Texas walked into the Cotton Bowl with a perfect season and walked out with its first loss, a 27-24 defeat to unranked Oklahoma that swung back and forth until the final kick.
For the Longhorns, the night came down to too many self-inflicted wounds, and Arch Manning’s turnovers sat at the center of it. His pick-six to Peyton Bowen in the fourth quarter handed Oklahoma the lead, though Manning answered by leading a tying touchdown drive soon after.
Texas still had a chance to work into field-goal range in the closing minute, but Oklahoma brought the blitz and Manning forced a bad interception into the hands of Courtland Guillory. That mistake set up the Sooners’ game-winning field goal and shut the door on Texas’ shot to extend the game.
The offense never settled in around those big moments. Texas hit on a few explosive plays, and the box score will show touchdowns from Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, but the overall rhythm never really came together. The Longhorns had flashes, not control.
And when the defense needed one more stop, it didn’t get it. Will Muschamp’s unit had carried Texas for long stretches, but Oklahoma finished strong.
John Mateer delivered two huge throws to Isaiah Sategna on the final drive to help set up the winning field goal, giving life to an Oklahoma offense that had looked dead in recent weeks. Texas still has one of the best defenses in the country, but that sequence did not look like it.
Special teams also bit Texas again. Since SEC play began against Tennessee, the Longhorns have been fighting too many mistakes in that phase, and Saturday brought more of the same.
Oklahoma’s first touchdown against Texas since 2023 came on a blocked punt in the end zone, keeping the Sooners from falling into an early hole. Later, Texas’ Mac Chiumento had a poor 29-yard punt that helped Oklahoma start a short touchdown drive.
Those kinds of errors are piling up, and they matter. If Texas is going to reach the College Football Playoff, the special teams mistakes have to stop.
And as ugly as the loss feels for Longhorn fans, the Cotton Bowl has a habit of producing the unexpected. Over the years, the better team has not always been the one that leaves Dallas happy. Right now it’s hard to call it anything but a brutal loss, but down the line this one could end up being remembered as Oklahoma’s version of the 2016 Charlie Strong win.
In Other News...
Texas Let A 2-0 Lead Slip Away In Brutal Road Loss
Texas built what looked like a winning cushion early at Wendell & Vickie Bell Soccer Complex, jumping out to a 2-0 lead before halftime and appearing to have control of the match on the road. The Longhorns got key contributions from Elise Ernest, Rayna Powers, Amalia Villarreal, Ava McDonald and Audrey Bryant, and for a while it looked like the night would extend their recent run and reinforce the progress that had carried them into the contest.
Instead, Kentucky flipped the script after the break and turned the game into a gut-punch finish for Texas. The Wildcats scored three times in the second half, and Kyla Dawn delivered the winner in the 90th minute, sending No. 25/18 Texas to a 3-2 defeat that snapped its four-match unbeaten streak and left the Longhorns with plenty to sort through after a road lead vanished so quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Volleyball May Have Found Its SEC Identity In Arkansas Rally
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Gary finished with 33 digs, setting a Texas rally-scoring era record and giving the Longhorns the kind of back-line steadiness that can travel in conference play. For a team still trying to define itself in a new league, the rally against Arkansas offered a useful glimpse of what Texas wants to be: stubborn, balanced and capable of turning a tense night into a decisive finish once the match starts to bend its way. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Opens Red River With Early Drama Beyond The Score
The Red River Rivalry brought its usual edge at the Cotton Bowl, and Texas wasted little time making an early statement. Arch Manning connected with Cam Coleman for a first-quarter touchdown, giving the Longhorns a quick spark in a game that already felt charged before either side settled in.
Even before the scoring play, the opening quarter carried plenty for Texas fans to track beyond the scoreboard, from the pregame warmups to the injury situation that shaped the tone of the afternoon. With key plays coming fast and both teams absorbing the atmosphere of one of college footballs most watched rivalries, the Longhorns had plenty of drama to navigate right away. [Read more 🡒]