3 reasons the Texas Longhorns will win the Red River Rivalry

The No. 3 Texas Longhorns (5-0) and No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners (5-0) are set to hit the road and head to Dallas to the Cotton Bowl in what could be the most critical version of the Red River Rivalry in a decade. The Longhorns and Sooners last met in 2011 as undefeated foes.

This will be just the 13th time in the past 50 years that this game will be played, as both teams are undefeated.

Texas football won the most recent meeting, defeating Oklahoma 49-0 in 2022 behind 289 yards passing and four touchdowns from Quinn Ewers. To say there won’t be a repeat of that box score would be an understatement. This is going to be a knockout drag-out fight.

Oklahoma is 5-0 after beating up the likes of Arkansas State, SMU, Tulsa, Cincinnati, and Iowa State. None of those teams were ranked when the Sooners played them. Oklahoma has yet to be tested this year, as the combined record of all those teams is 13-12.

The Sooners’ defense has also greatly improved, as their opponents score an average of 10.8 points per game. To put this into perspective, the Sooners defense gave up 30 points per game last season.

Texas football has battered its opponents Wyoming, Baylor, and most recently No. 24 Kansas, and has held solid as the No. 3-ranked team in the country.

In numerous midseason media polls, Texas football has been a popular pick to make the four-team College Football Playoff among the likes of Georgia, Michigan, and Florida State. Texas boasts 276.8 passing yards per game (26th FBS, 4th BIG 12) and 191.8 rushing yards per game (35th FBS, 6th BIG 12), and the Longhorns are ranked 12th in the nation in scoring defense, giving up a measly 12.8 points per game.

Texas is coming off an ascendant win over previously undefeated Kansas. The offense was balanced, rushing for a remarkable 336 yards and passing for 325. The defense held the Jayhawks to 0-for-8 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth. Meanwhile, the UT offense was able to extend drives, going 9-for-15 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth.

3. The Texas Longhorns will win the Battle of the Trenches

A vital aspect of this game will be the battle up front, especially when Texas football has the ball on offense. Oklahoma should be asking themselves, “Can we play honest”? Do the Sooners have to commit extra resources like bringing down a safety or an extra linebacker into a formation to stop the Texas run game? If you can play honestly, you’ll be able to pay closer attention to those playmakers and prevent those explosive plays from happening.

The Texas offensive and defensive lines will stay true to form and win the battle in the trenches, and the Sooners defense aggressiveness will pay dividends to a degree. Still, in the second half, I think Quinn Ewers and the Texas offense will be able to expose some things when Oklahoma’s overly aggressive defense gets caught in certain situations.

Once Texas could lean on that run game and gain over 300 yards, that passing game opened up, and Texas threw it over the top, leaving Kansas exposed last week. It will be crucial if Texas can live in the 2nd and six or 3rd and three area or if Oklahoma can make Texas throw it on a 1st down because of coverage they are in or even in a 2nd or 3rd and long.