How It Happened: No. 17 Oklahoma turns over and takes down No. 14 Tennessee, 33-27

No. 14 Tennessee saw its College Football Playoff dreams die in a 33-27 loss to No. 17 Oklahoma Saturday night at Neyland Stadium.

The Vols (6-3, 3-3 SEC) jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the game, but the Sooners (7-2, 3-2) returned a fumble 71 yards for a touchdown and intercepted Joey Aguilar twice in the first half, while also kicking field goals of 51, 55 and 55 yards in the upset.

John Mateer passed for 159 yards and ran for 80 to lead Oklahoma while Aguilar went 29-for-45 for 393 yards with three touchdowns, the two picks and the lost fumble. The Vols ran for just 63 yards as a team on 35 rush attempts.

Here’s how it happened, as it happened:

First Quarter

Tennessee 7, Oklahoma 0 (11:17): What looked like a three-and-out to start the game turned into a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to start the game for Tennessee, with Joey Aguilar throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Staley to open the scoring. Aguilar was rushed and threw incomplete on the first third down of the game, but a defensive pass interference gave the Vols a first down and extended the drive. 

Tennessee 7, Oklahoma 7 (8:01): Tennessee’s defense got off the field and the offense was driving inside the Oklahoma 25-yard line, but Aguilar was sacked and the Sooners recovered, with R Mason Thomas taking the fumble back 71 yards for a touchdown to tie the game.

Tennessee 10, Oklahoma 7 (8:01): Tennessee’s offense got the ball back and went back to work, driving to the Oklahoma 22-yard line before the drive stalled after Aguilar was sacked for a third time in the first quarter. Max Gilbert kicked a 45-yard field goal to put the Vols back ahead 10-7.

Second Quarter

Tennessee 10, Oklahoma 10 (7:36): Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell kicked a 55-yard field goal to tie the game after driving 43 yards in eight plays. Tennessee on the previous possession ended on when Max Gilbert missed a 38-yard field goal. The Oklahoma field goal drive included a 22-yard run by quarterback John Mateer and a personal foul called on Jadon Perlotte on a late hit on the Tennessee sideline.

Oklahoma 13, Tennessee 10 (1:08): Oklahoma took its first lead of the night after turning an interception into a field goal. Peyton Bowen intercepted Joey Aguilar on a deep pass thrown into double coverage and returned it 37 yards to the Oklahoma 41. The Sooners then went 26 yards in seven plays and went up 13-10 on a 51-yard field gaol from Sandell.

Oklahoma 16, Tennessee 10 (0:00): Aguilar put too much air under another pass and it was again intercepted, this time by Robert Spears-Jennings and returned to the Tennessee 28-yard line with 16 seconds left in the second quarter. Sandell kicked his third field goal of the night, this one from 40 yards, as time expired in the first half.

Third Quarter

Tennessee 17, Oklahoma 16 (11:52): Tennessee’s defense got off the field to start the second half and the offense made a big play to retake the lead. Joey Aguilar threw to Braylon Staley near the first-down marker on third-and-8, Staley broke a tackle and went 54 yards for a touchdown for a 17-16 lead. 

Oklahoma 23, Tennessee 17 (2:03): Tennessee’s defense forced its first turnover on the previous possession, but the Vols went three-and-out on offense and the Sooners went back to work. A 4-yard Xavier Robinson touchdown run capped a five-play, 52-yard drive to give the lead back to Oklahoma. 

Fourth Quarter

Oklahoma 26, Tennessee 17 (11:05): Oklahoma stretched its lead to two scores when Tate Sandell again kicked a 55-yard field goal, his second 55-yarder of the game, both of which tied the Neyland Stadium record.

Oklahoma 26, Tennessee 24 (1:56): Tennessee turned an Edwin Spillman interception into a 15-yard touchdown pass from Joey Aguilar to Mike Matthews with 1:56 left. The Vols couldn’t recover the ensuing onside kick, giving Oklahoma possession at the Tennessee 44. 

Oklahoma 33, Tennessee 24 (1:44): Xavier Robinson ran for 43 yards on first down and John Mateer scored on the next play to get the Oklahoma lead back to nine. Robinson gave himself up on the 1-yard line, but Mateer scored on the next play after Tennessee took one of its two remaining timeouts.

Oklahoma 33, Tennessee 27 (0:47): Max Gilbert kicked a 48-yard field goal after Tennessee went 45 yards in seven plays, setting up another failed onside kick that allowed the Sooners to kneel out the clock.