D-Line Leads the way in Oklahoma's win Over Auburn: Position-by-Position Report Card

NORMAN — It wasn’t easy or pretty, but Oklahoma pulled it off in the end.

The front end of the 11th-ranked Sooners’ defense came up big, and the offense came alive when OU needed it most as the Sooners came from behind for a 24-17 win over Auburn at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Here’s a position-by-position look at the Sooners’ report card for Saturday’s win:

Quarterback: B+

John Mateer struggled for the first time in his short tenure at Oklahoma.

Mateer missed some reads in the air and couldn’t find much open space on the ground.

But then came the Sooners' final two drives of the game.

Mateer was 5-for-5 for 60 yards on the drive that ended with Tate Sandell’s field goal to put OU up 16-10 on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Then Mateer was even better on the next drive, answering Auburn’s go-ahead touchdown drive with one of his own.

Mateer was 4-for-4 for 62 yards and had two runs for 13 yards, including the 9-yard touchdown run with 4:54 remaining that proved to be the game-winner.

Mateer ultimately completed his last 11 passes and was 16 for his last 17.

He finished 24-of-36 for 271 yards and a touchdown and had 29 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.

Running Backs: D

About the best thing OU’s running backs did was a block by Javontae Barnes in the first half that kept the Tigers from sacking Mateer and pinning the Sooners deep in Auburn territory.

But after showing life last week against Temple, OU’s running backs were mostly toothless against the Tigers.

Auburn’s rushing defense came into the game highly touted, allowing just 67 yards per game.

But still, the Sooners were ineffective there.

Tory Blaylock and Barnes combined for just 12 carries for 13 yards as Oklahoma finished with just 32 yards rushing.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: B

Like Mateer, the receivers came on strong late.

Isaiah Sategna’s 31-yards reception down the sideline set up Mateer’s go-ahead score.

The catch was initially ruled incomplete before being overturned on review.

Sategna finished with a career-high 127 yards on nine catches.

Tight end Jaren Kanak had one of the plays of the day, making a catch on third down and then jumping up into the chest of Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins, feet first, for some extra yards.

Kanak finished with four catches for 62 yards, putting him just 17 yards behind Bauer Sharp’s team-leading receiving yardage from a season ago.

Offensive Line: B

The Sooners’ offensive line situation did not look good at all early in the week as several starters were on the availability report.

But OU got many of the players back, including guard Febechi Nwaiwu and center Jake Maikkula.

The group struggled to find many holes for the Sooners’ running backs, but protected Mateer well, allowing just one sack.

The line also held up well near the end, helping find Mateer some room to run late.

Defensive Line: A++

Though the defensive line looked like the strength of the Sooners’ defense, the group hadn’t exactly been putting up big numbers.

That changed in a big way Saturday.

Of course, the biggest headline is the sack number, as OU set a program record with 10 sacks.

Jayden Jackson finished with 2.5, R Mason Thomas had two. David Stone, Taylor Wein, Gracen Halton and Marvin Jones Jr. had one each as most of the sacks came from the defensive front.

The Sooners had just seven sacks in the first three games, with just 3.5 of those coming from the defensive line.

They had seven in the first half Saturday.

OU had 14 tackles for loss.

Linebackers: A-

The linebackers held up well early, helping hold the Tigers to minus-2 rushing yards in the first half.

Things didn’t go quite as well for the group in the second half, as Auburn ran for 69 yards after the break.

But the group did enough to win, with Kip Lewis ultimately leading the way with 10 tackles. Sammy Omosigho finished with six.

Owen Heinecke had one of the Sooners’ sacks and Lewis contributed to another.

Defensive Backs: C

The back end of the Sooners’ defense was tested in a way it hadn’t been before Saturday.

The Tigers stretched the field with Eric Singleton Jr. and Cam Coleman.

Singleton finished with nine catches for 60 yards while Coleman had three catches for 88 yards and a score.

The Sooners had their best interception chance of the season early on, as Peyton Bowen dropped an easy opportunity from his former high school teammate, Jackson Arnold, on the Tigers’ second drive of the game.

Gentry Williams came up with a big play on third down a little more than five minutes into the fourth quarter.

Arnold lateralled to Singleton near OU’s sideline, and Singleton immediately pulled back and tried to find Coleman near the end zone. Replays showed that Williams arrived before the ball got to Coleman, but no call was made.

Williams broke up the pass to keep the Tigers from what could’ve been a go-ahead touchdown.

Williams later broke up another pass, this one in the end zone, on the drive.

Peyton Bowen, Sooners — Oklahoma's Peyton Bowen came up with several key plays in the secondary in the Sooners' 24-17 win over Auburn on Saturday in Norman. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Special Teams: A-

Grayson Miller continues to be one of the biggest surprises for the Sooners.

He finished with a 54.4-yard average on five punts.

Early in the second quarter, the Sooners were called for a delay of game penalty while lined up to punt.

It seemed a bit off at the time, as OU was at their own 35.

But it paid off in a big way, as Miller boomed a punt deep near the goalline, causing Tigers returner Malcolm Simmons to retreat inside the 5 before fielding the ball.

His momentum carried him into the end zone, and though he recovered to avoid the safety, was brought down by Jaydan Hardy at the Auburn 3.

Then a few minutes later, Auburn punter Hudson Kaak fielded the snap on the bounce and looked up to see Michael Boganowski beating down on him.

Kaak tried to move to his left to find space, but was brought down by Boganowski as Kaak tried to flip the ball forward.

The 12-yard loss set up OU’s first touchdown of the game two plays later.

Sandell also continued to build momentum, making all three of his field goal chances, including a 49-yarder early.

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