AUBURN | Clock mismanagement and poor execution on both sides of the ball led to an epic collapse Saturday afternoon at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
No. 21 Oklahoma scored 17 points over the final 8:32 of the game for a stunning 27-21 comeback win over Auburn.
Leading 21-10 with 11:43 left and the ball at their own 45, the Tigers took just 1:31 off the clock, turning the ball over at the Sooners’ 33-yard line after a missed field goal.
Two plays later, Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. completed a 60-yard pass to J.J. Hester, which set up a two-yard touchdown run by Jovantae Barnes to cut AU’s lead to 21-16 after the 2-point attempt failed.
Auburn drove 32 yards on its next possession before linebacker Kip Lewis intercepted Payton Thorne and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown. OU made the 2-point conversion to take a 24-21 lead.
In the span of 4:26, Oklahoma turned an 11-point deficit into a three-point lead.
The Sooners added a 39-yard field goal with 54 seconds left after AU turned it over on downs.
The finish overshadowed what had been a strong performance by Thorne, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked four times including three in the fourth quarter.
Auburn led 14-7 at half and extended that to 21-10 with Thorne’s one-yard TD pass to Luke Deal at the start of the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 48-yard scramble by quarterback Hawkins Jr.
Auburn led 14-7 at the break as Thorne connected with KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 31-yard touchdown and Malcom Simmons for a 48-yard touchdown in second quarter.
Auburn’s Towns McGough was 0 of 2 on field goals including missing a 27-yarder to end the first half.
After giving up 68 yards on the Sooner’s opening TD drive, Auburn’s defense allowed just 29 on 19 plays. AU out-gained OU 203-34 in the second quarter.
Auburn out-gained Oklahoma 482-291.
Auburn plays at No. 2 Georgia next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.