In a highly anticipated matchup, the Tennessee Volunteers hosted the Oklahoma Sooners in Knoxville on Saturday, marking only the second time the Sooners have visited Tennessee. The game, played under the electrifying atmosphere of a dark mode theme, concluded with Oklahoma clinching a 33-27 victory.
Tennessee set the pace early, capitalizing on their passing game to advance down the field. They opened the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Mike Matthews, establishing a 7-0 lead.
However, the Vols’ advantage was short-lived. While pressing into Oklahoma territory, Tennessee’s offense was disrupted by one of the Sooners’ three first-quarter sacks. This pivotal play resulted in a fumble that Oklahoma’s Mason Thomas returned 71 yards for a touchdown, leveling the score at 7-7.
Max Gilbert then put the Vols back on top with a 45-yard field goal late in the first quarter, giving Tennessee a 10-7 edge. A missed field goal attempt at the start of the second quarter, however, opened the door for the Sooners. Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell seized the opportunity, drilling a 55-yard field goal to even the score once more.
Despite a season-long struggle with turnovers, Oklahoma’s defense came alive, forcing three turnovers on the night. In addition to Thomas’s fumble recovery for a touchdown, the Sooners intercepted two of Joey Aguilar’s passes in the first half. While these turnovers only resulted in field goals, they were enough to give Oklahoma a 16-10 lead at halftime.
The Vols reclaimed a narrow lead in the third quarter, as Aguilar connected with Braylon Staley for a 54-yard touchdown pass. Gilbert’s successful extra point brought Tennessee ahead 17-16, with just under 12 minutes remaining in the quarter.
While the Vols held the one point lead for most of the third, Oklahoma picked up another touchdown with a four-yard run by Xavier Robinson. Sandell followed those points up with a successful field goal to make the score 23-17, and then picked up another three-point field goal in the fourth.
The Sooners had the ball with less than five minutes remaining, and hope of the Vols pulling back in contention of a win seemed lost.
Cue Edwin Spillman, the linebacker intercepted Mateer. The Vols were still down two scores, but they had possession.
Tennessee ate up about three minutes on the clock before reaching the end zone. A 15 yard pass from Aguilar to Mike Matthews closed the gap to just two points, Tennessee behind 26-24 with 1:56 to go.
In just two plays, the Sooners offset that score with a touchdown of their own . From Tennessee’s 44-yard line, Robinson made a 43 yard rush down the middle of the field, which Oklahoma followed up with a 1 yard run by quarterback John Mateer. At 1:45 left in the game, the score sat at 33-24.
In the 7-play drive back, Tennessee brought the ball back to Oklahoma’s 30 yard line. After an incomplete deep left pass from Aguilar to Mathews, Gilbert picked up a 48 yard field goal.
On the return, Gilbert made an onside kick to Tennessee’s 41 yard line. With just 44 seconds left in the game, Oklahoma was able to run out the clock, ending the game 33-27.
UP NEXT: The Vols have a bye week, followed up by a matchup against New Mexico State on November 15 in Knoxville.
