Texas-Oklahoma always brings the noise, the hate, and the kind of drama that makes the Red River Rivalry feel bigger than the records attached to it. Texas has won the last two meetings, and this time the Longhorns come in at 4-0 as the nation’s top-ranked team while Oklahoma sits at 2-2 trying to figure itself out.
That record gap does not make this matchup any less dangerous for Texas. The Sooners’ offense has been a mess, but their defense gives them a real chance to drag the game into the mud.
Oklahoma’s problems on offense are hard to ignore. John Mateer has been extremely disappointing, the ground game has stalled, and the Sooners are averaging the second-fewest rushing yards per game in the SEC at 99. They have only two rushing touchdowns, rank 120th in total offense, and have already turned it over 10 times.
But the defense is a different story. Oklahoma has allowed only one opponent to top 300 yards, and it leads the conference by allowing just 122.50 passing yards per game. That sets up a tricky test for a Texas offense that has not always been smooth.
The Sooners’ clearest path is to take away Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, force Texas to work without easy answers, and make the Longhorns grind through longer down-and-distance situations. If Oklahoma can do that, it can keep Texas from getting comfortable on the ground and turn this into the kind of game the Sooners want.
That matters because Texas has been inconsistent too. If Oklahoma can stay within reach without needing a clean offensive performance, this rivalry could get ugly for the Longhorns in a hurry.
Arch Manning is the one Texas needs to settle things early. The Longhorns cannot afford to let Oklahoma linger. If the Sooners get the chance to keep the score tight, Mateer and company will be chasing the game.
Steve Sarkisian pointed to last year as a reminder of how quickly this can flip. Texas was in a similar spot then after a shocking loss to Florida, and the Longhorns answered by beating Oklahoma with a strong defensive effort.
The Sooners have plenty of incentive, even if the bigger goals look far-fetched. Their path to the College Football Playoff and the SEC title is highly unlikely, but beating Texas would at least give this season a chance to feel salvageable. If the Longhorns don’t come out swinging, Brett Venables’ defense could turn the whole thing into a slow, ugly slugfest.
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Texas Enters Oklahoma Week With Its No 1 Pressure Rising
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Villarreal finished the job with a penalty kick and later delivered the game-winning strike, while goalkeeper Bayliss Flynn helped preserve the lead with five saves. In a matchup that always carries extra weight, Texas got the kind of all-around performance that can boost confidence well beyond one night on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
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The biggest concern is a familiar one: third downs. Texas has hovered at an average conversion rate there, and Arch Mannings passing numbers have been mixed enough to keep the attack from finding a clean rhythm. The Longhorns do not need a wholesale overhaul, but they do need more consistency from a unit that has flashed enough to suggest better is there if it can just show up when the downs get longer and the pressure gets real. [Read more 🡒]