Tate Sandell and his shorts were exactly what Oklahoma fans didn't know they needed

It wasn't the quarterback or even the defensive end returning a fumble for a touchdown that was the hero of the Oklahoma Sooners' biggest win of the season so far, but the kicker.

OU kicker Tate Sandell and his viral short pants that caught the obsession of ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit were the difference makers in the No. 18 Sooners' 33-27 road win over No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday night that kept their College Football Playoff dreams more real than ever.

Tate Sandell makes history in Sooners' win against Tennessee

"Man, he's just an absolute stud," OU head coach Brent Venables said during his postgame interview with ESPN. "He has ice in his veins. He thinks he's 6-4, 250. Everyday at practice he wants to kick a 60-yarder for the guys.

"But Tate's big-time, man. He's got great, great confidence. He's very talented. But, man, he's really cool under pressure."

Sandell set a new program record with three made field goals of more than 50 yards in a single game as he made four overall from distances of 55, 51, 40 and 55 yards again. And that wasn't the only record Sandell set Saturday night.

His 55-yard make in the second quarter, which he later matched, was the longest field goal ever made at Tennessee's Neyland Stadium. And with still three games left, Sandell also already set the OU record for most 40-yard-plus field goals in a season.

Sandell's monster leg wasn't the only thing that caught fans' attention on Saturday. Herbstreit during the broadcast pointed out how short Sandell's pants were, referring to them as shorts. By the end of the night, though, Herbstreit made it clear that Sandell can wear whatever he wants if he boots the ball like that.

Regardless of what he wears, Sandell has become a fan favorite among Sooner Nation and even gained more fans throughout the college football world while playing in primetime on Saturday, including ESPN's Pat McAfee, who punted for the Indianapolis Colts before his media career.

Sandell's Heisman Trophy campaign likely won't take off, but he should definitely be the favorite to win the Lou Groza Award as the best kicker in college football.