Sooners rally past Auburn in first-ever road SEC game

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn built a double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter, but No. 21 Oklahoma rallied with 17 straight points to defeat the Tigers 27-21 Saturday at sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium in OU’s first-ever road Southeastern Conference game.

Luke Deal’s 1-yard touchdown catch put the Tigers (2-3 overall, 0-2 in SEC play) ahead 21-10 with 14:12 remaining in the game. Cam Coleman’s 42yard reception late in the third quarter and Payton Thorne’s 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 from the 3-yard line preceded Deal’s TD catch.

Auburn’s defense then stopped the Sooners on fourthand- 10 when Jalen McLeod sacked Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. at the Tigers’ 45-yard line.

Jarquez Hunter gained 22 yards on the next play, finishing with 17 carries for 97 yards, to give Auburn a first down at OU’s 33-yard line, but after a pair of incompletions and a rush for no gain, Auburn missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt.

The Sooners (4-1, 1-1) capitalized with a 60-yard pass from Hawkins Jr. to J.J. Hester and a 2-yard touchdown run from Jovantae Barnes. Auburn forced an incompletion on the 2-point conversion attempt and led 21-16 with 8:32 to play.

Auburn again crossed midfield, but on third-and-4, OU linebacker Kip Lewis returned an interception 63 yards for a touchdown that put OU ahead for good at 24-21 with 4:06 to play after Hawkins Jr. scored the 2-point conversion run.

OU stopped Auburn on fourth down and added a 39yard Zach Schmidt field goal in the final minute to secure the victory.

OU took the early lead on a 48-yard TD run by Hawkins Jr. Schmidt’s extra point gave the Sooners a 7-0 lead with 1:20 left in the first quarter.

The Sooners will have a bye this weekend before their annual Red River Rivalry game against Texas on Oct. 12 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.