The Oklahoma Sooners secured a 27-21 victory over the Auburn Tigers on Saturday, marking their first SEC road win.
In Auburn, Alabama, the Sooners were on the road for the first time this season, facing off against the Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game kicked off at 2:30 p.m. and was broadcasted on ABC. Freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., who took over for Jackson Arnold right before halftime during last week’s loss to Tennessee, made his first start.
Oklahoma faced challenges with several key offensive players sidelined. Wide receivers Nic Anderson, Deion Burks, and Andrel Anthony were all declared out, along with long-term injuries affecting Jayden Gibson and Jalil Farooq. Auburn, meanwhile, also had quarterback issues; Payton Thorne started against the Sooners after Hank Brown led the team in the previous week’s game.
The Sooners had never played at Auburn before Saturday, with their two previous encounters resulting in victories during Sugar Bowl matchups.
Oklahoma mounted an impressive comeback in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. The Sooners improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play, heading into a bye week ahead of their upcoming game against Texas on October 12 in Dallas.
In the final moments of the game, with just 54 seconds remaining, Zach Schmit kicked a 39-yard field goal to extend the Sooners’ lead to 27-21, after Oklahoma managed to run down the clock and burn Auburn’s timeouts.
During critical moments in the fourth quarter, R Mason Thomas made a game-defining sack on Thorne, and Kip Lewis returned an interception for a touchdown, followed by a successful two-point conversion by Hawkins Jr.
The game began with Hawkins Jr. scoring on a remarkable 48-yard run for a touchdown early in the first quarter. Despite a strong start, the Sooners struggled throughout the game, allowing Auburn to take the lead going into halftime.
The action was fierce, with both teams trading leads. Oklahoma’s defense proved critical in the latter part of the game, ensuring the Sooners could secure the win against a formidable Auburn team.