Two big plays in the fourth quarter changed everything for Oklahoma, and now Peyton Bowen and Tate Sandell have the hardware to match.
After the Sooners’ 27-24 win over No. 1 Texas, Bowen was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week and Sandell earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors on Monday.
Bowen delivered the moment that flipped the game. His 42-yard interception return gave Oklahoma its first lead of the day, turning a 17-7 halftime deficit into a 24-17 edge.
The senior from Corinth, Texas, intercepted a pass deep in the defense, cut through traffic and powered into the end zone for his first touchdown off a pick and the third interception of his career. He finished with a season-high seven tackles, including six solo stops.
All three of his interceptions have come over the last two seasons, and he has 79 return yards on those picks.
Sandell ended it. His 47-yard field goal as time expired gave Oklahoma the win and marked just the second game-winning play at the buzzer in program history, with the other coming in 2021.
The fifth-year senior from Port Neches, Texas, went 2 for 3 on field goals, including a 53-yarder in the third quarter that pulled OU within 17-10. His only miss came from 53 yards on his first try of the day.
That 53-yard make was Sandell’s ninth field goal from 50 yards or longer in two seasons at Oklahoma and his first this season. The 2025 Lou Groza Award winner also went 3 for 3 on PATs and is now a perfect 47 for 47 on extra points across two seasons with the Sooners, including 12 for 12 this year.
The win carried some notable firsts for Oklahoma, too. It was the Sooners’ first victory over a No. 1-ranked team since 2007, their first over a No. 1-ranked opponent while unranked in the AP poll, and their first win over Texas when the Longhorns were ranked No. 1 by the AP.
For Bowen, it was his first career SEC weekly award. Sandell picked up his fourth.
OU has now had three players earn SEC weekly recognition this season, after fifth-year wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 7.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Now Faces A Huge Test After Its Biggest Win Yet
The Red River Rivalry win over top-ranked Texas gave Oklahoma a major jolt and a landmark result, too. It was the Sooners first victory over a No. 1 Texas team and their first win in the series since 2008, the kind of breakthrough that can change the tone around a season in a hurry. Now the challenge is turning that emotional surge into something lasting, because the schedule does not ease up for long.
Next up is No. 15 Kentucky in Oklahomas Week 7 home opener, set for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network. It is the first meeting between the Sooners and Wildcats as SEC opponents, and the first time they have played in 44 years, which adds another layer to a matchup already carrying real weight. For Oklahoma, the task is simple enough to say and hard enough to do: prove the Texas win was a turning point, not just a one-day celebration. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas First Mississippi State Meeting Just Got More Interesting
Oklahomas first trip to face Mississippi State now has a little more clarity, with the SEC setting the kickoff for 2:30 p.m. CT on Oct. 24 at Davis Wade Stadium. It will be the Sooners first-ever game against the Bulldogs, adding another new SEC road stop to a schedule that keeps bringing unfamiliar territory and fresh matchups for Brent Venables team.
The game also comes with a built-in subplot for Oklahoma fans. Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby will line up against the Sooners and Venables for the first time since moving on from his stint as Oklahomas offensive coordinator, giving the meeting a layer of familiarity the teams otherwise would not have had. With both programs carrying their own recent results and the weeks ahead still unfolding, the first meeting suddenly feels like more than just another conference date. [Read more 🡒]
Sooners Turned Red River Into An SEC Statement Fans Will Love
The Red River Rivalry already carries enough weight on its own, but Oklahomas win over No. 1 Texas at the Cotton Bowl gave the Sooners something extra to savor in their first SEC statement game of the season. Peyton Bowens interception return for a touchdown changed the tone of the afternoon, and Tate Sandell kept the pressure on with a steady kicking performance that set up the finish. It was the kind of high-leverage, high-emotion victory that can travel well in a new league.
Bowen and Sandell each earned SEC Player of the Week honors for their parts in the upset, with Bowen recognized on defense and Sandell on special teams. The broader significance goes beyond the awards, because Oklahoma now has a conference win that instantly sharpens the spotlight on what this team can be in the SEC. For a program trying to build momentum, beating the top-ranked Longhorns in that setting is the sort of result that changes how the rest of the league looks at you. [Read more 🡒]