Oklahoma's Tricky Touchdown Against Auburn Divides Referees, Commentators

Should this have been allowed? You be the judge.

Isaiah Sategna, seen here running a route against Temple, tricked Auburn Saturday. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Trickery in college football is an ancient art, but on Saturday, the Oklahoma Sooners and offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle ratcheted it up to a new level.

About five minutes into the second quarter of the No. 11 Sooners' game against No. 22 Auburn, Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna appeared to trot gingerly toward the sideline. Suddenly, Sategna snapped to attention, and quarterback John Mateer launched the ball toward him in the Tigers' end zone. Touchdown.

The story does not end there. The score left Auburn coach Hugh Freeze irate, and commentators Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy questioned whether the touchdown violated rules against using substitution for deceptive means. Officiating analyst Matt Austin agreed with them, saying the play should've been ruled unsportsmanlike conduct.

A little trickery from the Sooners 👀

Isaiah Sategna pretended to head to the sideline before bursting free for the touchdown.

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— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 20, 2025

In a further twist to the saga, ESPN's Molly McGrath tracked down an official, who expressed that the Sooners had legally run the play with 11 players on the field. Austin persisted in lightly disagreeing, seeming to insinuate he would have thrown a flag.

The teams entered the half tied 10–10, as Tigers fans presumably continued to stew.

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