Texas has all the momentum and Oklahoma has all the questions as the Red River showdown arrives Saturday in Dallas.
That contrast is hard to miss. The top-ranked Longhorns come in unbeaten, while the Sooners are 2-2, 0-1 in the Southeastern Conference, and trying to steady an offense that has slipped in recent weeks.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian knows that kind of edge can be dangerous, though. He pointed back to last season, when the Longhorns walked into the game as a team with something to prove and left with a season-changing win.
"We were in the same situation a year ago," Sarkisian said. "We were just coming off losing to Florida.
We were a two-loss team. We were a desperate football team and found a way to win and played a really good second half.
So we know what it is."
A year ago, Texas was 3-2 and unranked when it faced an undefeated, sixth-ranked Oklahoma team and won 23-6. This time, the roles are reversed at the top of the standings and the Sooners are the ones searching for answers.
Much of Oklahoma’s recent trouble has centered on quarterback John Mateer, whose ball security has become a major issue. He threw an interception and lost two fumbles in a 41-13 loss at Georgia on Sept. 26, then went into last week’s bye with the spotlight still fixed on him.
"Even when you struggled and you get judged, it's because I've done good in the past to put me (where) something is expected from me -- from me and from other people," Mateer said. "It's the position I'm in, but I'm learning."
Brent Venables has continued to back Mateer and said he plans to stick with him for now.
The ground game may end up deciding a lot of this one. Both coaches talked about the importance of running the ball and taking care of it, and Sarkisian made clear he expects the basics to matter more than the spectacle.
"As much as we want to talk about the emotions of the game, as much as we want to talk about the trick plays or the craziness that can happen in this game, it generally comes back to the things that are important to football," Sarkisian said.
That lines up with the numbers. Since 2000, the team that wins the rushing battle is 24-2 in the Red River Shootout. Texas has been better on the ground this season, averaging 147.3 yards per game to Oklahoma’s 99, though neither side has exactly been overpowering.
The Sooners have also had to work around a patchy offensive line, with left tackle Michael Fasusi sidelined since an injury in the opener. He dressed against Georgia, but his status for Saturday is still unclear.
There are also a couple of familiar faces crossing the rivalry line. Texas running back Hollywood Smothers started his college career at Oklahoma in 2023, then spent the next two seasons at North Carolina State before landing with the Longhorns this offseason. He has 198 rushing yards and two touchdowns this year, though he was injured before Texas’ 20-17 win over Tennessee and then the bye.
Texas is also hoping tight end Nick Townsend, who was hurt in Week 2 against Ohio State, can make it back.
On the other side, wide receiver Parker Livingstone went from Texas to Oklahoma in the offseason and has six catches for 51 yards.
Texas has won the last two meetings, and Oklahoma still hasn’t scored a touchdown against the Longhorns since the final seconds of its 34-30 win in 2023.
Even with all that, players on both sides said they’re ready for the atmosphere that makes this rivalry so unlike anything else in college football. The stadium splits down the 50-yard line between the two fan bases, and the noise never really lets up.
"You barely ever go to a game, whether home or away, where it's loud at all times," Longhorns defensive lineman Hero Kanu said. "It doesn't matter if offense is on the field or defense, it's loud at all times. ... The adrenaline is staying up."
In Other News...
Texas Fans Are Paying A Rivalry Price Oklahoma Cant Match
The Red River Rivalry always carries its own kind of pressure, but this year the market around the game is telling part of the story too. Tickets for the upcoming meeting between Oklahoma and Texas are going for a premium, and seats on the Texas side are generally more expensive than the ones available to Sooners fans. It is a reminder of how much the matchup has shifted in the eyes of buyers, with Texas riding the status of an undefeated, top-ranked team while Oklahoma has been fighting through a difficult season.
For Longhorns fans, the higher price tag is the cost of buying into a game with serious stakes and even more attention. The secondary market is still fluid, though, and those numbers can move as kickoff gets closer depending on how each team performs and how eager fans are to chase a seat. For now, though, the rivalry is asking Texas supporters to pay a little more to be in the building for one of the sports most watched annual showdowns. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Criticism Ignores What His Early Production Really Shows
Public debate around Arch Manning has only grown louder as the Texas quarterbacks early body of work comes under the microscope. Through 19 starts, Manning has thrown for 4,611 yards with 37 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 62.6% of his passes, a profile that gives evaluators plenty to sort through as they argue over where his game is headed next.
What makes the conversation harder to settle is that the numbers do not line up neatly with the kind of instant, all-time great trajectory some fans expect. Mannings production has been sturdy enough to keep him in the center of the sports attention, but it has also invited the kind of criticism that comes with carrying a famous name and a sky-high standard, leaving the larger question of what those early returns ultimately mean still very much open. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Is Standing By Oklahoma's Embattled Play Caller
Ben Arbuckle is taking plenty of heat in Norman after Oklahomas offense stalled through its last three games, a stretch that has left fans frustrated and searching for answers. The criticism has been loud enough to spark familiar comparisons and revive old longing for the days of Lincoln Riley, a reminder of how quickly patience can wear thin when the scoreboard stops cooperating.
Brent Venables has tried to quiet the noise by sticking with his offensive coordinator, saying he still believes Arbuckle has the tools to get the unit pointed in the right direction. For now, the question around Oklahoma is less about whether the pressure exists and more about how long the staff can hold the line while the offense tries to find its footing. [Read more 🡒]