Oklahoma Sooners vs Tennessee Volunteers Match Player Stats On Sep 12, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Sep 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - It's been awhile since Neyland Stadium rocked like this.

But it was the Oklahoma fans who partied after Saturday night's game.

Defensive back Zack Sanchez's interception ended the game in the second overtime as the No. 19 Sooners defeated No. 23 Tennessee 31-24 before 102,455.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield, who kept Oklahoma in the game for much of the night with his feet, found Sterling Shepard for an 18-yard touchdown in the second overtime - his third TD pass of the game - to put the Sooners ahead for good.

The Volunteers led 17-0 early and 17-3 in the fourth quarter.

Mayfield finished 19-for-39 for 187 yards and also threw a pair of interceptions while Tennessee running back Jalen Hurd rushed for 106 yards and an 8-yard touchdown in overtime that put the Volunteers back on top.

The Sooners answered after Shepard's 19-yard catch on first down and four plays later, Mayfield carried it in from the 1 to send the game to a second overtime.

Oklahoma appeared to be in trouble before Mayfield - with the help of a leaping Shepard catch - led the Sooners to a comeback. Down 17-10 with just more than four minutes remaining, Mayfield led Oklahoma to the tying touchdown.

On third down, Mayfield lofted a corner pass to Shepard, who leaped over the Tennessee defender and came down in bounds to send the game into overtime on a 5-yard score with 40 seconds left.

The Sooners cut the lead to 17-10 on Mayfield's touchdown pass to Samaje Perine with 8:20 remaining.

The Volunteers took a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter on quarterback Joshua Dobbs' 4-yard run on a drive that started with a 19-yard completion by Dobbs with a facemask penalty quickly giving Tennessee the ball at the Sooners' 21.

Oklahoma's offense finally started moving the ball midway through the quarter, thanks to some strong running by Perine and a 29-yard completion from Mayfield to Durron Neal. But the drive stalled and Oklahoma had to settle for a 35-yard field goal.

The Sooners had another chance late in the half, moving into Tennessee territory quickly before the drive fizzled with the Vols' stop on fourth down.

NOTES: The game was Oklahoma's first visit to Neyland Stadium. ... After Tennessee's second touchdown of the game put the Vols up 17-0 in the second quarter, the noise level in the stadium measured 114 decibels, announced as a stadium record. ... Tennessee DB coach Willie Martinez, a former Sooners assistant, returned after a one-game suspension for recruiting violations. ... Volunteers starting DT Danny O'Brien was suspended for the game. Owen Williams started in O'Brien's place. ... Oklahoma freshman RB Rodney Anderson had to be carted off the field late in the first half after suffering an injury to his left ankle on kickoff coverage. ... CB Jordan Thomas started for the Sooners after sitting out the first quarter of the season opener against Akron for disciplinary reasons. ... Sooners WR Michiah Quick returned after missing the opener because of a suspension. ... Tennessee LB Curt Maggitt suffered an apparent hip injury in the first half. ... Tennessee hosts Western Carolina next Saturday and Oklahoma plays at home against Tulsa.