The Red River Rivalry is back, and this year’s matchup promises to be another classic battle. The Sooners and Longhorns have a storied history, and their annual clash is one of the most anticipated games in college football.
Oklahoma enters the game with a 4-1 record and is ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll. The Sooners have shown flashes of potential but have also struggled with consistency throughout the season. Their offense is now led by quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr., while their defense has shown the potential to be dominant through the first month of the season.
Texas, on the other hand, enters the game as the Top-Ranked team in the country. It appears that Arch Manning is heading back to the bench with with a health Quinn Ewers back at quarterback. The Longhorns have the 7th ranked scoring offense in the nation with an average of 45 points per game. On the other side of the ball, Texas is allowing opponents to score just an average of 7 points per game, ranking them as the nation’s 2nd ranked scoring defense.
Other Key Storylines For The Sooners:
- Venables’ History: Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables has a strong history against Texas, going 8-5 as an assistant coach and 1-1 as the head coach at OU. His experience and knowledge of this rivalry could be crucial for putting the Sooners in the right mindset for Saturday.
- Freshman Quarterback Debut: Michael Hawkins Jr. will become the seventh freshman quarterback to start against Texas for Oklahoma. Obviously his performance will be a key factor in the game as he brings a different approach to the quarterback position due to his athleticism.
- Historic Matchup: Oklahoma has a 7-16-2 all-time record against No. 1 teams. That said, the Sooners are 0-3-1 against Texas when the Longhorns are ranked No. 1. This rivalry always has the potential for a historic upset and the 2024 edition won’t be any different.
- Turnover Battle: Both teams have been effective at forcing turnovers, with Oklahoma leading the nation in turnovers gained and Texas ranking 46th in turnover margin. If you’re looking for a stat that could end up providing a significant advantage, then look no further than the turnover battle.
- Offensive Line and Receiver Play: Oklahoma’s offensive line has experienced some shuffling, while their receiving corps has been led by Deion Burks. The offensive line finally appears to be healthy, we’re probably going to have to wait for Saturday to find out about Burks.
- Defensive Dominance: Texas isn’t the only team brining a dominant defense to the Cotton Bowl. The Sooners rank 19th nationally in scoring defense, allowing an average of 16 points per game. OU also ranks first nationally in fumble recoveries (eight), fifth in sacks (3.5 per game), ninth in tackles for loss (8.0 per game) and 42nd in total defense (324.2 ypg).
Oklahoma has won its last four games against Texas when both teams are ranked in the AP poll, seven of its last eight and 13 of its last 17. The Sooners are 24-16 in the series under the circumstance. Oklahoma has won five of its last six meetings against Texas, 11 of the last 15 and 17 of the last 25.
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