Oklahoma’s upset of No. 1 Texas at the Cotton Bowl came down to the kind of plays that get replayed in this rivalry for years: a clutch kick from Tate Sandell and a momentum-flipping takeaway from Peyton Bowen.
The Sooners left with the Golden Hat, and both players walked away with SEC weekly honors. Bowen was named the league’s defensive player of the week, while Sandell earned special teams player of the week after delivering the game-winner.
Sandell’s 47-yard walk-off will be the one people remember. The 2025 Lou Groza Award winner had been working through a rough patch after a series of misses, but Oklahoma needed him to come through, and he did. Earlier in the game, a 53-yard attempt in the second quarter sailed wide, a miss that stood out for a kicker known for his power and reliability.
He got another shot from the same spot to open the third quarter after Oklahoma put together a seven-play, 52-yard drive. Sandell drilled the 53-yarder, pulling the Sooners within 17-10 and giving them life.
That later set the stage for the finish. Sandell’s winning kick marked Oklahoma’s first walk-off field goal since Gabe Brkic’s chip shot ended a 16-13 win over West Virginia in 2021.
Bowen delivered the other play that changed everything. He jumped an Arch Manning throw, picked it off, and raced 42 yards for a touchdown to give Oklahoma its first lead at 24-17. That interception started a stretch in which the Sooners’ defense forced two fourth-quarter picks.
For Bowen, it was his first interception of the season and the first touchdown of his career. It was also the third interception of his Sooner career, after picks in wins over Tennessee and LSU in 2025.
The timing mattered, too. Bowen had had a few interceptions slip through his hands in 2026, including at least one chance at a pick-six against New Mexico.
Sandell’s honor was his fourth SEC weekly award, while Bowen picked up his first. Earlier this season, Isaiah Sategna was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after Oklahoma’s opener against UTEP, when he piled up multiple big punt returns and scored on one in the first quarter.
Oklahoma now turns to No. 15 Kentucky, which arrives in Norman at 5-1, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.
CT. The game will air on the SEC Network.
In Other News...
Kentucky Has A Real Week 6 AP Poll Respect Case
The Week 6 Associated Press poll once again turned into a reminder that rankings are about more than just what happened on the field last Saturday. Texas fell from No. 1 to No. 7 after a close loss, while Kentucky stayed buried lower than several other SEC teams with similar records, and James Madison still could not crack the top 25 despite being unbeaten. For Oklahoma fans, the most glaring wrinkle was familiar in a different way: the Sooners remained unranked even after beating the No. 1 team.
The bigger issue is what the poll seems to reward, and what it seems willing to overlook. Preseason expectations and strength of schedule appear to matter as much as recent results, if not more, which is why some teams get the benefit of the doubt while others do not. For Oklahoma, that leaves a clear opening to keep stacking wins and force the voters to eventually catch up, even if the respect does not arrive as quickly as the on-field resume would suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahomas First Mississippi State Meeting Just Got More Interesting
Oklahomas first trip to Mississippi State now has a set kickoff, with the SEC slotting the Oct. 24 meeting for 2:30 p.m. CT at Davis Wade Stadium. It will be the Sooners first-ever game against the Bulldogs, adding a fresh crossover to a schedule that already has plenty of intrigue as both teams navigate the stretch run of the season.
The matchup carries an extra layer because Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby will see Oklahoma and Brent Venables for the first time since leaving his job as the Sooners offensive coordinator. With both programs coming off recent on-field ups and downs and more games looming before then, this one already has the feel of a late-October game that could mean more than just another SEC date on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Have Finally Found The Offense Fans Wanted
For an Oklahoma offense that spent too much of the day searching for rhythm against Texas, the second half offered something closer to the version Sooners fans have been waiting to see. After a quiet opening stretch, the unit picked up 169 yards and put 13 offensive points on the board, with Lloyd Avant giving the ground game a needed spark by piling up 72 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries while also working into the passing game.
The encouraging part for Oklahoma is that this may not have been a one-game blip. The Sooners still have defenses ahead that rank lower nationally in yards allowed, and there is at least a chance the line gets healthier as injured offensive linemen work their way back. If that happens, the second-half burst against Texas could end up looking less like a brief lift and more like the start of the offense finally finding its footing. [Read more 🡒]