oklahoma vs tennessee football: The Oklahoma Sooners fell 25-15 to the Tennessee Volunteers in their SEC debut, marking Josh Heupel’s return to Norman on Saturday night.
The last time OU and Tennessee met, it was a memorable clash. In 2015, the Sooners were down 17-3 after three quarters, but Baker Mayfield delivered one of his signature performances, connecting with Sterling Shepard for a game-tying touchdown in the final minute of regulation and then again in the second overtime.
“The atmosphere was just incredible,” recalled former Sooners cornerback Zack Sanchez this week.
This past week, Josh Heupel remained tight-lipped as he prepared to return to Oklahoma—the place where he won a national championship as a player and was later dismissed as an assistant coach. Throughout the week, he avoided giving any bulletin-board material or overly sentimental remarks.
Although he cracked a few jokes, he mostly maintained his usual stoic demeanor. However, after Tennessee’s 25-15 victory, fueled by a strong defensive showing, Heupel finally admitted what many had already suspected: this win carried extra significance for him.
“This game wasn’t about me coming back; it was about our football team and the 2024 journey,” Heupel told ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe after the win. “But they knew it was important for me to return, and I wanted to get the win.”
Heupel’s return to Norman was especially poignant, as it was his first game there since his mother’s passing earlier this year. With his father and other family members in attendance, Heupel shared that he felt like his mom was able to watch the game as well.
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Reflecting on Tennessee's progress on Saturday, Heupel was feeling positive, particularly about a defense that forced multiple turnovers and triggered a quarterback change.
"Great road win, coming into a tough environment against a really good football team," Heupel said. "The defense played lights out. I can’t say enough about their performance—dominating the line of scrimmage, making the quarterback uncomfortable, playing tight coverage, and getting off the field on third downs. Special teams were solid. Offensively, the game shifted a bit in the second half, so we adjusted to their starter and pulled back a little. It was a complete team effort, and our defense was phenomenal."
Tennessee’s defense faced the challenge of adjusting to a new quarterback in the second half. After Oklahoma benched Jackson Arnold and brought in true freshman Michael Hawkins just before halftime, head coach Josh Heupel and his team had to adapt quickly. Heupel also didn’t rule out the possibility of seeing more of Arnold in the second half.
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