John Mateer rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown and threw for 159 to lead No. 18 Oklahoma to a 33-27 win over No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Tate Sandell kicked four field goals — three longer than 50 yards — to tie a Sooners record as Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2 SEC) kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive.
The Volunteers (6-3, 3-3) lost despite 393 yards passing and three touchdowns from Joey Aguilar.
Aguilar hit Mike Matthews for a 15-yard touchdown with 1:56 left to pull Tennessee within two.
The Sooners recovered the onside kick, but the game still wasn’t over.
On the next play, running back Xavier Robinson broke free and had an open path to the end zone, but he stopped himself just short of the goal line to give Oklahoma a chance to run out the clock.
But the Sooners didn’t, instead scoring on Mateer’s 1-yard run on the next play.
Tennessee kicked a field goal with 47 seconds left, but Oklahoma recovered another onside kick, and the Sooners ran out the clock.
Robinson finished with 16 carries for a career-high 115 yards and a touchdown.
Oklahoma grabbed the lead for what proved to be for good on Robinson’s short touchdown run late in the third quarter, then made it a two-possession game on Sandell’s 55-yarder with 11:05 remaining.
Despite being outgained 255-99 in the first half, Oklahoma led 16-10 at the break thanks to three first-half turnovers by Tennessee.
The Vols got off to a hot start, scoring on the opening drive on Aguilar’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Staley, then forced a punt and quickly drove deep into Oklahoma territory.
But then on first down from the Sooners’ 24, Owen Heinecke hit Aguilar’s arm and forced the ball loose. R Mason Thomas scooped up the ball one-handed and rambled 71 yards for a touchdown.
Thomas was still engaged in a block with Tennessee tight end Miles Kitselman when he secured the ball, then drug Kitselman down the field nearly 25 yards before breaking free and rumbling to the end zone.
Thomas’ fumble return, the longest in Oklahoma history, was a costly one, though.
Thomas suffered a hamstring injury on the play and nearly stepped out of bounds as he worked to stay on his feet. Thomas did not return.
The Sooners outgained the Vols 252-201 in the second half.
