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Crimson Tide bound for Rose Bowl after rallying to victory at Oklahoma

AP photo by Nate Billings / Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson holds a rose in his mouth as he celebrates alongside receiver Germie Bernard after the Crimson Tide beat host Oklahoma in a College Football Playoff first-round game Friday night in Norman.
AP photo by Nate Billings / Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson holds a rose in his mouth as he celebrates alongside receiver Germie Bernard after the Crimson Tide beat host Oklahoma in a College Football Playoff first-round game Friday night in Norman. AP photo by Nate Billings / Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson holds a rose in his mouth as he celebrates alongside receiver Germie Bernard after the Crimson Tide beat host Oklahoma in a College Football Playoff first-round game Friday night in Norman.

By CLIFF BRUNT / The Associated Press 5 min read

NORMAN, Okla. — Alabama was the only contender in this year’s College Football Playoff that entered the 12-team bracket carrying more than two losses.

Anyone hoping to hang a fourth defeat on the Crimson Tide will have to wait at least one more round.

Oklahoma was first up to bat, and the Sooners swung and missed.

Ty Simpson passed for 232 yards and two touchdowns, and ninth-seeded Alabama rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24 on Friday night in the opening game of this year’s national championship chase in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

“I just couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “Resiliency. It’s been kind of a theme all season long, but it showed up tonight on the road. Down 17, coming back the way we did just one score at a time — just really stayed the course.”