Oklahoma needed its leaders to step up in big moments to knock off the No. 1 Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl.
Thanks to Peyton Bowen and Tate Sandell's crucial plays, the Sooners took home the Golden Hat. For their efforts, Bowen and Sandell were named the SEC Players of the Week for defense and special teams.
Sandell's 47-yard walk-off will live on in Sooner lore. The 2025 Lou Groza Award winner knocked off the recent funk he found himself in with recent misses and made kicks when OU needed points on the board.
A 53-yard field goal miss in the second quarter was the final straw for a kicker known for his big leg and consistency.
Sandell got another shot from the same distance on the Sooners' first drive after halftime. Oklahoma went on a seven-play, 52-yard drive to set up Sandell from 53 yards. The OU kicker knocked it through to cut the Texas lead to 17-10.
This was the first walk-off field goal game winner since OU's 16-13 over West Virginia in 2021, when Gabe Brkic hit a chip shot to end the contest.
One of the biggest plays of the day was made when Bowen secured an Arch Manning overthrow and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. The score gave the Sooners their first lead of the game at 24-17. It would be the first of two fourth-quarter interceptions the OU defense would force.
It was Bowen's first interception of the season — and his first touchdown of his career— and the third since he started his Sooner career in 2023 (he had interceptions in wins against Tennessee and LSU in 2025).
Bowen's big play couldn't have come at a better time. He had been the victim of a few dropped interceptions in 2026 — with at least one of them having a great opportunity for a pick-six against New Mexico.
Overall, this was Sandell's fourth weekly SEC honor and Bowen's first. Isaiah Sategna was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week following OU's season-opening win over UTEP. Sategna had multiple big punt returns, including a touchdown in the first quarter of the Sooners' win.
Oklahoma hopes to capitalize on its season-saving win as it hosts No. 15 Kentucky (5-1) in Norman at 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
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