NORMAN, Okla. – Malcolm Simmons gave the Tigers a fourth-quarter lead but No. 11 Oklahoma answered with a game-winning drive to defeat No. 22 Auburn 24-17 In the SEC opener Saturday at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
Trailing 16-10 after Oklahoma opened the fourth quarter with a field goal, the Tigers drove 75 yards on 14 plays, converting on fourth-and-11 from Oklahoma’s 38-yard line on Jackson Arnold’s 15-yard run.
On fourth-and-6 from the Sooners’ 19, a pass interference penalty gave the Tigers a first down at the 4, setting up Simmons’ game-tying touchdown and Alex McPherson’s tie-breaking extra point with 7:08 to play.
Oklahoma moved 75 yards in six plays, taking a 22-17 lead on John Mateer’s 9-yard rush with 4:54 to play.
Auburn’s final possession ended with a safety when Oklahoma sacked Arnold in the end zone, the Sooners’ 10th sack of the game.
Tied 10-10 at the half, the teams traded three-and-outs before the Sooners took a 13-10 lead midway through the third quarter.
After another exchange of three-and-outs, Jeremiah Cobb broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage, spun away from another defender 15 yards downfield and picked up 44 yards to Oklahoma’s 33-yard line, Auburn’s longest rush of the game. After two incompletions and a false start penalty, the Tigers missed a potentially game-tying 50 yard field goal attempt.
Oklahoma extended its lead to 16-10 with a 28-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Auburn appeared to have scored on defense on the Sooners’ first possession when Jahquez Robinson forced a fumble that Kayin Lee recovered and returned for a touchdown, but the play was ruled an incomplete pass after a video review.
Oklahoma capitalized on that ruling by kicking a 49-yard to take a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Pinned at its own 7-yard line after a kick return penalty, Auburn delivered its longest pass play of the season when Arnold threw deep to Cam Coleman for 46 yards. The Tigers drove 87 yards and tied the score at 3-3 on McPherson’s 24-yard field goal at the 3:56 mark of the first quarter.
Facing a similar situation in the second quarter after a 66-yard Oklahoma punt, Arnold threw from his end zone on first down, connecting with Coleman for 40 yards before four penalties derailed the drive.
Auburn lost 12 yards after a low snap while attempting to punt, giving the Sooners the ball on the Tigers’ 12-yard line.
A penalty and Bobby Jamison-Travis’ tackle for loss sent the Sooners backwards, but Oklahoma took a 10-3 lead on John Mateer’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna III, who appeared to be exiting the field but stayed inbounds, in an apparent violation of a rule prohibiting substitution deception.
Auburn went three-and-out and the Sooners drove to the Tigers’ 30-yard line but Keyron Crawford recovered Mateer’s fumble to end the scoring threat midway through the second quarter.
The teams traded three-and-outs, the third for Auburn’s defense in the opening half, setting the stage for a game-tying drive.
Arnold went 5-for-5 on an eight-play, 60-yard drive, finding Eric Singleton Jr. three times for 27 yards and a pair of first downs. Singleton made a career-high nine receptions for 60 yards.
On second-and-goal from Oklahoma’s 2-yard line, Arnold threw a fade to Coleman, whose 10th career touchdown and McPherson’s extra point tied the score at 10-10 with 1:08 to play in the first half.
Xavier Atkins led Auburn with a career-high seven tackles. Keldric Faulk recorded his 10th career sack.
Arnold completed 21 of 32 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown. Coleman made three receptions for 88 yards and a TD while Cobb led the Tigers with 61 rushing yards on six carries.
Auburn remains on the road next Saturday at No. 10 Texas A&M at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and the Auburn Sports Network.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer