Oklahoma had the lead and the momentum, but it all unraveled in a brutal fourth quarter.
A pair of late interceptions by John Mateer flipped Saturday night on its head as No. 15 Kentucky stormed back for a 21-13 win over the Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kentucky scored 14 unanswered points in the final period, with Jordan Castell’s 41-yard pick-six and Ty Bryant’s interception in the closing seconds putting the finishing touch on Oklahoma’s collapse.
The Sooners entered the fourth quarter up 13-7 and, for a while, looked in position to follow up their 27-24 win over then-No. 1 Texas. Instead, they were held scoreless after the third quarter and never found an answer once Kentucky seized control.
Oklahoma had taken a 10-7 halftime lead after Mateer hit Rocky Beers on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 30 seconds left in the first half. That came after Tate Sandell got the Sooners on the board with a 44-yard field goal in the first quarter.
Sandell added another kick in the third, connecting from 26 yards to stretch the lead to 13-7. But the Wildcats responded after an Oklahoma interception late in the third quarter, marching 44 yards in eight plays before Kenny Minchey found Willie Rodriguez on a 12-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth. The extra point pushed Kentucky in front 14-13 with 12:53 left.
From there, Oklahoma’s offense stalled. The Sooners punted on their next two possessions, then got the ball back at their own 4-yard line with less than three minutes remaining and trailing by one. Mateer helped move the ball to the 32, but Castell jumped a third-down throw and raced 41 yards the other way for a touchdown with 1:17 left.
Oklahoma still had one more chance, but Mateer was picked off again by Bryant with 21 seconds remaining.
Turnovers defined the night for the Sooners. They threw interceptions in the second and third quarters before Mateer’s two costly throws late in the fourth. Oklahoma also tried a fake field goal that was intercepted.
Kentucky’s defense made the biggest plays down the stretch, and it did so while putting constant heat on Mateer in the second half. The Wildcats sacked him twice on Oklahoma’s first possession after taking the lead.
Rodriguez did the damage for Kentucky’s offense, catching five passes for 38 yards and both of the team’s touchdowns. Minchey finished with 158 passing yards and two scores, powering the comeback after Oklahoma’s third-quarter lead.
The loss came just a week after Oklahoma’s upset of Texas, but this time the Sooners couldn’t turn that momentum into another win against a ranked SEC opponent.
In Other News...
Oklahoma's Biggest Problem Heading Into Mississippi State Is Hard To Ignore
Oklahoma heads into its meeting with Mississippi State still trying to find a steadier gear on offense, and the concerns are hard to miss. John Mateer has flashed the kind of playmaking that can tilt a game, but the turnovers have been part of the package, and the Sooners have also had to lean on Avant to help keep the ground game moving when the passing attack bogs down.
Mississippi State brings its own uncertainty, starting with the quarterback situation, which adds another layer to a matchup already shaped by defenses on both sides. The Sooners will need to sort out their own ball security issues before they can worry much about the Bulldogs, because the margin for error shrinks fast when one offense is still searching for consistency and the other side is capable of making the game messy. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Fans Wont Like Why Ryan Fodje Stayed In Against Kentucky
Late in Oklahomas home loss to Kentucky, starting left tackle Ryan Fodje went down with a right ankle injury in the closing minutes of the third quarter and briefly headed to the sideline for examination. He came back with the ankle heavily taped, a sequence that mattered because the Sooners offense was already losing its grip on the game and needed stability in the worst possible spot.
Brent Venables said the call to put Fodje back in came with input from the training staff and from Fodje himself, a detail Oklahoma fans probably will not love given how the rest of the night unfolded. After he returned, the offense kept sputtering, with the protection issues showing up in the form of sacks and interceptions, leaving the injury decision as one more thing the Sooners will have to sort through after an ugly home result. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Faces One Big Offensive Concern Entering Mississippi State
Brent Venables missed Tuesdays press conference because of flu-like symptoms, leaving defensive tackles coach Todd Bates to field questions as Oklahoma turned the page toward Mississippi State. The conversation quickly settled on the offense, where the Sooners are still trying to get a steadier rhythm while the defense continues to hold up at a national level.
Ryan Fodjes injury status was part of the discussion, along with the broader issues on offense and the encouraging signs from running back Tory Blaylock as he works back from an early-season injury. For Oklahoma, the formula is clear enough: the defense is doing its part, but the offense still has to answer the biggest question hanging over this stretch of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]