Sandell’s final kick lifts Oklahoma past No. 1 Texas, 27–24
The Sooners’ defense and special teams kept them within reach at the Cotton Bowl before a late interception set up the decisive field goal on October 10.
Tate Sandell made a 47-yard field goal as time expired on October 10, 2026, giving Oklahoma a 27–24 win over No. 1 Texas at the Cotton Bowl. The Sooners overcame a ten-point halftime deficit to finish the Red River Rivalry in front of 92,100 spectators with the game’s final points. [1]
The last interception opened the door
Courtland Guillory intercepted Arch Manning at the Oklahoma 39-yard line in the final minute. John Mateer then completed passes of 13 and 20 yards to Isaiah Sategna III, moving the Sooners to the Texas 28 with nine seconds left. [4]
Mateer then ran left for a two-yard loss to the Texas 30, and Oklahoma called timeout with three seconds remaining. Texas used a timeout of its own before Sandell delivered the winning kick. The takeaway gave Oklahoma its final chance. [4]
Texas controlled much of the yardage
The Longhorns held Oklahoma to 238 total yards, including 83 rushing yards. Texas finished with 382 yards and recorded nine tackles for loss; Colin Simmons contributed two sacks, while Rasheem Biles led the defense with 12 tackles. Those advantages were substantial, but the final score reflected points produced outside Oklahoma’s offense. [2]
Manning threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns. His first-half connections with Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo helped Texas take a 17–7 halftime lead. Later, after Oklahoma went ahead 24–17, Manning directed a 75-yard touchdown drive capped by a 15-yard pass to Jermaine Bishop Jr., tying the score with 6:32 remaining. [2]
Two scores that changed the arithmetic
Oklahoma’s first touchdown came on special teams: Danny Okoye blocked a punt and Dakoda Fields recovered it in the end zone. In the fourth quarter, Peyton Bowen returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown. Those plays supplied two of the Sooners’ three touchdowns, alongside Lloyd Avant’s two-yard rushing score. [1]
Bowen’s interception return gave Oklahoma its first lead. Sandell had already helped close the deficit with a 53-yard field goal in the third quarter; he finished two-for-three on field goals and made all three extra points. His last attempt decided a game in which both Oklahoma’s defense and kicking game made decisive contributions. [3]
A result with historical weight
The win was Oklahoma’s first over an AP No. 1 team since 2007 and its first against a top-ranked Texas team. It also marked the Sooners’ first victory over an AP No. 1 opponent while Oklahoma itself was unranked, according to the university’s subsequent account. [3]
On October 12, the SEC recognized Bowen as Defensive Player of the Week and Sandell as Special Teams Player of the Week. Their honors underlined the game’s central pattern: Oklahoma stayed alive through disruptive plays, then converted its final chance into a win. [3]
Story context and image credits
Game played October 10, 2026; awards update October 12. Original Instagram publication: 2026-10-11T02:23:35.000Z; 5 images. Expanded website article added October 13, 2026.
View the full photo-credit recordView the original Instagram publicationSources & notes
- Texas Athletics: No. 1/1 Football suffers first loss to Oklahoma, 27–24texaslonghorns.com
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