For the first time since 2019, the Oklahoma Sooners defeated a Top 25 ranked team on the road, as the Sooners got past Tennessee, 33-27, Saturday evening at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.

The win improved Oklahoma’s record to 7-2, 3-2 SEC, and helped move the Sooners from No. 18 to No. 11 in the AP poll and to No. 12 in the coaches poll. The Volunteers dropped to 6-3, 3-3 SEC, and they slid from No. 14 to No. 23 in the AP poll and to No. 22 in the coaches poll.

“I’m really proud of the fight and belief of our football team,” Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said after the game. “(We’re) a team that’s very determined, a team that’s hard to kill, and a team that really came together. A team that wasn’t bothered by the noise, and a team that knows when we put it all together, we have everything we need to win every game here in the fourth quarter of our season. A team that found a way to overcome a lot of things here tonight, and to win on the road in the SEC, went probably right according to script.”

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel had a different tone after the game.

“Obviously, extremely disappointed with the outcome,” Heupel said. “As you know, everyone in the program is extremely disappointed. Fans were awesome tonight, as always, I want to thank them.”

Tennessee jumped out to an early lead with a touchdown on their first drive, but during the Volunteers’ second possession, OU’s Owen Heinecke sacked Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar forcing a fumble. R. Mason Thomas scooped up the ball and returned it 71 yards for a Sooners touchdown; the longest fumble return in OU history. That was one of three takeaways the Sooners’ defense generated during the game.

“I thought that we knocked them back for a good part of the night,” Venables said. “From a physicality standpoint, that was a big part of the game. The pile constantly went in our direction, and all those little piles that fall forward add up to a lot.”

The Volunteers took the lead, 10-7, before the end of the first quarter, with a 45-yard field goal.

Tate Sandell kicked three field goals in the second quarter to give the Sooners a 16-10 lead going into half time. In total, Sandell made four field goals in the game, with three of the four coming from beyond 50 yards, including two from 55 yards.

The Sooners and Volunteers matched each other in the third and fourth quarters as each team scored two touchdowns and a field goal, to play the second half even.

“You know, first half I thought defensively we played extremely well,” Heupel said. “Offensively, moved the football, don’t get points in the red zone, turned the ball over, give them 16 points in the first half. Just can’t win that way. They’re a good football team and then at the end just didn’t have enough to get over the hump. So, give credit to them and we got to play smarter to win a game like that.”

The Sooners’ quarterback, John Mateer, completed 19-of-29 passes for 159 yards and he ran for another 80 yards, including a game-clinching touchdown. Xavier Robinson carried the ball 16 times for 115 yards and a touchdown.

For the Volunteers, Aguilar completed 29-of-45 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns.

“We did what we needed to do,” Venables said. “This isn’t a game of statistics. This is a game of will and physicality and execute when you need to and make the plays when we need to, and we were able to do that. I’m proud of the guys and the bye comes at a good time for us, we can get a few guys back (healthy).”

The Sooners have a bye this weekend and then will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama Nov. 15, with the kickoff time and TV network to be announced.