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No. 21 Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1 SEC) defeated Auburn (2-3, 0-2) 27-21 on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Here are three takeaways from the Sooners' win:

Offense still stagnant under Hawkins, finds spark at end

When Michael Hawkins Jr. broke off a 48-yard touchdown run on 3rd-and-5 of OU’s opening drive, it looked like the freshman had brought a desperately needed spark to the Sooners’ offense.

That spark was nowhere to be found for the next five drives, when OU punted consecutively. 

It wasn’t until Hawkins aired out a 60-yard pass to J.J. Hester to set the Sooners up at the five-yard line when that spark was felt again. After a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown from linebacker Kip Lewis, Hawkins put his body on the line and leapt for the pylon, flipping in the air as a result, to convert the two-point conversion.

Hawkins completed 10 of 15 passes for 161 yards and rushed for a team-high 69 yards on 14 carries.

Auburn offense avoids turnovers, Kip Lewis gets crucial interception

Auburn entered Saturday ranking No. 133 of 134 teams nationally in turnover margin, having lost 10 more turnovers than they’ve gained.

Despite the Sooners ranking second nationally with a turnover margin of seven, the Tigers avoided any turnovers until Lewis’ crucial 63-yard pick-6 with four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Auburn gained 482 yards of offense on the Sooners, and dominated the first half, leading head coach Brent Venables to call his defense’s first half performance “not very good.”

Auburn beat Oklahoma in time of possession by over 10 minutes and had 26 first downs to the Sooners’ 11.

“We’re there for each other through the good, through the bad…” Venables said. “Incredibly proud of our guys. We just kept hanging in there, and that’s what we told them, just find a way to win.”

Penalties hamper Sooners’ chances

OU was penalized less than any other SEC team through four games, which didn’t hold up against the Tigers.

The Sooners were penalized 10 times for 78 yards to the Tigers’ seven penalties for 65 yards. OU’s game management also struggled throughout the contest. 

Oklahoma was trailing 21-10 with under 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before overcoming its deficit.

Here are live scoring updates from the game:

4Q (0:54): OU 27, AUB 21

Redshirt senior kicker Zach Schmit makes a 39-yard field goal.

4Q (4:01): OU 24, AUB 21

Redshirt sophomore Kip Lewis intercepted Payton Thorne and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown. OU converted the two-point conversion.

4Q (8:32): AUB 21, OU 16

Junior running back Jovantae Barnes scores a 2-yard touchdown on the ground.

4Q (14:12): AUB 21, OU 10

Payton Thorne finds Luke Deal for a 1-yard passing touchdown.

3Q (2:26): AUB 14, OU 10

Redshirt senior kicker Zach Schmit makes a 24-yard field goal.

2Q (5:41): AUB 14, OU 7

Payton Thorne found Malcolm Simmons for a 48-yard touchdown.

2Q (12:52): OU 7, AUB 7

Payton Thorne finds KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 31-yard touchdown.

1Q (12:30): OU 7, AUB 0

True freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. scores on a 48-yard rushing touchdown.

Highlights

Injury report

  • Per the injury report released on Saturday, the Sooners will be without wide receivers Jayden Gibson, Jalil Farooq, Andrel Anthony, Deion Burks and Nic Anderson, defensive backs Gentry Williams and Kendel Dolby, linebacker Dasan McCullough, running back Taylor Tatum, offensive lineman Geirean Hatchett and kicker Tyler Keltner.

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