Brent Venables' defense lifts Oklahoma Sooners to miracle comeback win over Auburn Tigers

Oklahoma's Week 5 matchup against Auburn started poorly. The Sooners looked poorly disciplined and looked like they were getting out-coached. Auburn deployed multiple personnel groupings and hit explosive plays at critical moments.

And then, as the four fingers went up in that game to signal the start of the fourth quarter, something shifted. Auburn kicker Towns McGough missed his second field goal at the OU 33, and OU clicked. Two plays after the missed field goal, Sooners quarterback Michael Hawkins hit wide receiver J.J. Hester for a 60-yard bomb to the Auburn 5. Two plays later, Oklahoma punches it in.

The momentum switched from there, and Auburn began pressing. A poor decision against Oklahoma, as Brent Venables dialed up his infamous "Miami" blitz and confused Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne.

Thorne drops back, the defense changes the picture, and Thorne throws an interception to linebacker Kip Lewis, who was dropping back after lining up on the line of scrimmage.

Lewis takes it all the way back to the end zone for a pick-six, and just like that, the Sooners led for the first time in SEC play.

On the two-point conversion, Michael Hawkins scrambles and makes a Herculean dive for the end zone to convert and put the Sooners up 24-21.

The very next drive, the Sooners got back-to-back sacks, both courtesy of R Mason Thomas, to force a turnover on downs. Oklahoma's offense failed to convert a first down, forcing them to kick a field goal to make it 27-21. Auburn would get the ball with 54 seconds left.

Once again, the defense rose to the occasion. A well-timed blitz from safety Robert Spears-Jennings got to Payton Thorne, sacking him with 37 seconds left on the clock. The sack forced Auburn into Hail Mary mode, which Payton Thorne did not have enough arm to get the ball to the end zone.

Win column, Sooners. A defense that had been gashed all game rose to the occasion and gave the Sooners their first win in SEC play.

Sooner Magic indeed.