Thomas’ scoop and score set tone for Sooners’ 33-27 win
Kicker Tate Sandell ripped his pants warming up at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on Saturday night, causing him to hike his pants up so they wouldn’t fall down and giving him a bare-legged look when he went on to make field goals — from 40, 51 and two from 55 yards — to kick the Sooners to a 33-27 win and keep Oklahoma’s playoff chances alive.
Sandell said afterward he didn’t know the pants were so high until after the game. No matter, he may not fix the pants. No sense in messing with the Juju.
“I’m not going to say I’ll change it, because it’s working,” Sandell said.
Sandell’s most valuable player performance set a stadium record and kept playoff chances alive for Oklahoma (now 7-2).
“Probably the MVP. An absolute animal,” Coach Brent Venables said of Sandell.
The Sooners’ offense was stumbling in the first half, managing only 99 yards before intermission. But three Tennessee turnovers that were forced by a tenacious Sooners defense — which also stuffed the Vols run game (only 63 yards on 35 attempts) — kept Oklahoma in the game and with a 16-10 lead at half.
First half turnovers by Tennessee gave the Sooners a chance to find their offense and the opportunity for the nation’s best field goal kicker to win in a tough environment in Knoxville.
Two of Sandell’s field goals came from possessions gained by turnovers.
Early in the first quarter, with Tennessee up 7-0, Owen Heinecke sacked Vols QB Joey Aguilar, and knocked the ball loose. R. Mason Thomas caught it in mid-air and hauled the ball 71 yards for a touchdown — making what was probably 14-point swing.
Tennessee dominated statistically in the first half (255 yards to Oklahoma’s 99). But the Sooners defense did not give up deep passes. The defense sacked Aguilar four times and harassed him often.
“Some of the pressures (Oklahoma) had were a little different (from past games),” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “We got beat a couple of times.”
Well, it was more than a couple of times, Josh. The pass rush got into Aguilar’s head when needed.
Heinecke led Oklahoma tacklers with 13 — five of them solo. Kip Lewis followed with 10 tackles — four of them solo.
In the second half QB John Mateer looked like the pre-hand fracture Mateer, turning on speed to scramble for important first downs, and being more precise in his passing than we have seen in recent weeks.
Mateer threw for 159 yards and ran for 80 yards. He spread the passes around — hitting Isaiah Sategna six times (for 68 yards) and Deion Burks six times (for 45 yards).
Xavier Robinson carried the ball 16 times for 115 yards and one touchdown.
Although Tennessee’s time of possession was twice Oklahoma’s in the first half, the Sooners’ control of the game in the second half gave the Sooners a slight edge in TOP at the final buzzer.
Penalties nagged Oklahoma. They finished with 104 yards in penalty yardage on 11 infractions. Tennessee was flagged only three times for 25 yards in penalties. Such is the nature of SEC officiating.
One take from this game is how resilient and tough this Oklahoma team is. Even when adversity hit, they overcame it.
“Our guys matched (Tennessee’s) physicality, and then some,” Venables aid. “The pile constantly went in our direction. All those piles that fall forward add up a lot.”
Like the TV commentators said, this game was a playoff elimination game. The Sooners’ win puts them in a good position, having a valuable win in a difficult environment.
The Sooners take next week off and have two weeks to prepare for Alabama (which plays LSU next week).
Meanwhile, Tennessee, now with three losses, appears to be out of the playoffs.
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