All Sooners

How Oklahoma TE Played Key Role In Last Play Of His Fourth Win Over UT

Stogner, Anderson part of 'perfect storm' before TD pass that sealed Sooners' 34-30 win.

Tim Willert

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NORMAN — To hear Austin Stogner tell it, he and wide receiver Nic Anderson collided after the ball was snapped on the final play of Oklahoma's game-winning touchdown drive against Texas.

The Sooners' offense had just marched 72 yards in less than a minute and was positioned at the 3-yard line with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Longhorns leading 30-27.  

Anderson, who was lined up on the right side of the formation, went in motion to the left side, where Stogner, the tight end, was lined up next to left tackle Walter Rouse.

"I saw the guy off the edge," Stogner told reporters Monday after practice. "I was like, 'I know he's coming,' so we had that guy out there and me and Nic kind of like ran into each other and I think it threw like the linebacker off.

"I think it was the perfect storm. That guy came down, I was like, 'If I can get that corner on me, then (Nic's) going to be wide open,' so he came on me and he was open."

Anderson, a 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman from Katy, TX, drifted to the corner of the endzone uncovered and caught a strike from quarterback Dillon Gabriel as the south end of the Cotton Bowl went bananas.

"Me and Stog actually ran into each other, and I was the one that came open," Anderson said Saturday after the game. "I saw the ball. That's the last thing I remember. And then just seeing the fans and looking into their eyes, it was a crazy, electric moment. I'm glad they were pointing to me."

The come-from-behind 34-30 win marked the fourth victory over Texas for Stogner, a 6-6, 258-pound tight end from Plano, TX, who played on OU teams that beat the Longhorns in 2019 (34-27), 2020 (53-45 in four overtimes) and 2021 (55-48).

Three of the four games qualify as thrillers. In the 2019 game, quarterback Jalen Hurts threw three touchdown passes to CeeDee Lamb, the defense had nine sacks and OU never trailed.

Austin Stogner blocks for Dillon Gabriel.
Austin Stogner blocks for Dillon Gabriel / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

"I mean, obviously you want to win that game," Stogner said. "That's the game you've got like circled you want to win. There's nothing in college football like it. 

"To have those three great games, man, that's awesome. I hadn't really thought about that but that's really cool. Those are my three favorite games in my college career for sure."

Stogner, who transferred to South Carolina following the 2021 season, played the 2022 season for former OU assistant coach Shane Beamer before returning to Norman for his final season.

"I'm undefeated, 4-0, and I've only lost one time to an orange-colored school, back in 2021, even at SC (against Clemson), we won over there," he said.

A starter at tight end in every game so far this season, Stogner entered the Texas game with just four catches for 37 yards. He nearly matched his total with three catches for 24 yards against the Longhorns.

Stogner said he's happy to be 6-0 and agreed that his production Saturday was a step forward.

"But it's just about working every week and it'll eventually come, but yeah, it was for sure like a good step forward to have those chances and stuff," he said. "But again, I've had stuff in the game plan, just hasn't worked out and gone my way, got different looks and stuff, so it's good that happened and hopefully we can build on that."

The No. 5-ranked Sooners (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) don't play a game this week. They return to action Oct. 21 with a home game against conference newcomer UCF (3-3, 0-3) starting at 11 a.m.

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Tim Willert
TIM WILLERT

AllSooners staff writer Tim Willert has covered news and sports for 29 years as a reporter and editor for daily and online publications, including The Oklahoman and The Norman Transcript. 

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