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    • OU football gets past Auburn as Michael Hawkins Jr. shines on defense
    Michigan

    OU football gets past Auburn as Michael Hawkins Jr. shines on defense

    Caradoc Wyn Posted on

    AUBURN, Ala. – With a new quarterback but the same thin offensive line and receiving corps, OU played its first SEC road game Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn.

    Michael Hawkins Jr.’s first start started with a bang, but then the offensive deficiencies became apparent again.

    But Hawkins and the offense found some momentum late and the Sooners’ defense forced a turnover when it mattered most as OU came back from a deficit to win 27-21.

    Here are five quick takeaways from the win:

    OU Football vs. Auburn Summary: Michael Hawkins Jr., Sooners impress Tigers with epic rally

    Kip Lewis gives the Sooners a big takeaway

    Auburn’s offense had made major strides through the first four games of the season.

    But the Tigers struggled with turnovers.

    OU’s defense has been a turnover machine through the first four games of the season.

    But barely more than four minutes before the end of the game, Kip Lewis had the decisive move.

    Payton Thorne tried to find Cam Coleman on third-and-4 from the OU 43. But linebacker Kip Lewis returned to coverage just before Thorne’s pass.

    He was in the perfect position at the perfect time.

    Lewis grabbed the interception and ran 63 yards to give the Sooners the lead for the first time since the second quarter.

    Thorne had largely avoided the danger up to this point.

    On the first play of Auburn’s second drive, the Sooners had their best opportunity to force the Tigers into a turnover that would have kept the momentum on their side.

    Dez Malone parried Payton Thorne’s pass to KeAndre Lambert-Smith. OU linebacker Kobie McKinzie dove after the ball but couldn’t quite get hold of it.

    OU had another chance for a turnover late in the first half that changed the momentum when Trace Ford hit Thorne, who retreated to pass and released the ball.

    But not only was Thorne able to recover his own fumble, but the ball bounced forward and the game ended with a first down for Auburn.

    Auburn’s offense has struggled with 14 turnovers in four games this season.

    The Sooners’ defense was the nation’s best at forcing turnovers, coming into the game with 12 – eight fumble recoveries and four interceptions.

    But Thorne — who had five interceptions before the game — mostly avoided dangerous passes.

    See: Auburn cheerleader collides with Oklahoma football player during warm-up

    Michael Hawkins Jr. makes enough plays to win

    OU’s offense looked reborn on the first drive of the game.

    Hawkins hit Brenen Thompson for a 15-yard gain on the Sooners’ first play from scrimmage, and three plays later, the Sooners’ freshman quarterback broke up the middle of the field and found plenty of space to give OU a 48 lead bring one-yard touchdown run.

    But then the cracks in the Sooners’ offense began to show again as OU punted on each of its next four drives and picked up just two more first downs in the first half.

    But Hawkins could do things that Jackson Arnold couldn’t.

    Hawkins’ legs bought him some time on several plays, and Hawkins avoided the costly mistakes that doomed Arnold’s first run as a college starter.

    The Sooners got the ball back with 10:12 to play and on the second play Hawkins made something happen.

    He hit JJ Hester for a 60-yard gain, giving OU first-and-goal.

    Two plays later, Jovantae Barnes had a 2-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 21-16, not long before Lewis’ game-winning interception.

    Then, after Lewis’ goal, Hawkins dove for the two-pointer and spun in the air as he crossed the goal line.

    He finished 10 of 15 for 161 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown, but he didn’t turn the ball over either.

    More: Watch Michael Hawkins Jr. run for a touchdown in OU football’s first start against Auburn

    OU Football’s bowl eligibility picture is improving

    Given the SEC’s massive schedule, Saturday’s game seemed like a must-win for the Sooners.

    OU (4-1, 1-1) still has FCS opponent Maine on the schedule, but five of the Sooners’ other six remaining games are against opponents currently ranked – all in the top 13 of the coaches’ poll.

    So had they lost, the Sooners would have to beat not only Maine but also two SEC opponents to extend their bowl streak to a best 26 straight seasons.

    South Carolina is the only other unranked team still on the Sooners’ schedule.

    OU hasn’t missed a bowl game since 1998 – John Blake’s final season as coach of the Sooners.

    The bowl streak is the second longest in college football behind Georgia.

    More: Why OU football QB Michael Hawkins Jr. faces Auburn: ‘The ultimate dual threat’

    The Sooners take a break just before halftime

    Just before halftime, it looked like Auburn would extend its lead beyond a touchdown.

    The Tigers drove 60 yards but were stopped short of a first down on third-and-10 inside the OU 20 as the seconds ticked away before halftime.

    Auburn rushed its field goal team onto the field, but Towns McGough’s shot missed as time expired.

    But the Sooners were criticized for having 12 men on the field, giving McGough another chance for an untimed loss.

    However, McGough missed the rebound, keeping Auburn’s lead at seven before halftime.

    McGough, a true freshman, missed a 51-yarder early in the fourth quarter.

    More: Michael Hawkins Jr. stats: OU football quarterback leads comeback win over Auburn

    Penalties hurt OU’s struggling offense

    With the offense struggling, OU couldn’t afford any unnecessary mistakes.

    The Sooners did this in the turnover category by not turning the ball over for the second time this season.

    But penalties slowed OU’s offense.

    The Sooners were rejected 10 times for 78 yards, both season highs.

    Eight of those penalties came against OU’s offense, including two penalties on tight end Jake Roberts – an early pass interference call on a pick play and a holding flag in the second half that negated a 16-yard run by Gavin Sawchuk.

    A few plays after that second penalty, the Sooners turned the ball over on downs.

    OU vs. Texas

    START: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, October 12, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas

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    Caradoc Wyn
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