Campus Clash
(6) Oklahoma Sooners at (11) Texas Longhorns
Oklahoma: Another year under Lincoln Riley and they’re off to a fast start again. Let’s just admit it now that the Big-12 is ran by the Oklahoma Sooners. They’re at the top of the kingdom while all the other teams just want a seat at the table, that’s just how great this team is. Lincoln has had quite the start to his coaching career. After Bob Stoops announced his retirement in 2017, he stepped in and they didn’t miss a beat. He also led the Sooners to the playoffs and a quarterback named Baker Mayfield won the Heisman. Last season, he has Kyler Murray and again, another Heisman winner. This year, he has another front-runner for the award in Jalen Hurts. I’m so impressed with this guy not just on the field, but how he conducts himself off the field. If you ever played organized sports, getting benched is the worst feeling ever. Jalen had every right to complain and rant, but he didn’t and now, he’s being rewarded for the humility he’s displayed. This Oklahoma defense is so much fun to watch. We talk about Alabama and Ohio State’s offensive attacks, Oklahoma in my opinion still has the top offense in the country. They’ve scored at least 45 points in each game this year. The biggest surprise has been their defense. I’ve enjoyed what Alex Grinch has done with this unit because they’re mentally tough 20 yards and in the red zone, they lock themselves in to make a stop. They’ve been solid on the defensive side allowing 20 points or fewer in their last four games. It’s another big showdown on Saturday when they face one of their biggest rivals.
Texas: I’m still a believer in what Tom Herman is building up in Austin with this program. After opening the year up with a win, they hit a bump in the road with an early season setback in a week two loss to the LSU Tigers, but have bounced back nicely with three straight victories since then. In order to compete in this Big-12, you must be able to push the football up the field and score points. You won’t win kicking field goals and coming away with three each time because that just isn’t going to cut it. They have an exciting offense to watch with quarterback Sam Ehlinger under center leading the way. He plays with a backyard football mindset with how he’s able to stay up on his feet to extend the plays, he can move within and outside the pocket along with making a throw on the run and if you need some extra yards, he can use his feet and run to get them. In just a year, he’s become an excellent leader and I truly believe these Longhorns will go as far as he takes them. Their biggest issue is their defense. They can score 30 or more in every game offensively, but they also allow 25 or more as a defense. This year alone, they’ve given up 30 points to each opponent they’ve faced. It’s another week on the schedule with a rivalry showdown for Herman, Ehlinger and these Longhorns as they get set to battle the Oklahoma Sooners.
Oklahoma Player to Watch: Trey Sermon– He’s not the quickest or craftiest running back, he just plays and does his job. He’s shifty enough to move around a defender and does all the little things for the team. Defenses keep an eye out for him because when Hurts fakes it to him, the defense usually heads in his direction. He’s also a nice blocker in pass protection.
Texas Player to Watch: Malcolm Roach– He’s their most disruptive player in their front seven. He comes from all over and can knock attempted passes down, stops the run, he’s scrappy and he’s always around the football to make a play. He and the Texas defense will have their hands full trying to contain Hurts and this offense.
Final Analysis: I get to break this rivalry down for you for just the second time. We got a thrilling game last season with Oklahoma pulling the upset on the Longhorns. A few months later, Oklahoma got the last laugh in the Big-12 championship game as they got their revenge on their rivals. A year later, here we are with this showdown being another potential title game preview. I’d establish Sermon early on if I’m Oklahoma. Texas can’t stop the run and they’re expecting the pass early on, make them guess and confuse them. For Texas, it comes down to converting your third downs to move the chains. Close in on all your opportunities and don’t give this offense any chance to touch the football. If you like shootouts, this is the game for you.
Prediction: Oklahoma 41 Texas 31
