Texas has spent the first month of the season leaning on a defense that has been downright suffocating, and that edge could matter again when Oklahoma comes calling. The Longhorns are 4-0, and their pass rush has already put its stamp on the year, none more loudly than the 10-sack eruption against Tennessee.
Now the focus shifts to Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, who is getting this matchup for the second straight year. The Sooners’ offense has not given fans much reason to relax, and Mateer’s uneven start has only turned up the noise after Oklahoma was embarrassed by Georgia.
For now, Oklahoma is staying with its senior quarterback. But after a bye week that included extra snaps for backups Bowe Bentley and Whitt Newbauer, the question hangs over Saturday anyway: could the Sooners turn somewhere else if Mateer keeps struggling?
The numbers around Mateer explain why that possibility is even being discussed. He has thrown for 883 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions, and Oklahoma’s offense has had trouble finding balance behind him. The Sooners are averaging the second-fewest rushing yards per game in the SEC at 99, and they sit 120th in total offense.
Those are the kind of numbers that should have Will Muschamp’s defense licking its chops. Texas has a chance to make life miserable in the backfield and force Oklahoma into a game it does not want to play. If the Sooners stumble early, the Longhorns may end up staring at a different quarterback than the one they expected.
The trouble for Oklahoma is that the backup options come with very little game tape. Newbauer transferred from Mercer in 2025 and has hardly played in Norman, though he did throw for nearly 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns at Mercer in 2024.
Bentley, meanwhile, is a freshman from Celina, Texas, with more upside but just as little film for Texas to study. Still, the Longhorns are not planning to change their approach based on who lines up under center.
Oklahoma is arriving on Saturday short on answers and in need of a spark that Mateer may not deliver. Even so, Steve Sarkisian said his team’s mindset has not changed.
“I can promise you nobody’s overlooking anybody in this game,” Sarkisian said. “Our guys watched Saturday.
They know what it’s about. The guys that have been part of this game know what it’s about.
“We were in the same situation a year ago. We were just coming off of 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.”
In Other News...
Texas Faces A Red River Pressure Test Bigger Than Oklahoma
Steve Sarkisian and Brent Venables both framed this weeks Red River matchup as more than a rivalry game, and from Texas perspective that makes sense. The Longhorns come in undefeated and ranked No. 1, carrying the kind of spotlight that turns every detail into a test, while Oklahoma arrives trying to steady an offense that has had trouble finding consistency and protecting the ball.
For Texas, the pressure is not just about beating Oklahoma, it is about looking like the team that can handle the moment when the stakes climb. Both coaches pointed to rushing success and turnover margin as the key indicators, which puts the Longhorns in a familiar but unforgiving spot: if they control the ground game and stay clean with the ball, they can keep their unbeaten run intact. If not, a rivalry that already carries its own chaos could become the kind of game that exposes a little more than Texas would like this early in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Freshmen Could Change This Team Faster Than Fans Expected
Sean Miller did not wait long to reshape the Texas mens basketball roster, bringing in six freshmen for the current season and giving the Longhorns a younger look than many expected. Among the newcomers are highly regarded recruits Austin Goosby and Marcus Spears Jr., and early feedback from the program has been encouraging as the group settles into the demands of college basketball.
The interesting part is how naturally the freshmen have fit alongside Texas more experienced juniors and sophomores, who should help smooth the transition. Coaches and teammates have praised the newcomers for both talent and coachability, and that blend could make this group more impactful sooner rather than later if the chemistry keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Is Standing By Oklahoma's Embattled Play Caller
Ben Arbuckle has become the latest target of Oklahomas restless fan base after a rough stretch on offense, and the frustration has only grown louder as the Sooners have struggled to generate much consistency. Brent Venables, though, is not backing away from his offensive coordinator, choosing instead to frame the slump as something his staff can work through rather than a reason to make a quick change.
The noise around Arbuckle has been amplified by fan sentiment, including polls showing a sizable portion of the fan base would rather have Lincoln Riley back. For Texas observers, it is another reminder that Oklahoma is still searching for answers on that side of the ball, and Venables is betting that Arbuckle can absorb the heat long enough to find them. [Read more 🡒]