Alabama Crimson Tide WR Lotzeir Brooks joins historic club with multi-touchdown CFP performance vs. Oklahoma

No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide defeated No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners 34–24 in the College Football Playoff first round in Norman on Friday night, becoming the first team to win a road game in the on-campus era of the playoff. The result followed a dramatic reversal after Alabama fell behind 17–0 midway through the second quarter and managed just 12 total yards in the opening quarter with three consecutive three-and-outs.

The turning point came on the Crimson Tide’s fourth possession. Facing third-and-5 while still scoreless, quarterback Ty Simpson connected with wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks for a 29-yard gain, Alabama’s first sign of offensive life. The drive continued to a fourth-and-2 at the Oklahoma 10-yard line, where Simpson again targeted Brooks. The 5-foot-9, 191-pound freshman broke multiple tackles to score Alabama’s first touchdown, completing a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

His second touchdown came early in the third quarter on a 30-yard strike in single coverage that gave the Crimson Tide a 24–17 lead, its first of the game. Brooks finished the game with five receptions for 79 yards and two touchdowns, both the first scores of his Alabama career.

With his performance, Brooks became the fifth Crimson Tide pass catcher to record multiple receiving touchdowns in a CFP game, joining DeVonta Smith (twice), OJ Howard, Calvin Ridley, and Amari Cooper, according to ESPN Insights (h/t ESPN’s Eli Lederman).

Brooks arrived at the CFP with 362 yards on the season and turned in a career-best showing against the Sooners. He led Alabama’s receiving corps in the first two quarters with three receptions for 40 yards and finished the game as the team’s most effective target. His impact was magnified on a night when Germie Bernard, Isaiah Horton, and Ryan Williams were each affected by crucial drops. Over his first 12 collegiate games, Brooks had recorded 27 catches for 364 yards, a rate exceeding 13 yards per reception.

Alabama’s rally didn’t come from offense alone, as the defense and special teams stepped up at the right time. Nose tackle Tim Keenan III blocked a punt late in the second quarter, setting up a short field goal, and defensive back Zabien Brown intercepted Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown just before halftime to tie the game 17–17. Mateer finished with 307 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

Simpson completed the night with 232 passing yards and two touchdown throws. Alabama scored 27 unanswered points spanning the second and third quarters, including a 40-yard field goal by Conor Talty. Oklahoma pulled within 27–24 on a 37-yard touchdown by Deion Burks, but Alabama put the game away on a four-play drive that ended with Daniel Hill with 7:24 left.

The Crimson Tide will play the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers in the CFP quarterfinal at the 2026 Rose Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 1.

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