OU Football: Five Takeaways From Sooner’s Victory Over Tennessee

Sep 12, 2015; Knoxville, TN, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Sterling Shepard (3) dives over Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Brian Randolph (37) to score the winning touchdown during double overtime at Neyland Stadium. Oklahoma won 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

This Team Is Resilient

As the hometown team raced to a 17-0 lead, the noise level in Neyland Stadium reached over 115 decibels as the Volunteer faithful grew increasingly confident a program-defining victory was within reach. Except, someone forgot to tell Oklahoma this was supposed to be the 2015 Volunteers’ coming out party.

Oklahoma showed incredible resilience on both sides of the ball throughout this game. The defense bent but never broke, and the offense finally found its groove in the fourth quarter and the two overtimes. That never-say-die attitude is something that was sorely lacking last season, especially during the bowl game debacle and the deflating home loss to Baylor. The ability to claw back from that 17-0 hole bodes well for this team moving forward. The Oklahoma Sooners passed this test of character with flying colors; this improbable victory is one to build on as the season progresses.