It’s amazing how a couple of plays can change the outcome of a game.
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Sooners’ offense had difficulty moving the ball against Auburn, and the Tigers’ offense controlled the clock. Then [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr[/autotag]. hit J.J. Hester for a 60-yard strike on a perfectly placed deep ball down the right sideline. Hester was tackled inside the five, which set up Jovantae Barnes’ touchdown to pull the Sooners within five.
With the pressure mounting on Auburn’s next series, Payton Thorne was intercepted by linebacker Kip Lewis, who took it 63 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
The Sooners earned their first win in the SEC in Hawkins’ first career start.
With the win, the Oklahoma Sooners moved up one spot in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll after their remarkable comeback.
The Sooners are the eighth-highest-ranked team in the SEC with the Texas Longhorns moving into the No. 1 spot in the nation two weeks ahead of the Red River Showdown. Alabama moved up to No. 2 with their win over Georgia. Ohio State comes in at No. 3 and Tennessee at No. 4. The Bulldogs dropped back to No. 5 after their loss to the Crimson Tide.
Here’s a look at the full US LBM Coaches Poll for Week 5.
| Ranking | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Longhorns | 5-0 | 1,339 (29) |
| 2 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 4-0 | 1,330 (19) |
| 3 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 4-0 | 1,281 (7) |
| 4 | Tennessee Vols | 4-0 | 1,163 |
| 5 | Georgia Bulldogs | 3-1 | 1,153 |
| 6 | Oregon Ducks | 4-0 | 1,090 |
| 7 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 4-0 | 1,062 |
| 8 | Miami Hurricanes | 5-0 | 981 |
| 9 | Missouri Tigers | 4-0 | 948 |
| 10 | Michigan Wolverines | 4-1 | 792 |
| 11 | Ole Miss Rebels | 4-1 | 743 |
| 12 | LSU Tigers | 4-1 | 725 |
| 13 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 4-1 | 702 |
| 14 | Clemson Tigers | 3-1 | 671 |
| 15 | USC Trojans | 3-1 | 660 |
| 16 | Iowa State Cyclones | 4-0 | 500 |
| 17 | Oklahoma Sooners | 4-1 | 470 |
| 18 | Utah Utes | 4-1 | 408 |
| 19 | BYU Cougars | 5-0 | 375 |
| 20 | Kansas State Wildcats | 4-1 | 242 |
| 21 | Texas A&M Aggies | 4-1 | 198 |
| 22 | Louisville Cardinals | 3-1 | 197 |
| 23 | UNLV Rebels | 4-0 | 180 |
| 24 | Indiana Hoosiers | 5-0 | 143 |
| 25 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 4-1 | 122 |
Schools Dropped Out
No. 20 Oklahoma State;
Others Receiving Votes
Boise State 103; Pittsburgh 51; Arizona 44; Rutgers 35; Iowa 29; James Madison 25; Duke 22; Kentucky 17; Oklahoma State 15; SMU 14; Nebraska 12; Navy 9; Colorado 9; Boston College 6; Army West Point 3; UCF 2; Liberty 2; Tulane 1; South Carolina 1;
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.