No. 8 OU (9-2, 5-2 SEC) junior defensive back Peyton Bowen and sophomore defensive back Eli Bowen provided bookending plays in a 17-6 win over No. 22 Missouri (7-4, 3-4).
Peyton Bowen opened the game with a pivotal field-goal block with 7:42 to go in the second quarter; he tipped Missouri freshman kicker Robert Meyer's 35-yard attempt. It came at a critical time as the Sooners were down 3, and it prevented the Tigers from expanding the lead. The block came after he nearly affected Meyer's first attempt but did not actually do so.
"Everyone thought I did block it, but I did not touch it at all on the first one," Peyton Bowen said. "So then the second one, I was like, maybe they'll block out to me and they didn't, so I took a better angle at it."
After the Sooners climbed to a 17-6 lead going into the fourth quarter, Eli Bowen sealed the win with an interception on Missouri's final drive. With the Tigers looking to build a late comeback, Eli Bowen caught Missouri senior quarterback Beau Pribula's pass with 37 seconds left in the game.
The Bowen brothers highlights marked the second time in the last two games the two have provided bookending plays after Peyton Bowen had a pass deflection to close the Alabama win and Eli Bowen had an 87-yard pick-six to the start that game.
"It's just special to have to have him making plays and me making plays at the same time in crucial games where it's bigger than ever," Peyton Bowen said.
Eli Bowen finished with one tackle and one interception against Missouri and added to his season total of 17 tackles. Peyton Bowen, on the other hand, recorded four tackles against Missouri and has 33 tackles and one interception on the season.
"They're (each) a joy to coach; they let you push them," head coach Brent Venables said. "They're willing to have honest conversations. They take responsibility when it ain't good — no finger pointing, no blame. (Those are) just two guys that represent everything that we're about the right way."
The Bowen brothers contribute to the strong defense Venables has built over his OU tenure. Venables has shifted the defense from ranking No. 123 in 2022, his first year as Sooner head coach, to 11 going into the Missouri game, and the top-15 ranking in 2025 comes during his first year as OU defensive coordinator in addition to head coach.
"He's grown as a leader every year I've been here, and I think that's the biggest thing that he's done," Peyton Bowen said. "And this year shows for it because ... (he's) really become more like a players' coach."
The Sooners are currently No. 8 in the College Football Playoff standings and will continue fighting for a spot against Louisiana State University at 2:30 p.m. next Saturday at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on ABC.
