The game, a defensive masterpiece marred by offensive miscues, saw Oklahoma (10-2, 6-2 SEC) outgain LSU 393-198, their first yardage edge in a four-game win streak that included triumphs over Tennessee, Alabama, and Missouri. Tied 3-3 at halftime after Tate Sandell’s 38-yard field goal and Damian Ramos’ 25-yarder for the Tigers, the third quarter erupted: Deion Burks’ 45-yard TD reception knotted it at 10-10, only for Michael Van Buren Jr. to scramble for a 1-yard keeper, putting LSU ahead 13-10. But with 4:16 left, Mateer — who’d thrown three interceptions, including a tipped pick returned to the OU 4 erased by Peyton Bowen’s acrobatic end-zone theft — exploited a coverage bust, lobbing a perfect strike to Sategna for the go-ahead score.
LSU’s final gasp fizzled on fourth-and-2 from the OU 29, Van Buren’s rollout pass swatted away by Gracen Halton, sealing the Sooners’ escape. The Tigers (7-5, 3-5), playing their fourth under Wilson since Brian Kelly’s October firing, converted just 2-of-14 third downs and managed 3.6 yards per play, a microcosm of a campaign plagued by three QBs and a $53 million coaching buyout. Harold Perkins Jr. and Patrick Payton shone with three combined INTs, but Van Buren’s 18-yard completion on third-and-27 couldn’t spark a rally.
Postgame, Mateer’s rawness captivated. Flanked by jubilant teammates amid “O-K-U!” chants flooding Norman streets, the junior signal-caller — who’d transferred from Washington State after a 2024 Holiday Bowl MVP nod — choked up on ESPN: “When you have a third quarter like I did, I knew I just had to keep going… I was either going to hate myself forever or become a man.” Linebacker Kip Lewis’ pre-fourth-quarter chest-thump — “You gotta will us to this victory” — lit the fire, per Mateer, whose 248 yards belied the picks. Brent Venables, eyes misty, lauded his QB as “the heartbeat… counted out, but standing stronger every time.” X erupted with #SoonerMagic, fans vowing to “run through a wall” for Mateer, analysts hailing one of the season’s purest speeches.
For Oklahoma, it’s validation after a 6-7 2024 gut-punch: a playoff lock (projected No. 7 seed), their first since 2019, built on a defense allowing 18.2 points per game and Burks’ 1,200 receiving yards. Venables: “We earned every inch — no luck, just fight.” Fans stormed Owen Field, horns blaring, crimson flags waving, the belief that survived early stumbles now destiny.
Across the divide, heartbreak reigned in purple and gold. Wilson, the New Orleans native in his second LSU stint and interim since Kelly’s ouster, mustered pride: “I’m extremely proud… they believed they could win.” But as Lane Kiffin rumors swirl — a seven-year Ole Miss pact reportedly on hold for Baton Rouge — Tiffany Wilson’s X plea cut deepest: “Please understand and continue to support my husband… We’re sorry we couldn’t deliver, but these young men fought.” The message, flooding socials with empathy, underscored a season’s toll: three INTs forced, yet offensive woes (198 yards) and coaching limbo persist.
Wilson, who’d “dreamed” of the interim gig but lives “in the moment,” eyes a bowl (projections: Gator or Texas) and permanence: “As long as LSU has me, I’d love to stay.” His recruiting prowess — three straight top-10 classes, seven NFL RBs coached — offers stability amid the carousel.
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