No. 1 Texas is gearing up for a massive Red River Rivalry clash against Oklahoma this Saturday, looking for their third straight win in the series. The Longhorns, under Steve Sarkisian, hit the top spot for the third consecutive season after taking down Ohio State in Week 2, but Oklahoma’s offense has been an absolute disaster, stumbling to a 2-2 start and facing a massive test against a dominant Texas defense.
The Longhorns Defense Is A Brick Wall (And A Record-Setter)
Texas isn’t just No. 1, their defense is flat-out elite, ranking among the best in college football. Defensive end Colin Simmons is a certified game-wrecker out there. The junior just set a Texas record with an insane 5.5 sacks against freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon from Tennessee, a performance so dominant it got Brandon benched a week later. Simmons already had 29.5 tackles for loss and 21 sacks in his first two seasons, and he’s only building on that terror as a junior. This Longhorns D rates higher than Oklahoma’s in a lot of metrics, too.
Oklahoma’s Offense: A Historic Struggle
On the flip side, what the heck is going on with Brent Venables’ offense? The Sooners have lost three of their last four Red River Rivalries under him, averaging a pathetic 3.0 points per game in those losses. Last week against No. 2 Georgia, they coughed up four turnovers in a brutal 41-13 loss, including a truly miserable fumble by quarterback John Mateer that got scooped for a touchdown. Their offense is averaging a jaw-droppingly bad 11.5 points per game against Power Four competition. Mateer’s been the primary target for criticism, but the whole run game is stuck, averaging just 2.9 yards per carry, the absolute worst mark in the SEC. They didn’t even score a point against Georgia until they were already down 28-0 in the third quarter. Yeah, it’s historically bad.
Arch Manning: The X-Factor For No. 1 Texas
Now, for Texas’s offense, Arch Manning is a total lightning rod, mainly ’cause of that legendary last name. The junior quarterback flashes brilliance, no doubt, but he can also be incredibly inconsistent, sometimes even in the same game. Against Ohio State earlier this season, he started 7 of 14 for just 44 yards in the first half. Last year against Texas A&M, he went 5 of 15 for a measly 28 yards. Oklahoma’s probably not good enough to fully exploit that, but Manning absolutely needs to start faster if Texas wants to keep that No. 1 ranking locked down.
This Red River Rivalry showdown kicks off Saturday, Oct. 10, at 3:30 p.m. ET from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. You can catch all the action on ABC or stream it live on Fubo. It’s always a crazy game, but with No. 1 Texas riding high and Oklahoma’s offense in a full-blown crisis, it’s getting tougher and tougher to trust Brent Venables’ squad to pull off the upset. Can Arch Manning find his rhythm early, or will Colin Simmons and that dominant Texas D feast on a struggling Sooners offense?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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