Oklahoma vs Missouri Live Updates: Sooners Strengthen College Football Playoff Push

Written by: Md Zamal Uddin

The No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners returned to Norman looking to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive, and they did just that with a hard-earned 17-6 victory over the No. 22 Missouri Tigers. Saturday’s matchup at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium delivered physical defense, tense special teams moments, and a second-half surge that pushed OU one step closer to their postseason goals. Below is a full breakdown and live-style recap of the game, rewritten for clarity, SEO, and easy Google indexing.

Fourth Quarter: Defense Slams the Door

Final Score: Oklahoma 17, Missouri 6

Oklahoma secured the win in the final minute when Eli Bowen intercepted Beau Pribula, sealing the Sooners’ fifth straight win. Quarterback John Mateer then took a knee as OU improved its chances for a College Football Playoff bid.

Special teams standout Grayson Miller continued to flip field position, pinning Missouri at their own 8-yard line with under two minutes remaining. The Tigers struggled to gain momentum throughout the second half, especially without offensive weapon Ahmad Hardy.

Oklahoma’s defense set the tone, collecting multiple sacks and pressure on Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula. Adepoju Adebawore and Taylor Wein combined for key sacks that repeatedly shut down Missouri’s comeback attempts.

Third Quarter: Turnovers Shift Control Toward Oklahoma

A major momentum swing came late in the third quarter when Oklahoma’s Reggie Powers was ejected for targeting. But just one play later, Jacobe Johnson made a spectacular interception, keeping the Sooners’ lead safe.

Earlier in the quarter, kicker Tate Sandell drilled a 45-yard field goal to extend the advantage to 17-6 after a drive featuring accurate short passes from Mateer.

Oklahoma’s defense continued to dominate early in the half. Freshman David Stone delivered a big run stop, and Courtland Guillory made an impressive one-on-one tackle, forcing another Missouri punt. The Tigers’ offense showed flashes but lacked consistency without Hardy’s explosive ability.

Second Quarter: Special Teams Spark a Huge Turnaround

The most pivotal sequence of the game unfolded midway through the second quarter.

Missouri lined up for a field goal that could have pushed its lead to 6-0. Instead, Peyton Bowen blocked the kick, and Oklahoma immediately capitalized. On the very next drive, Isaiah Sategna caught a perfectly designed route across the middle for an 87-yard touchdown — the sixth-longest pass play in Oklahoma history.

That touchdown flipped the game from what could have been a 10-0 hole for OU into a 7-3 lead in just 90 seconds of game time.

Not long after, quarterback John Mateer delivered an RPO touchdown pass to Javonnie Gibson, extending the lead to 14-3. Mateer’s physical run earlier in the drive seemed to ignite his confidence.

Missouri responded before halftime with a short field goal, tightening the score to 14-6. But the Sooners entered the locker room with clear momentum and the ball coming to start the second half.

First Quarter: A Slow Start for the Sooners

The opening frame belonged to Missouri in terms of time of possession and field control. The Tigers ran twice as many plays as Oklahoma and controlled the clock for more than 10 minutes.

The Sooners’ offense struggled early, posting negative rushing yards through multiple drives. Missouri opened the scoring with a short field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

But Oklahoma’s defense, despite giving up initial chunk plays, regrouped with tackles for loss from Kip Lewis, Damonic Williams, and Gracen Halton. Their physical presence prevented the Tigers from building a multi-score advantage early.

Injury Notes and Player Availability

Oklahoma dealt with several injury concerns:

Xavier Robinson played with a heavy wrap on his right knee after last week’s hit against Alabama.
Jayden Jackson spent time in the injury tent and later went to the locker room.
Starting safety Robert Spears-Jennings left the field earlier with a shoulder concern.
Defensive end R Mason Thomas and defensive back Gentry Williams were ruled out pregame.

Despite these setbacks, the Sooners’ depth held firm, especially on defense.

Final Takeaway: OU Survives, Advances Playoff Case

The Oklahoma Sooners didn’t play their most polished offensive game, but championship-contending teams win even when things get messy. Their defense delivered stops at crucial moments, special teams swung momentum, and the offense did just enough to maintain control.

With the 17-6 win over Missouri, Oklahoma stays firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation, setting up a much-anticipated matchup next week against LSU.

Oklahoma vs Missouri Live Updates: Sooners Strengthen College Football Playoff Push