in the SEC superior to Georgia’s, and the Tide will play without tight ends Josh Cuevas and Danny Lewis. Cuevas in particular was clearly missed against the Dawgs.
On the other side of the ball it will be interesting to see if Oklahoma QB John Mateer can take another step forward in his return from hand surgery. The Wazzu transfer didn’t look after surgery like the Heisman contender he appeared to be beforehand. The Sooners manufactured points on defense and special teams in defeating the Tide in November, and they might need to do the same tonight.
Personally, I’m picking the Sooners in what should be an electric atmosphere in Norman, 20-17.
