Josh Heupel made his return to Norman last Saturday night and spoiled Oklahoma's long-awaited SEC opener.
The fourth-year Tennessee head coach, who quarterbacked the Sooners to a national championship in 2000 and served as an assistant coach there, led the Vols to a 25-15 victory in their first road test of the season. It also earned him some recognition.
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Heupel was tabbed the Bear Bryant Awards Coach of the Week on Monday after picking up his 10th win over a ranked team since taking the Tennessee coaching job in 2021.
Tennessee is one of just two FBS teams with multiple wins over AP Top 25 ranked teams this season. The Vols previously beat then-No. 24 NC State, 51-10 on Sept. 7 in Charlotte.
Tennessee leaned heavily on its defense, which forced three turnovers, totaled 11 tackles for loss and three sacks and held Oklahoma to just 222 yards of total offense, including 36 rushing yards.
The Vols posted 345 yards of offense themselves with heralded quarterback Nico Iamaleava tossing nearly 200 yards and a 66-yard touchdown to Dont'e Thornton Jr. that put Tennessee ahead for good in the first quarter.
Running backs Dylan Sampson and DeSean Bishop combined for 157 rushing yards and a score.
MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Vols' Jermod McCoy tabbed Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week
"This game was never about me coming back here, not for this football team," Heupel said Saturday. "And I say all that, they also understood that this one was a little bit different for me personally, too. But that’s not what it was about but I do appreciate (the team's) recognition of that and wanting that for me."
The win marked Tennessee's 26th over its last 33 games and the Vols are 31-12 overall in the last four seasons. Heupel has twice been named a National Coach of the Year finalist in his career, including in 2022 after Tennessee won 11 games and reached the Orange Bowl.
Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC), ranked fifth in the latest AP Top 25, will look to further bolster its College Football Playoff resume after its bye week with another road tilt at Arkansas (3-1, 1-0) on Oct. 5 in Fayetteville.
A kickoff time will be announced later in the week but is slated for a 7 p.m. ET or 7:30 p.m. start on either ESPN or ABC.
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