Against Tennessee, Oklahoma Flipped the Script From October

Recalling the first half against Texas, it's easy to forget that Oklahoma dominated the half. OU ran 39 plays on offense to the Longhorns' 25. Oklahoma out gained Texas 170 to 114, and led 6-3. The Sooners were denied the right to be ahead by more, possibly, thanks to two Mateer interceptions.

Fast forward to Neyland Stadium and OU was throughly outplayed in the first half if all you care about is a box score.

The Volunteers out gained the Sooners 255-99 in total yards. Tennessee nearly doubled-up Oklahoma in total plays at 49-25.

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Thanks to two — hold on to your hats — Oklahoma interceptions, the Sooners instead led at halftime, 16-10. The timely turnovers allowed OU to weather the intense storm that was "Neyland at Night" and adjust offensively going into the second half.

Arbuckle even got to redeem himself from his nightmare drive in Dallas where OU drove the field with 4:29 remaining in the first half. By attempting to deny the Longhorns the ball with time remaining, Arbuckle and the Sooners overthought the situation, which led to an interception that kept Oklahoma from potentially adding to its lead. The play added to Texas' confidence heading into the locker room.

With a shorter field thanks to Robert Spears-Jennings' interception in the closing seconds of the first half, Arbuckle showcased better awareness. They took a quick deep shot to the end zone with 11 seconds left before running Xavier Robinson towards the middle of the field to set up an easier Tate Sandell field goal.

What a difference from the Cotton Bowl.

Don't look now, but the Sooners under Brent Venables showed in-season improvement in November. Despite mistakes sprinkled throughout the game and being gashed by chunk plays on defense, OU showed it has the capability to navigate the remainder of its tough schedule and not be defined by its past sins.

Is everything perfect? Of course not. But Oklahoma showed in a game against a quality opponent on the road in a hostile environment — and on a day where the Volunteers can be disappointed but not feel like they simply had a "bad day."

The Sooners' journey this season has been a mix of highs and lows, but the victory in Knoxville was a turning point that reinvented their narrative. It proved that despite flaw sand growing pains, this team can adapt, fight through adversity, and find a way to win when it counts.

With one tough road game and two home matchups remaining, Oklahoma’s path forward is clear: build on the lessons learned, tighten execution in order to earn a playoff berth. The Sooners may not be perfect, but they have shown the ability to rise above setbacks and remain a contender in a demanding season.