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Knight, No. 4 OU roll past Tennessee

Sep 14, 2014 - 5:41 AM Norman, OK (SportsNetwork.com) - The first of a home-and-home set between two storied programs went to Oklahoma.

And it was never seriously threatened.

Trevor Knight threw for 308 yards with a touchdown and an interception as the fourth-ranked Sooners rolled to a 34-10 victory over Tennessee on Saturday night.

The Sooners (3-0), who have outscored their opponents 55-0 so far in the first quarter, raced out to a 13-0 start in this one and never looked back in the first meeting between these two heavyweights since OU beat Tennessee in the 1968 Orange Bowl.

"I think coming out and starting quick in the game was big for us," Knight said. "We got three (points) on that first drive, not necessarily what we want, but came back and got a touchdown and jumped on them pretty quick."

Knight completed 20-of-33 passes and ran for a score, Sterling Shepard caught five passes for 109 yards and Keith Ford carried the ball 15 times for 56 yards and a touchdown in the triumph.

Zack Sanchez and Julian Wilson recorded interceptions in the end zone, with Wilson running his back for a 100-yard touchdown.

Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops got another win against the SEC after the Sooners ripped SEC member Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. OU had dropped three straight games against the vaunted conference prior to the Sugar Bowl.

Justin Worley was 21-of-44 for 201 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the young and up-and-coming Volunteers (2-1), who were seeking their first 3-0 start since 2004. Jalen Hurd ran for 97 yards on 14 totes in defeat.

"It was a great growing-up session for our youngsters, but I thought at times we did some really good things," Vols head coach Butch Jones said.

It appeared that the Sooners were going to turn the game into a laugher when Knight kept it himself on a zone-read run for a 5-yard score to give them a 27-7 advantage early in the third.

The Vols, though, got some hope after pouncing on a fumbled punt at the Oklahoma 30-yard line. The miscue led to a 31-yard Aaron Medley field goal late in the third and Tennessee quickly got the ball back following a three-and-out.

Hurd broke free along the right sideline for a 43-yard run on the first play to get into Oklahoma territory. Tennessee's previous 19 carries totaled minus-11 yards.

Sanchez, however, came down with a jump ball in the back right corner of the end zone to quell the threat.

Tennessee regained possession following another Oklahoma three-and-out and a 29-yard Hurd run along the left sideline put the ball at the OU 12. On a 3rd- and-2 from the four, linebacker Jordan Evans stepped in front of Worley's intended receiver and deflected the pass into the air. Wilson hauled in the floater and returned it the other way for the back-breaking score and a 34-10 Sooners advantage with 10:57 left.

Earlier, Michael Hunnicutt nailed a 29-yard field goal on the Sooners' opening possession. OU safety Quentin Hayes strip-sacked Worley from behind after the Vols moved past midfield on their ensuing touch and Ford hauled in a 23-yard swing pass for a score to make it 10-0.

Hunnicutt's 27-yard field goal with seconds left in the first made it 13-0.

Worley hit a wide-open Josh Smith for a 40-yard score on a seam pattern to get Tennessee on the board early in the second, but Ford scampered in from 11 yards out late in the half to give the Sooners a 20-7 cushion heading into the break.

Game Notes

Oklahoma tallied five sacks ... Knight threw for 229 yards in the opening half ... The Sooners were 3-of-12 on third down, while Tennessee finished 6-of-17 ... OU outgained the Vols, 454-313.