Oklahoma Football Picks Up Important Road Victory Against Tennessee

The No. 19-ranked Oklahoma Sooners traveled into a hostile environment in Knoxville, Tenn. and faced a 17-3 fourth-quarter deficit against a much-improved Tennessee Volunteers football team that had shut the Sooners down for most of the game. Things were looking bleak for the Sooners until quarterback Baker Mayfield led two late touchdown drives, including the tying touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard with 40 seconds left. Mayfield would hit Shepard again in the second-overtime to give the Sooners a big 31-24 road victory over a ranked opponent.

Mayfield struggled all day for the Sooners. The Texas Tech transfer consistently struggled with high throws through the first three quarters as he completed just 8-of-25 passes for 84 yards, including two interceptions. However, he became a different quarterback in the fourth quarter and overtime as he completed 9-of his-14 throws for 103 yards and three touchdown passes while also adding a touchdown run in the first overtime.

For Tennessee, this game was a chance to announce their arrival as a legitimate threat in the SEC. The Volunteers couldn’t have played much better throughout the first three quarters, but couldn’t have played much worse when it mattered most in the fourth quarter and overtime. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs struggled as he only completed 13 of his 31 attempts for 125 yards and a touchdown and an interception. Had he been able to complete a few more passes, this game could’ve been much different.

The Sooners will ride the high of this victory into next week’s home game against Tulsa before a big showdown with the West Virginia Mountaineers in the team’s Big 12 opener in three weeks.

Jason Fletcher is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google+.