Red River Showdown Preview: Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners
One of college football’s premier rivalries adds another chapter as the Texas Longhorns take on the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Showdown. With two passionate fan bases on both sides of the Red River, the 118th annual matchup will take place at The Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, TX.
While the Longhorns have the upper hand in the record book with a 62-50-5 record, the Sooners have dominated the rivalry of late, winning the last four matchups. Texas, led by Head Coach Steve Sarkisian, looks to dethrone Oklahoma and bring the Golden Hat back to Austin.
As these two programs are among the elite in college football, this year marks the first since 1998 that both teams come into the matchup unranked.
Longhorns Look To Make A Statement Win
On paper, the Longhorns' 3-2 record doesn't look appealing, but diving deeper, Texas has lost two games by a combined score of four points. The Longhorns battled No.1 Alabama (5-0) down to the final possession as they fell 20-19. And in Week four, The ‘Horns took Texas Tech to overtime but dropped 37-34.
Five-star Quarterback Quinn Ewers is expected to return for the Red River Shootout after missing the past three weeks while battling a shoulder injury he suffered against Alabama on Sept. 10.
If the redshirt freshman returns at full strength, the Longhorns will have a field day on the offensive side.
Ewers’ chemistry with his pass-catchers, Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington, is unmatched. Worthy leads the team in receiving yards on 331 and is the clear-cut lead wideout. Whittington’s speed has also proven effective for the ‘Horns, with 21 receptions in five matchups.
Don’t count out the Longhorns’ ground game, too. Running Back Bijan Robinson holds the hot hand of late. In his past three games, Robinson has totaled nearly 400 yards on the ground on top of six touchdowns. With offensive weapons firing on all cylinders, the Longhorns will be ready to fire with the ball on their side.
The true X-Factor for the Longhorns isn't their offensive strength, rather it’s their defensive unit. The architect behind it all, Defensive Coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, has been putting on an impressive showing of late. While allowing under 21 points in four of the five games this season, the ‘Horns' defense is expected to keep rolling against a struggling Oklahoma offense.
A must-win matchup for Oklahoma
With fresh faces around the program, including Head Coach Brent Venables and Quarterback Dillion Gabriel, the Sooners were scorching hot to begin the season. Jumping out to a 3-0 record and averaging nearly 42 points per game, Oklahoma was nearly unstoppable.
But the season script has taken a turn in their previous two matchups. Going 0-2 and allowing 42 points to Kansas State and 55 to TCU, Oklahoma has hit a speed bump early into the season. The Red River Showdown provides a rock-solid opportunity for the Sooners to get back on track.
Quarterback Dillion Gabriel has played like a Heisman-contending quarterback with 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions. But last week against TCU, Gabriel took a late hit to the head and is questionable to return for the Showdown. The Sooners' offense revolves around their pass-thrower and would take a big hit if he’s unable to suit up. Backup Davis Beville will take the snaps if Gabriel is ruled out.
Leading the team in receptions, Marvin Mims is the clear-cut top receiver for Ventables’ offensive unit. Mims is a dynamic pass-catcher and is one of the best in the nation. The Junior from Frisco, Texas, will be the lead wideout regardless of the quarterback role for the Sooners.
To add fuel to the fire, the Sooners' defensive unit has not been up to par of late. The previous two matchups against K-State and TCU exposed the defense as they allowed over 1,100 yards. While they are lined up against a star-studded Texas offense, the defense needs to step up to the challenge if they want to have a shot at keeping their Red River Showdown winning streak alive.
Prediction: Texas, 38 – Oklahoma, 21
With recent history favoring the Sooners, this is the year Texas rewrites the narrative. Steve Sarkisian and the ‘Horns are ready for the fight.
While they most likely bring back a healthy Quinn Ewers, expect him to light up the field against the faint Sooners secondary. Running back Bijan Robinson should have a productive day on the ground too. Don’t be surprised if Ewers throws for two or more touchdowns and Robinson rushes for 140+ yards and two touchdowns. The Golden Hat is coming back to Austin.
Jasper Abrahams is a first-year majoring in Public Relations. To contact him, email jpa5778@psu.edu.
