The No. 1 team in the nation, Texas, just saw their pristine 4-0 record shatter into a million pieces, falling 27-24 to a struggling Oklahoma squad at the State Fair of Texas. What a gut punch. This wasn’t just a loss; it was a total meltdown, where every single flaw the Longhorns had been skating by finally blew up in their face.
Chaos on Special Teams and Costly Mistakes
Seriously, this game was a perfect storm of self-destruction for Texas. For weeks, they’d been getting by with moments of brilliance mixed with total mess, and their defense had always found a way to bail them out. They even managed a dramatic win against Ohio State earlier! But against Oklahoma, it was a different story. The Sooners, who had only managed a combined 23 points in their last two Power Four games and were reeling offensively, didn’t even need to be good. Texas handed them a first-half touchdown on a blocked punt right there in the end zone. You can’t make this stuff up. Then, just to twist the knife, Oklahoma scored their first offensive touchdown in the Red River rivalry in *three years* because Texas defenders kept committing penalties to extend drives. It was like they were actively trying to give Oklahoma points.
A Quarterback’s Late-Game Blunders and a Coach’s Plea for Consistency
And then there’s Arch Manning. The second half was a nightmare. First, an errant pick-six gave Oklahoma even more free points. Later, Texas got totally confused by an apparent fake punt attempt from Oklahoma, forcing them to burn a crucial timeout. Oklahoma then just notched a 53-yard field goal from Tate Sandell, a kick that proved absolutely vital in the closing minutes. That’s another mistake from Coach Sarkisian and special teams coach Jeff Banks you just can’t overlook. But the real dagger? Manning threw another brutal interception with only 19 seconds left on the clock. That set up Oklahoma perfectly, allowing them to string together their first positive passing sequence of the entire day to get into field goal range. Sandell stepped up and nailed a 47-yard game-winner, giving the Sooners their first rivalry game win since 2023. After the game, Sarkisian was talking about consistency, something he’s been “using… recently,” acknowledging it’s his job to figure out how to get the offense confident and playing a “more consistent brand of football.” He’s right, they have to find it.
Millions Invested, But Where’s the Offense?
You gotta wonder about this offense, too. Texas went all out this offseason, dropping serious cash to land some of the best talent from the transfer portal. We’re talking about wide receiver Cam Coleman, who was the No. 2 player in the class, and running backs Hollywood Smothers, Raleek Brown, and tackle Melvin Siani, all top 60 guys. They even invested to keep future NFL talent like tackle Trevor Goosby and receiver Ryan Wingo. But what did all that investment get them heading into Red River? Only the No. 12 total offense and No. 11 scoring offense. That’s just not good enough for a No. 1 team with that kind of talent.
This loss to Oklahoma is more than just a stumble. With five straight ranked opponents coming up on their schedule, this isn’t just one bad game. This is a giant, flashing warning sign for Texas that they need to find that consistency Sarkisian is talking about, and fast. Can they turn it around, or will these ghosts keep haunting them through a brutal stretch? We’re about to find out.
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.
Leave a Reply