No. 18 Oklahoma used big plays by its defense and kicker to beat No. 14 Tennessee in Neyland Stadium. Caleb Bowlin / Getty Images

The Oklahoma Sooners are still in this thing. The Tennessee Volunteers aren’t. That’s the fallout from Oklahoma’s 33-27 win Saturday at Neyland Stadium in what was essentially a College Football Playoff elimination game.

The No. 18 Sooners (7-2, 3-2 SEC) hung around by forcing three turnovers in a first half in which they were largely dominated, then turned things around on the No. 14 Volunteers (6-3, 3-3) in the second half. Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer used his legs to torment Tennessee — though his tipped pick with 4:18 gave Tennessee some life.

But a Brent Venables defense that came in first in the SEC and fifth nationally in scoring defense (12.5 points per game allowed) responded and preserved victory. The Vols came in averaging 45.6 points per game, first in the SEC and second nationally, but quarterback Joey Aguilar (393 passing yards, three touchdowns) threw two interceptions in his least comfortable game of the season, and the Vols also lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

Throw in four Tate Sandell field goals, three from beyond 50 yards, and the Sooners are still in the Playoff hunt with a game at Alabama up next, while Josh Heupel’s Vols are relegated to potentially spoiling rival Vanderbilt’s hopes in the regular-season finale.

Oklahoma is the first team not named Georgia to win in Neyland Stadium since Heupel’s debut season of 2021. The Vols lost to the Bulldogs, Ole Miss and Pitt at home that season, and the only home loss since then came to Georgia in 2023. The Sooners got it done with those three turnovers, four field goals and a massive 192-63 edge in rushing yards.

Mateer had 80 of those and a touchdown, and Xavier Robinson had 115 yards and a touchdown.

This story will be updated.

Nov 2, 2025

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