In quite possibly the most significant OU/Texas game since 2008, the Sooners and Longhorns will will battle at the Cotton Bowl for the top spot in the conference as well as a leg up in the race for the College Football Playoff. In their final year of Big 12 play, these two aren’t just setting the standard for the conference, they’re straight up running it. Not only are they are the two highest ranked teams in the Big 12, they’re the only two ranked teams in the Big 12. The thought is, a loss on Saturday won’t eliminate either one of these teams from contending for the conference title, it just sets the stage for an epic rematch in Arlington. Here are four things to keep an eye on as the Sooners and Longhorns mix it up on Saturday in Dallas.
Texas Rushing Attack vs. Oklahoma Defense
Texas running back Jonathan Brooks is averaging 6.9 yards per carry this season. He’s ripping off an average of 119.4 yards per game, and is coming off a 218 yard performance against Kansas in which he averaged 10.4 yards per carry. As a team the Longhorns are averaging 191.8 yards per game on the ground. They’ll be running into the teeth of a Sooner defense that is ranked #28th nationally, allowing just 105.2 yards per game on the ground.
Iowa State found ways to gash Oklahoma on the ground early on last Saturday night, but adjustments made by the Sooners shut them down. This is going to be the biggest challenge the Sooner defense has faced on the ground this season, and it’ll be one of the key battles towards deciding the outcome.
Special Teams
Texas placekicker Bert Auburn is 9/14 on field goal attempts this season. He’s 4/5 from within 30 yards, 3/3 from within 40 yards, 2/4 from within 50, and 0-2 from 50-plus yards. On the other sideline, Oklahoma’s Zach Schmit is 6/7 on the season – 2/2 from within 30 yards, 3/4 from within 40, and 1/1 from within 50.
Why is this important? Because points might be coming at a premium on Saturday. The Sooners rank fourth nationally in scoring defense at just 10.8 points per game. Texas ranks twelfth nationally at 12.8 points allowed per game.
Both of these teams feature electric offenses, but they also both feature powerful defenses. This even amplifies the third side of the ball even more. What happens when the special teams unit is on the field could end up being the deciding factor in the game. Oklahoma has blocked two punts this season, returned a punt for a touchdown, and is averaging 26 yards per kickoff return. They need a big play on Saturday!
Oklahoma’s Defensive Secondary vs. Quinn Ewers
Longhorn quarterback Quinn Ewers threw his first interception of the season last Saturday. Conversely, he’s thrown 10 touchdowns and has a 66% completion percentage on the season. He’s averaging 271.6 passing yards, and two touchdowns, per game this season and is about to potentially face his strongest challenge of the season.
Oklahoma is holding opposing quarterbacks to a 54% completion rate through the first five games. The Sooners have picked off 10 passes this season and returned two for scores.
Inside The Red Zone
Both teams have been exceptional inside the red zone this season. In 21 red zone trips the Longhorns have scored 19 times (11 touchdowns/8 field goals). The Sooners have been in the red zone 27 times this year and have scored on 24 of those attempts (19 touchdowns/5 field goals).
On the other side of the ball, Texas has allowed just one touchdown from the red zone this season. Out of ten red zone trips by opponents in 2023, only five have ended in a score, with four of them being field goals. The Sooners have only seen opponents enter the red zone eight times through the first five games, but six of those have resulted in their opponents getting points on the board (3TDs/3FGs).
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