Oklahoma Defeats Tennessee Football to End Their 2025-2026 Playoff Hopes

The Oklahoma Sooners win in Neyland to end the Tennessee Volunteers' playoff hopes

Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II (17) and Oklahoma defensive back Courtland Guillory (4) reach for a pass during a college football game between Tennessee and Oklahoma in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on Nov. 1, 2025. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers played a grueling game against a tough Oklahoma team in the night lights of Neyland Stadium. The Vols added a bit of a twist with their annual blackout and all black "Dark Mode" uniforms.

This was the game that the Tennessee Volunteers were favored to win entering the game, and this game was a close contest for much of the contest as a whole. There was a point in this contest that both teams could've run away with it, but that was not the case in this one.

Oklahoma Defeats Tennessee Football to End Their 2025-2026 Playoff Hopes

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) hand the ball to Tennessee running back Peyton Lewis (2) warm-ups before a NCAA football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on November 1, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The MVP for the Tennessee Volunteers was definitely Braylon Staley, as he finished with 75 yards and two touchdowns on a total of five catches. As for the Oklahoma Sooners, you can't look past their iron-legged kicker, Tate Sandell walked away with three bombs from 50+ yards and another that was from under 50 yards.. Two being from 55 and one being from 51 yards out. This game wasn't a very good performance by either team, but luckily for the Sooners, they walked away with a win.

Tennessee QB Joey Aguilar had many mistakes in this one, as he threw two interceptions that were head-scratching from a breakdown standpoint. Both interceptions that he threw were while he was under pressure. One of the interceptions was a bad decision to go deep in double coverage, while the other was an overthrow by multiple yards.

With Oklahoma having little success on the offensive side of the football, it is easy to talk about how they forced a fumble that led to six points from the defense. Tennessee's offensive line struggled all night long in what would be a nightmare for Aguilar.

The offense never clicked entirely, even from a special-teams standpoint, with a missed field goal that was almost a gimme by Max Gilbert, but let's remember that one player can not make or break a game. This is a team effort, and this game wasn't the best game for either team.

With the Vols losing this contest, they will now be eliminated from playoff contention, with the playoffs only hosting teams that have two or fewer losses. This wasn't a playoff spot solidifying game for the Sooners, but this does put them closer to being selected as we are nearing the end of the regular season.

The Vols play against New Mexico State in two weeks (following a bye week next week). After this, they will then play on the road in their final road test in the SEC during the regular season when they take on the Florida Gators. Their final game of the season will be against the Vanderbilt Commodores at home, which is the last game before they play postseason football, with them being bowl eligible.

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