November 1, 2025 — The Tennessee Volunteers suffered a devastating 33-27 defeat to Oklahoma at Neyland Stadium, falling to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in SEC play before 101,915 fans. Costly turnovers and an inability to stop the run proved fatal despite a valiant fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
Aguilar’s Big Night Marred by Turnovers
Joey Aguilar delivered a monster passing performance for Tennessee, but two critical interceptions undermined the stellar effort.
| Quarterback | Comp-Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joey Aguilar (TEN) | 29-45 | 393 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| John Mateer (OU) | 19-29 | 159 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Aguilar connected with Braylon Staley twice for touchdowns, including a 54-yard strike that gave Tennessee a brief 17-16 lead. He also hit Mike Matthews for a 15-yard score with 1:56 left that cut the deficit to 26-24.
However, his two interceptions set up Oklahoma field goals, and he lost a fumble that R Mason Thomas returned 71 yards for a touchdown that tied the game 7-7 in the first quarter.
Running Game Disappears
Tennessee’s ground attack never materialized, managing just 63 yards on 35 attempts for 1.8 yards per carry.
| Running Back | Attempts | Yards | Average | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeSean Bishop (TEN) | 12 | 38 | 3.2 | 16 | 0 |
| Xavier Robinson (OU) | 16 | 115 | 7.2 | 43 | 1 |
DeSean Bishop managed 38 yards but found little room against Oklahoma’s front seven. The lack of a running threat made Tennessee one-dimensional.
Oklahoma’s Xavier Robinson gashed the Volunteers for 115 yards and delivered the knockout blow with a 43-yard run in the final two minutes that set up the game-clinching touchdown.
Defense Can’t Make Final Stop
Tennessee’s defense held Oklahoma to 159 passing yards, with Edrees Farooq recording 10 tackles and two forced fumbles. Edwin Spillman’s fourth-quarter interception set up Tennessee’s late scoring drive.
However, the Volunteers surrendered 192 rushing yards and couldn’t prevent Robinson’s decisive 43-yard burst late in the fourth quarter.
Comeback Falls Short
Trailing 26-17 with 11 minutes left, Tennessee rallied. Aguilar hit Matthews for a touchdown to make it 26-24, but the onside kick failed. Robinson’s 43-yard run set up Mateer’s 1-yard touchdown that pushed Oklahoma’s lead to 33-24.
Gilbert’s 48-yard field goal cut it to 33-27 with 47 seconds remaining, but Oklahoma recovered the final onside kick to seal the victory.
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