No. 21 Oklahoma won its first SEC game, rallying for a 27-21 win over Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday.
Kip Lewis ran an interception back 63 yards for a pick 6 with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Sooners a 22-21 lead. OU QB Michael Hawkins Jr. then ran around right end and jumped over the pylon for a 2-point conversion and three-point lead.
Oklahoma would later tack on a field goal to make it 27-21. The win gives Hawkins, a true freshman making his first start in place of the benched Jackson Arnold, a road SEC victory to start his college career.
Hawkins passed for 161 yards, completing 10-of-15 passes, while also rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Jovantae Barnes added 61 yards and a score for the Sooners. J.J. Hester got 86 yards on three catches, including a 60-yard grab that led to Oklahoma’s go-ahead touchdown.
Auburn built a 21-10 lead early in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard pass from Payton Thorne to Luke Deal. The seven-play, 58-yard drive was highlighted by an outstanding grab along the left sideline by Cam Coleman for a 42-yard gain. Five plays later, Auburn was in the end zone and seemingly had Oklahoma reeling.
Despite the late turnover, Thorne did plenty to justify the decision by head coach Hugh Freeze to reinstate him as the starter after he was benched for freshman Hank Brown. His 48-yard pass to Malcolm Simmons put Auburn ahead by a touchdown midway through the second quarter.
The senior QB threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns while completing 21-of-32 passes. But that pick 6 was a backbreaker. Freeze cited turnovers in making the QB change, as well.
Jarquez Hunter led Auburn with 97 yards on 17 carries and was helping the Tigers grind time off the clock until Thorne’s interception. Cam Coleman notched 82 yards receiving on three catches, followed by KeAndre Lambert-Smith getting a touchdown and 77 yards among his five receptions.
On Oklahoma’s following possession, the offense failed to put points on the board, with Hawkins getting sacked on fourth-and-10 at the Auburn 40-yard line.
The Sooners’ injuries at receiver seemed especially glaring as the offense was unable to move down the field with explosive plays. Deion Burks, Nic Anderson, Jayden Gibson, Jalil Farooq and Andrel Anthony were all out for Oklahoma on Saturday.
