Game Day - October 11, 2024

gameday red river rivalry edition

October 11, 2024

The View, G4 | Player Spotlight, G6 | Scouting the Opponent, G7 | Things to Watch, G8

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Recipes Ingredients

Tex-Mex Potato Skins

Step 1 Preheat oven 425 degrees F. Pierce potatoes all over with fork. Place on plate and microwave for 7 minutes until tender to the touch. Cut in half lengthwise and when they are cool enough to handle; scoop out inside of potatoes with a spoon leaving a 1/4” border. Discard potatoes or use for mashed potatoes. Place skins on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper; brush with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 2 Meanwhile in a small skillet add 1/4” canola oil, when oil is hot add tortilla strips. Fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towel-lined plate and season with salt immediately; set aside.

Step 3 In a mixing bowl combine cheese and chicken; season with pinch of salt and black pepper. Place spoonful of mixture into each potato skin and bake until cheese is melted, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 4 Fill each potato skin with red onion, salsa, sour cream, fried tortilla strips, and cilantro. Serve immediately. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a49878/tex-mex-potato-skins-recipe/

4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried extra-virgin olive oil kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Canola oil, for frying 2 corn tortillas, cut into thin 1” strips 1 1/2 c. Grated Cheddar 2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken 1/4 c. Chopped red onion 1/2 c. salsa 1/4 c. sour cream 1/2 c. Chopped cilantro

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F R I DAY, O C T O BE R 11, 2 0 2 4 • GA M E DAY

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THE VIEW

You never know ...

If this season’s taught us anything, it’s that anything possible arlier in the week, Brent Venables tried intimating that whatever it is Texas might be doing, it has nothing to do with Oklahoma, about which, of course, he could not be more incorrect.

“That’s not a measuring stick for myself or for this program,” he said.

“Their success doesn’t have anything to do with ours and their lack of success doesn’t have anything to do with ours …

“We’re focused on us, the things we can control. We compete on the field once a season, and it’s big game, always is, but they’re all big.”

He’s right about the two teams meeting once a year, and maybe about his program focusing on what it can control, but the rest of it?

Sorry.

Most games are big only when you lose them. Some are big because you win them. Some are big because circumstances.

Temple? Not big.

Houston? Almost big because OU almost loss.

Tulane? Not really.

Tennessee? Big. Auburn? Big for how the Sooners prevailed and for not dropping to 0-2 in the conference.

Texas? Big for many reasons, beginning with it being Texas.

Sure, both programs recruit the nation, but they recruit against each other unlike they recruit against

E

AP TOP 25 POLL

Clay Horning GUEST COLUMNIST

No. 18 Oklahoma

vs. No. 1 Texas When: Saturday, Oct. 12 at 2:30 p.m.

Where: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas TV: ABC Radio: KREF FM 99.3 / AM 1400

anybody else.

And if Venables and the Sooners were to go nowhere in the SEC simultaneous to Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns going nowhere in the SEC, it might be worth another season or two of grace before each coach received his walking papers.

But if OU loses five games this season and give games next season and Texas remains a top 5 to 10 program, well, Venables might be all out of grace.

Of course, before Venables said the Horns were no measuring stick, he also said this about Saturday’s Cotton Bowl skirmish.

“How could you not get excited about this game,” he said. “This is everything you coach for and play for at this level.

“The passion, the emotion, the intensity, the opportunity, all of it. You’re going to have center stage in college football this Saturday.”

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with firstplace votes in parentheses, records through Oct. 5, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking: Record Pts Prv 1. Texas (52) 5-0 1516 2 2. Ohio St. (9) 5-0 1473 3 3. Oregon 5-0 1348 6 4. Penn St. 5-0 1305 7 5. Georgia 4-1 1299 5 6. Miami 6-0 1187 8 7. Alabama 4-1 1182 1 8. Tennessee 4-1 1001 4 9. Mississippi 5-1 978 12 10. Clemson 4-1 861 15 11. Iowa St. 5-0 853 16 11. Notre Dame 4-1 853 14 13. LSU 4-1 827 13 14. BYU 5-0 753 17 15. Texas A&M 5-1 702 25 16. Utah 4-1 473 18 17. Boise St. 4-1 463 21 T18. Kansas St. 4-1 459 20 T18. Indiana 6-0 459 23 T18. Oklahoma 4-1 459 19 21. Missouri 4-1 352 9 22. Pittsburgh 5-0 196 23. Illinois 4-1 182 24 24. Michigan 4-2 170 10 25. SMU 5-1 165 Others receiving votes: Southern Cal 98, Nebraska 51, Navy 43, Army 33, Vanderbilt 26, Arkansas 17, Washington St. 8, Iowa 8, Texas Tech 7, Syracuse 6, Washington 4, Louisville 4, Colorado 3, Kentucky 1.

the upsets right here in the SEC — five words I’ve never previously typed — and beyond, you can convince Kyle Phillips | The Transcript yourself of almost anything this season.

OU’s head coach Brent Venables meets Oct. 7 with Texas coach Steve Sarkisian Not that what Texas does during the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. doesn’t matter to Oklahoma, but almost anything else.

Jeff Lebby’s Mississippi game, 121st in the nation He wasn’t saying that Can the Sooners win State Bulldogs, appeared to about Temple, Houston and and dead last in the SEC? today? play Texas reasonably two Also, even as OU’s played Tulane, was he?

It’s hard to see how. terrific defense, it still ranks weeks ago, falling 35-13.

So, the game?

But stranger things have It could have been 52-10.

41st and gives up 324.2 Texas is favored by 14 1/2 already happened, the That and Texas’ best points and it appears wrong yards per game while Texas Sooner offense can’t go victory remains a 31-12 allows 228.2 and ranks from both directions. nowhere forever, maybe the decision at Michigan, a win third and the Sooners can’t How could any team be less glittering since the Wol- turnovers keep coming and get turnovers in bunches favored two touchdowns if the Longhorns can find a verines fell to Washington forever. plus at the Red River way to lose this game, they and tumbled all the way Still, Alabama beat rivalry? often do. back to 24th in the AP Top Then again, how could the Georgia, Vanderbilt beat So enjoy the nation’s best Longhorns not be favored by Alabama, Texas A&M throt- 25. rivalry, and enjoy the rest of The thing of it is, given more because have you seen tled Missouri, Kentucky beat Ole Miss and what might be the Sooner Magic Kip Lewis the conference finally taking Oklahoma’s total offense pulled off to top Auburn, all a good long look at it itself. the worst team in the SEC, numbers, 297.8 yards per

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F R I DAY, O C T O BE R 11, 2 0 2 4 • GA M E DAY

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OU FOOTBALL NUMERICAL ROSTER 0 Kalib Hicks RB 5-11 213 R-Fr. 0 David Stone DL 6-3 294 Fr. 1 Jayden Gibson WR 6-5 197 Jr. 1 Dasan McCullough LB 6-5 223 Jr. 2 Jovantae Barnes RB 6-0 207 Jr. 2 Billy Bowman Jr. DB 5-10 200 Sr. 3 Jalil Farooq WR 6-1 207 Sr. 3 Robert Spears-Jennings DB 6-1 219 Jr. 4 Nic Anderson WR 6-4 219 R-So. 4 Dez Malone DB 6-0 204 Sr. 5 Andrel Anthony WR 6-1 183 Sr. 5 Woodi Washington DB 5-11 195 R-Sr. 6 Deion Burks WR 5-9 190 R-Jr. 6 Nigel Smith II DL 6-4 267 Fr. 7 Jaren Kanak LB 6-2 223 Jr. 7 Zion Kearney WR 6-1 200 Fr. 8 Taylor Tatum RB 5-10 205 Fr. 8 Makari Vickers DB 6-1 192 So. 9 Michael Hawkins Jr. QB 6-1 204 Fr. 9 Gentry Williams DB 6-0 187 Jr. 10 Kip Lewis LB 6-1 221 R-So. 10 Bauer Sharp TE 6-4 247 R-Jr. 11 Jackson Arnold QB 6-1 211 So. 11 Kobie McKinzie LB 6-2 242 R-So. 12 Devon Jordan DB 5-11 179 Fr. 12 Brendan Zurbrugg QB 6-2 202 Fr. 13 J.J. Hester WR 6-4 202 R-Sr. 13 Reggie Powers III DB 5-11 208 Fr. 14 Jaydan Hardy DB 5-10 174 Fr. 14 Steele Wasel QB 6-3 219 R-Fr. 15 Kendel Dolby DB 5-11 185 Sr. 15 Brenen Thompson WR 5-9 165 Jr. 16 Danny Okoye DL 6-3 253 Fr. 16 Casey Thompson QB 6-0 192 R-Sr. 17 Taylor Heim LB 6-6 216 R-Fr. 17 Jaquaize Pettaway WR 5-10 189 So. 18 Kaden Helms TE 6-5 239 R-So. 18 Erik McCarty DB 6-1 185 R-Fr. 19 Jacobe Johnson DB 6-2 200 So. 19 Kade McIntyre TE 6-3 221 R-Fr. 20 Lewis Carter LB 6-0 227 So. 20 Sam Franklin RB 5-10 198 R-Jr. 21 Jeremiah Newcombe DB 5-9 182 Fr.

OU Availability Report TEXAS RB CJ Baxter — Out RB Christian Clark — Out RB Velton Garnder — Out RB Colin Page — Questionable P/K Michael Kern — Questionable

21 Xavier Robinson RB 6-0 222 Fr. 22 Peyton Bowen DB 6-0 200 So 22 Chapman McKown RB 5-5 174 R-Fr. 23 Eli Bowen DB 5-9 186 Fr. 23 Emeka Megwa RB 6-0 211 R-Jr. 24 Samuel Omosigho LB 6-2 236 So. 25 Andy Bass RB 5-11 208 Fr. 25 Michael Boganowski DB 6-2 211 Fr. 26 Kani Walker DB 6-2 205 R-Jr. 27 Jayden Rowe DB 6-2 223 R-So. 27 Gavin Sawchuk RB 5-11 200 R-So. 28 KJ Daniels WR 5-9 152 Fr. 28 Danny Stutsman LB 6-4 241 Sr. 29 Casen Calmus DB 5-10 196 R-Fr. 29 Gabe Sawchuk RB 5-10 185 Fr. 30 Trace Ford DL 6-2 246 R-Sr. 31 Cale Fugate DB 5-10 190 R-Fr. 31 Ashton Logan P 6-2 217 R-So. 32 R Mason Thomas DL 6-2 240 Jr. 33 Phil Picciotti LB 6-3 239 R-Fr. 34 Adepoju Adebawore DL 6-4 251 So. 34 Zach Schmit K/P 5-10 196 R-Sr. 35 Liam Evans K 5-7 181 Fr. 35 Jakeb Snyder DB 5-8 180 R-Fr. 36 Josh Plaster K/P 6-0 187 R-Sr. 38 Owen Heinecke LB 6-2 227 R-So. 39 Peter Schuh DB 5-8 184 R-So. 40 Ethan Downs DL 6-4 265 Sr. 41 Emmett Jones III DB 6-0 182 R-Fr. 42 Wyatt Gilmore DL 6-4 245 Fr. 44 Taylor Wein DL 6-4 267 R-Fr. 45 Hampton Fay TE 6-5 245 R-Jr. 45 Mykel Patterson-McDonald DB 5-10 172 Fr. 46 Dax Noles DB 6-0 192 Fr. 47 James Nesta LB 6-3 216 Fr. 48 Luke Elzinga P 6-4 229 R-Sr. 48 Jocelyn Malaska DB 6-1 186 R-So. 50 Ben Anderson LS 6-5 240 R-So. 51 Branson Hickman OL 6-2 301 R-Sr. 52 Troy Everett OL 6-3 308 R-Jr. 52 Damonic Williams DL 6-1 319 Jr. 54 Febechi Nwaiwu OL 6-4 339 R-Jr. 55 Eddy Pierre-Louis OL 6-3 305 Fr.

55 Ashton Sanders DL 6-1 295 R-Fr. 56 Eugene Brooks OL 6-3 336 Fr. 56 Gracen Halton DL 6-2 291 Jr. 57 Gunnar Allen OL 6-0 297 R-So. 58 Spencer Brown OL 6-6 321 R-Sr. 58 Ethan Lane LS 5-11 230 R-Sr. 61 Kenneth Wermy OL 6-5 305 R-Fr. 64 Joshua Bates OL 6-3 309 R-Fr. 65 Jayden Jackson DL 6-2 300 Fr. 65 Ty Kubicek OL 6-2 294 R-Fr. 66 Geirean Hatchett OL 6-5 312 R-Sr. 70 Michael Tarquin OL 6-6 317 R-Sr 71 Logan Howland OL 6-6 317 R-Fr. 72 Josh Aisosa OL 6-3 323 Fr. 73 Isaiah Autry-Dent OL 6-6 310 Fr. 74 Evan McClure OL 6-4 275 Fr. 75 Daniel Akinkunmi OL 6-6 321 Fr. 76 Jacob Sexton OL 6-6 322 Jr. 77 Heath Ozaeta OL 6-5 318 R-Fr. 79 Jake Taylor OL 6-6 309 R-So. 80 Josh Fanuiel TE 6-3 250 R-Jr. 80 Bergin Kysar DL 6-3 245 Fr. 81 Zion Ragins WR 5-8 145 Fr. 82 Ivan Carreon WR 6-6 223 Fr. 83 Major Melson WR 5-10 187 R-Sr. 84 Davon Mitchell TE 6-3 250 Fr. 85 Trey Brown WR 5-9 181 R-Fr. 87 Jake Roberts TE 6-4 252 Sr. 88 Jacob Jordan WR 5-9 182 Fr. 89 Eli Merck WR 6-0 206 R-Fr. 90 Caiden Woullard DL 6-4 259 Sr. 91 Drew Heinig DL 6-5 288 R-Fr. 93 Ace Hodges DL 6-1 284 Fr. 94 Mari Atchison DL 6-2 268 Fr. 95 Da’Jon Terry DL 6-3 323 R-Sr. 96 Davon Sears DL 6-2 295 R-Sr. 97 Kyle Carlson LB 6-3 190 R-Fr. 98 Tyler Keltner K 5-11 181 R-Sr. 99 Markus Strong DL 6-3 290 R-Fr. Last updated Aug. 7, 2024 Weights as of June 27, 2024

DS Tate Haver — Questionable

WR Andrel Anthony — Out

DB Derek Williams Jr. — Probable

DB Gentry Williams — Out

QB Quinn Ewers — Probable

DB Kendel Dolby — Out

OKLAHOMA

OL Geirean Hatchett — Out

WR Jayden Gibson — Out

WR Deion Burks — Questionable

WR Jalil Farooq — Out

TE Kade McIntyre — Questionable

WR Nic Anderson — Out

As of Wednesday’s availability report

OFFENSE QB 9 Michael Hawkins Jr. 11 Jackson Arnold RB 27 Gavin Sawchuk OR 2 Jovantae Barnes TE 10 Bauer Sharp OR 87 Jake Roberts WR 15 Brenen Thompson 4 Nic Anderson LT 70 Michael Tarquin 71 Logan Howland LG 76 Jacob Sexton 77 Heath Ozaeta 51 Branson Hickman OR 52 Troy Everett RG 54 Febechi Nwaiwu 55 Eddy Pierre-Louis RT 79 Jake Taylor OR 58 Spencer Brown SLOT 6 Deion Burks 17 Jaquaize Pettaway WR 13 J.J. Hester 7 Zion Kearney DEFENSE LDE 40 Ethan Downs 90 Caiden Woullard DT 65 Jayden Jackson 56 Gracen Halton NT 52 Damonic Williams OR 95 Da’Jon Terry RDE

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32 R Mason Thomas 30 Trace Ford MIKE 28 Danny Stutsman OR 11 Kobie McKinzie WILL 10 Kip Lewis OR 28 Danny Stutsman CHEETAH 24 Samuel Omosigho 13 Reggie Powers LCB 26 Kani Walker OR 5 Woodi Washington SS 2 Billy Bowman Jr. 14 Jaydan Hardy FS 22 Peyton Bowen OR 3 Robert Spears-Jennings RCB 4 Dez Malone OR 9 Jacobe Johnson SPECIALISTS 98 Tyler Keltner OR 34 Zach Schmit 48 Luke Elzinga 31 Ashton Logan KO 34 Zach Schmit 98 Tyler Keltner KR 2 Billy Bowman Jr. 6 Deion Burks PR 22 Peyton Bowen 2 Billy Bowman Jr. LS 50 Ben Anderson 58 Ethan Lane 36 Josh Plaster 48 Luke Elzinga As of Auburn Game

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OU Two-Deep Roster

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F R I DAY, O C T O BE R 11, 2 0 2 4 • GA M E DAY

PL AYER SPOTLIGHT

‘Already getting butterflies’ Roberts hoping to channel big-game emotions into something positive TARIK MASRI TRANSCRIPT SPORTS E D I TO R

It’s a special week for college football fans on both sides of the Red River. As the big game draws closer and anticipation builds, many will reminisce on favorite memories of the historic rivalry.

Jake Rober ts and his father are no different. The longtime Sooner fans talked earlier this week about Jake’s one and only experience in the Cotton Bowl back in 2010.

Oklahoma pulled out a 28-21 win in a game that fans might remember best with two memories — Tony Jefferson f lipping Garrett Gilbert onto his head and Demarco Murray tip-toeing almost 10 yards down the sideline before leaping into Paxson Haws | The Transcript the endzone for his second touchdown.

OU’s Jake Roberts on the field during a game against Temple Aug. 30.

OU Football Schedule Oklahoma 51, Temple 3 Oklahoma 16, Houston 12 Oklahoma 34, Tulane 19 Tennessee 25, Oklahoma 15 Oklahoma 27, Auburn 21 BYE WEEK Oct. 12 vs. Texas, 2:30 p.m. ABC Oct. 19 vs. South Carolina, 11-Noon ESPN or SECN Oct. 26 at Ole Miss, 11-Noon Nov. 2 vs. Maine, 1:30 p.m. ESPN+ or SECN+ Nov. 9 at Missouri, 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.

BYE WEEK Nov. 23 vs. Alabama, 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.

Nov. 30 at LSU, 2:30-3:30 or 5-7 p.m.

Roberts vividly remembers Murray, now the Sooners’ running backs coach, zipping up and down the field on the Longhorns’ defense.

14 years later, Roberts will finally fulfill his dream of making his own memories on that field and he knows better than most what a big deal that is.

“I feel like I’m already getting butterf lies about it,” the OU tight end said on Wednesday.

Roberts grew up an OU fan and played high school football just across town at Norman North. Even while playing at North Texas and then at Baylor, he’d always be sure to check the score of the OU/Texas game.

Two years ago, the Mean Green were off the weekend of the Red River Rivalry and he was able to catch some of the game.

See SPOTLIGHT on G9

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Scouting the opponent: Texas Longhorns DAVIS CORDOVA CNHI SPORTS OKL AHOMA

The biggest, most intense game on Oklahoma’s schedule is finally here, and the Sooners are a big underdog.

No. 18 Oklahoma will head down to Dallas to play No. 1 Texas at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on ABC. The Longhorns are the heavy favorites this week, a 14.5-point favorite over OU as of Wednesday.

Both teams are coming off of a bye week and both earned their first SEC wins the week prior.

OU needed a little bit of ‘Sooner Magic’ to pull off a stunner at Auburn while Texas handled Mississippi State at home.

The Longhorns are understandably the favorites to emerge victorious from the Cotton Bowl on Saturday and will look to get back at the Sooners after last year’s thriller that went in favor of Oklahoma.

Here is a breakdown of the Longhorns’ team:

OFFENSE The Longhorns are in the same boat as the Sooners in terms of playing two starting quarterbacks this season — but it hasn’t mattered for Texas.

Past 10 Meetings 2023 — 34-30, OU 2022 — 49-0, UT 2021 — 55-48, OU 2020 — 53-45, OU 2019 — 34-27, OU 2018 (Big 12) — 39-27, OU 2018 — 48-45, UT 2017 — 29-24, OU 2016 — 45-40, OU 2015 — 24-17, UT UT leads all-time series 63-51-5 OU leads series 17-8 since 2000 OU is 6-8 in OU/Texas games played on Oct. 12

The Longhorns seasonstarter Quinn Ewers suffered an injury in Texas’ third game of the season in a blowout win against UTSA and in came quarterback Arch Manning.

Manning stepping into Ewers’ role was seamless as the Longhorns continued to steamroll their next two opponents in Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State, but See TEXAS on G10

Kyle Phillips | The Transcript

OU’s defense stops the ball during the Red River Rivalry, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.

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F R I DAY, O C T O BE R 11, 2 0 2 4 • GA M E DAY

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3 THINGS TO WATCH DAVIS CORDOVA CNHI SPORTS OKL AHOMA

MICHAEL HAWKINS JR. HANDLING FIRST STARTS, RETURNING HOME OU’s freshman starting quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. is making his second start against his school’s biggest rival in his hometown.

Hawkins only attempted 15 passes in his first start against Auburn and a lot of variables played into that. The game was Hawkins’ first and clearly there was an emphasis on running the football, with the Sooners rushing the ball 32 times. Hawkins also had a lack of healthy receivers, with the Sooners’ first five starting receivers out with injury.

But, Hawkins still was able to mount a comeback and lead the Sooners to their first SEC win.

This week, leading wide receiver Burks and wide receiver Anderson are hoping to make their returns this week against Texas, potentially giving the offense and Hawkins a much-needed boost playing the No. 1 team in the country.

OU coach Brent Venables said Hawkins will need to keep cool and stick with the plan when Saturday afternoon comes around.

“I know it’ll be a big moment for him, his family being from Dallas,” Venables said. “But at the end of the day, we’re gonna face a really good Texas team that’s really balanced in all three phases ... And so just executing the plan will be the

game plan for him. And like I said, THE HIGH-INTENSITY he’s gotta be somebody that’s not ENVIRONMENT AT too high, not too low, things of that THE COTTON BOWL nature.”

It’s no secret the Red River Rivalry is one of the best games TEXAS’ HIGH-SCORING each college football season, but the OFFENSE AGAINST environment and pageantry surOU’S DEFENSE rounding the game is what puts the It’s been awhile since Texas’ game among the best in the sport. star quarterback Quinn Ewers has It’s provided some of the best played in a game, but the Longgames in recent memory — the horns are hoping for a seamless Caleb Williams comeback game transition between him and quarin 2021; the 2020 game that went terback Arch Manning.

Earlier in the season, Ewers got to four overtimes; Dillon Gabriel’s injured and in came Manning to last-minute drive to lead the Soonhis aid. Manning was able to keep ers to victory last season.

There have been several iconic the Texas offense going, leading the team to three victories and an aver- moments from the series in recent age of 47 points per game through memory and the Sooners plan to add another one on Saturday. that span.

OU linebacker Danny Stutsman Sure, the team’s the Longhorns faced — UTSA, UL Monroe and went viral last season with his preMississippi State — didn’t have game speech, saying, ‘Oklahoma a nationally-recognized defense, only fears God ... Texas fears Oklabut nonetheless, Manning kept the homa,’ prior to the win. Stutsman said being part of this rivalry and Longhorns scoring points.

Oklahoma’s defense will be the making memories playing in these best defense that Texas will have games is one of the best things he faced through this point in the sea- gets to do as a Sooner.

“Last year, unfortunately, I’m son. Oklahoma has the ability to get to the quarterback, ranking fifth going to be a little emotional out in the country in sacks per game there,” Stutsman said. “It’s a really with 3.6, but the counterpoint to big game man, especially being that is Texas’ offensive line, which a Sooner, it’s the one you kind of is thought to be among the best in look forward to every year. It’s probably one of the biggest games the country.

For OU’s defense, the key is to because of how deep and meanput pressure on Ewers as much ingful the rivalry is. There’s a lot as possible. With Ewers returning of great memories all the way from from injury and playing his first freshman year, that comeback, to game since Sept. 14, the defense last year. You can go on and on and can make him uncomfortable with hopefully we can continue to make constant pressure. memories in the next one.”

5 STATS TO KNOW TARIK MASRI T R A N S C R I P T S P O R T S E D I TO R

88 Oklahoma and Texas will be meeting for the 88th time at the Cotton Bowl. With a win on Saturday the Sooners would tie the Longhorns all-time in those games at 42-42-4. The two sides have met 120 times and the Longhorns lead the series 63-51-5. The Sooners are 17-8 since 2000 and have won five of the last six.They’ve also won 88 straight games when holding opponents to 22 points or fewer.

7 The Sooners have lost their last four meetings against the No. 1 team in the AP Poll and are 7-16-2 all-time. The last time they knocked off No. 1 was against Missouri in 2007 in the Big 12 Championship.

The Sooners’ last regular season win over a No. 1 team was in 2000 against Nebraska. The Sooners have faced four top-ranked Texas teams previously and are 0-3-1 in those games. The last of those games came in 1984 and resulted in a controversial 15-15 result in a rain-soaked matchup between No. 1 and No. 2. Two of the last three OU teams to top the No. 1 team went on to win the national title.

by eight points or fewer. The Sooners have gone 10-3 in one-score games against Texas since 2000.

Their last one-score loss came in 2018, 48-45.

.957 The Longhorns are ranked second in the SEC in red zone offense, scoring on all but two trips this season. They’ve been in the red zone 26 times this season and have cashed in 23 touchdowns in those situations. The other three trips to the red zone included two lost fumbles and a missed field goal. Despite an up-and-down season the Sooners are the only SEC team that has converted on more of their red zone opportunities than the Longhorns this season. They rank 20th nationally in red zone offense (94.7%) and 45th in red zone defense (80%).

5.5 Ok lahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas is up to 5.5 sacks on the season, which leads the SEC and is tied for fifth nationally. All of those have come in the last three games and five of them came in the fourth quarter of those games.

Thomas’ 5.5 sacks is the most by a Sooner over three games since Charles Tapper had six in three games in 2015.

8 Over the last decade, only one Red River Rivalry game has been decided by more than one score — the Longhorns’ 49-0 win in 2022.

Every other game has been decided

Tarik Masri is the sports editor for The Transcript covering OU athletics and area sports. You can reach him by emailing tarik@normantranscript. com

F R I DAY, O C T O BE R 11, 2 0 2 4 • GA M E DAY

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Paxson Haws | The Transcript

OU tight end Jake Roberts runs with the ball during the game against Tulane Sept. 14.

SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED FROM G6

“Deep down, I want them to win every time,” Roberts said. “Now being a part of it, I’m all in.”

Texas has allowed 35 points through the first five games and it hasn’t allowed

an opponent to score more than one touchdown. It also leads the Southeastern Conference in interceptions and is eighth nationally in third down conversion defense.

Roberts is tied for fourth on the team in catches with six for 67 yards and scored a touchdown against Houston. Now in his fifth season

of college football, the 6-4, 253-pound tight end has been tasked with taking over a substantial role in the Sooners’ offense.

In this game, emotion and excitement are never hard to come by. This year the Sooners will have the rare opportunity to play spoiler for the top-ranked Long-

horns.

Roberts understands the weight of the moment as well as any of the players on the field.

For both sides the key will be to convert that added emotion into something positive during the game.

Four out of the last five Red River Rivalry games have

been decided by one possession. In every one of those games the team with the fewest penalties came out on top and in three of those four games the team with the fewest penalties won the game.

“You obviously want to embrace it to a certain point,” Roberts said. “It’s a highemotion game, but we talk

about not letting emotions hijack the moment from us.

Like, emotions are good if you use them in the right way.”

Tarik Masri is the sports editor for The Transcript covering OU athletics and area sports.

You can reach him by emailing tarik@normantranscript.com

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F R I DAY, O C T O BE R 11, 2 0 2 4 • GA M E DAY

TEXAS CONTINUED FROM G7

Ewers will be the starting quarterback on Saturday for Texas.

Ewers will return from injury on Saturday in one of the best environments in all of sports. Ewers led Texas to two wins prior to his injury, beating Colorado State and then-No. 12 Michigan handily.

In the two and a half games Ewers played in this season, he completed 73.4% of his passes for 691 yards and eight touchdowns along with two interceptions.

Ewers played like one of the top quarterbacks in the country and will need to continue that after a four-week hiatus in order for the Longhorns to stay as the No. 1 team in the country.

Beyond Ewers, the Longhorns have one of the best offensive lines in the country.

Kelvin Banks Jr. is expected to be a top-10 NFL pick in April and features a bevy of experience and talent beside him as well.

The Longhorns have speed and top-tier catching ability with Isaiah Bond and Ryan Wingo leading the way for the wide receivers, but the soft spot for the Longhorns Kyle Phillips | The Transcript is the running backs.

OU’s Danny Stutsman makes a tackle during the Red P r ior to t he s e a s on , River Rivalry, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, at the Cotton Bowl expected starter CJ Baxter and his backup Christian in Dallas, Texas.

Clark suffered season-ending injuries, leaving three scholarship running backs on the roster.

Through five games, the Longhorns’ rushing attack has been by committee with Jaydon Blue and Jerrick Gibson sharing the carries. Blue had a fumbling problem, though, coughing it up twice against Mississippi State.

DEFENSE The Longhorns’ defense has been lights-out, with 13 being the maximum points that it has allowed this season, but the Longhorns haven’t played any high-scoring teams either.

The Longhorns give up an average of seven points per game and rank third in the country in total defense.

The Longhorns have some playmakers on defense. Linebacker Colin Simmons leads the team with four sacks this season and also has a forced fumble and 18 tackles. Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. leads the team in tackles with 31 and also has 2.5 sacks along with an interception.

The Longhorns have an experienced group on defense that looks ready to contain OU’s freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. Tennessee will be one of, if not, the best defense the Sooners will face this season, but the Longhorns are not far behind in terms of talent and production so far this season.

Statistical Comparison National Rankings Total Offense Rushing Offense Passing Offense Team Passing Efficiency Scoring Offense Total Defense Rushing Defense Passing Defense Scoring Defense Turnover Margin 3rd Down Offense 4th Down Offense Red Zone Offense Red Zone Defense Penalty Yds Per Game Time of Possession

OU 121 100 118 100 69 42 27 75 19 T3 17 T97 20 T45 75 112

UT 7 37 10 6 7 3 29 2 2 T46 9 T48 29 8 52 70

Coaching Comparison Stats at current school Venables Sarkisian Current season 3rd 4th Record at school 20-11 (.645) 30-14 (.682) Conference titles 0 1 Bowl wins 0 0 Best AP finish (year) 15th (2023) 3rd (2023) Worst AP finish (year) NR (2022) NR (2021) OU/Texas record 1-1 1-2 * Regular season vs. APT25 3-1 4-7 * All time vs. AP T25 3-3 5-9 * Records against teams ranked at the time of contest

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