Tennessee vs. Oklahoma: Score and Twitter Reaction

The Tennessee Volunteers made a game of it early, but just couldn't keep up with the Oklahoma Sooners. Looking every bit like the nation's No. 4 team, the Sooners featured a mix of a dominating defensive line and a balanced offensive attack, running away with the game in the end and emerging victorious by a score of 34-10.

It was all Oklahoma in the first quarter. Trevor Knight led the Sooners to the red zone in three consecutive drives, resulting in two field goals and one touchdown. While Oklahoma couldn't find much of a ground game early on, Knight made use of running back Keith Ford in a different way, connecting with him in the flat on busted coverage for the game's first touchdown.

Here's a look at the 23-yard catch and run, via ESPN College Football:

Things began to look bleak for the Volunteers, as they entered the second quarter down 13-0 against the No. 4 team in the nation. However, quarterback Justin Worley had a different idea. Under constant pressure from Oklahoma's dominant defensive line, Worley remained calm, moving the sticks on a 3rd-and-11 and 3rd-and-12 en route to a 40-yard touchdown strike to Josh Smith.

Take a glance at the quarterback stepping away from pressure and delivering a perfect pass to get behind the secondary, via College GameDay:

Finding themselves up 13-7, the Sooners struck again before the half. Knight kicked off the drive with a big 32-yard gain to the shifty Sterling Shepard. Once the team found itself inside the 20-yard line, Ford finally found some running room. After a nine-yard scamper, he capped off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run.

Eye on College Football kept up with the game's action:

Oklahoma attempted another scoring drive before the half, and just as it was creeping into field-goal range, Knight was picked off after his pass was deflected, and the Sooners went into the break up 20-7.

The big difference in the game at halftime was Oklahoma's dominance in the trenches. Its defensive line was taking advantage of Tennessee's young offensive line, pressuring Worley early and often while holding the Volunteers' ground game to negative-11 yards on 15 carries.

Jake Trotter of ESPN.com gave his take on the Sooners' pass rush:

Oklahoma received the kick to begin the second half—the team didn't take long to increase its lead. Knight flashed his versatile skill set early in the third quarter, completing three passes for 63 yards and capping off the 75-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run of his own.

Fox 4 Sports tweeted its take on the game following the score:

The game was quickly getting out of hand with Oklahoma now owning a 20-point lead.

Oklahoma Football summed up how Worley's third quarter went with this tweet:

One of the biggest factors in the Sooners' devastating pass rush was Eric Striker. Quick off the edge, he used his speed to find his way into the backfield on many occasions. Not only did he make plays, but he set up his teammates as well. 

Oklahoma assistant athletics director Pete Moris tweeted a throwback comment regarding Striker's performance:

Thanks to an error on special teams by the Sooners, Tennessee was able to get into great field position which resulted in a field goal, decreasing Oklahoma's lead to 17 entering the final quarter.

Things only worsened for Worley and the Tennesee offense in the fourth. The quarterback's second interception of the game was returned 100 yards for a touchdown by Julian Wilson for the game's final score.

Here's a look at the touchdown, courtesy of College GameDay:

Knight completed 20 of his 33 attempts for 308 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Sooners, while the offense remained balanced, totaling 34 carries for 146 yards and two scores. 

Oklahoma's pass rush took its toll on Worley, as he finished the game completing 21 of his 44 attempts for 201 yards, one touchdown and two picks. Tennessee's running game found a bit of a groove in the second half, ending the game with 33 carries for 112 yards.

The Volunteers have a well-timed bye in Week 4. The team will have two weeks to regroup before attempting to right the ship against Georgia. While that will be a difficult task, it certainly isn't out of the question, as the Bulldogs proved they are beatable on Sunday, losing to South Carolina by a score of 38-35.

Oklahoma's bid to earn a trip to the first-ever College Football Playoff is alive and well. In the new system, the nation's top-four teams are elected by voters, and the Sooners certainly look the part. The team will move on to face West Virginia in Week 4.

The Mountaineers survived a shootout with Maryland on Saturday and moved to 2-1 on the season, with their lone loss coming in Week 1 against Alabama. Should the Sooners keep up the pace they set against Tennessee in Week 3, West Virginia will be hard pressed to earn its third win against Bob Stoops and Co.