Tennessee Defeats Oklahoma 25-15 On The Road

Tennessee wins their first SEC and true road game of the season. Tennessee defeated Oklahoma 25-15 covering the spread.

Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (1) scores a touchdown in front of Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Kani Walker (26) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tennessee Volunteers at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers have officially won their week four matchup against the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night. Josh Heupel and his Tennessee Vols defeated his former team and Alma Mater 25-15.

Nico Iamaleava got the start in his first true road game start of his career in an SEC contest.

The offenses for both teams would stall out early in the game including multiple turnovers in the first half. The first turnover was a Jermod McCoy interception. This was the first interception of his Tennessee career since transferring from Oregon State earlier in the off-season. The talented true sophomore defensive back was the highest rated defensive back in the SEC entering this game according to PFF. Iamaleava would fumble twice in the backfield and Oklahoma would lose two fumbles as well.

Iamaleava and Dont’e Thornton would connect for the first touchdown of the day as this play resulted in 66 yards. This quickly got the Tennessee fans going who made the trip to Norman, Oklahoma.

The story of the game was the Tennessee defense that forced a safety early in the game and forced the two fumbles including one in the red zone. This resulted in Jackson Arnold being pulled before the half concluded.

Dylan Sampson had him a touchdown in this game as he seemed a bit limited in the big play market throughout the game due to a good rushing-based defensive performance from the Sooners. This was the least productive game from Sampson all season long. DeSean Bishop did a great job making up for this as he had many big carries himself.

The Tennessee defense would go on to give up their first touchdown in 19 quarters which concluded a run that landed them as the longest streak in 20+ years. They would score a second rushing touchdown very late in the fourth quarter as well.

A more conservative look in the second half limited the Vols' scoring but gave them plenty of time to drain the clock in Norman. Freshman Michael Hawkins and Oklahoma didn’t have enough firepower to come back from the halftime deficit of 19-3.

A huge plus in this game would be John Campbell returning to the field early in the half despite many believing he wouldn’t see the field for the remainder of the game. The Vols would still not see the return of true freshman Boo Carter who exited early in the first half as he walked back to the locker room with a towel over his head.

The Vols will now enter a bye week ahead of their road test against the Arkansas Razorbacks who defecated the Auburn Tigers by a score of 24-14 on the road earlier in the day.

Other Tennessee News:

• Tony Vitello Turnaround Nothing Short of Brilliant for Tennessee Baseball
• Jaylen Williams Cuts Recruitment to Four Schools
• Tennessee Vols Football Could Make Playoff According to CFB Data Model

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