It’s that time of the year again; no, I’m not talking about Columbas Day sales at JC Penny. It’s time for one of the oldest, time-honored traditions of college football: The Red River Shootout. If you love college football (like yours truly) then this game is a must-watch, even if you’re not a sooner or longhorn fan. It’s got everything you would want in a rivalry game- First, the game is played in a “neutral” site- The cotton bowl. Second, the stadium is sold out every year, with half of the stadium filled with burgundy and the other half burnt orange. And if you get bored(not sure how this game would bore you) or want a quick snack before the game, you have the Texas state fair going on, where you can stuff your face full of fried snickers until you’re in a diabetic coma! It’s a win-win for the average college football junkie. But enough about the pomp and circumstance, let’s get down to business.
This Saturday will mark the 115th meeting between #11 Texas and #6 Oklahoma. This rivalry has created legends, ended championship hopes, and has had some dramatic finishes. Last season, Kyler Murray and his Sooners were down 45-28 with 13:00 minutes left in the game but started a comeback on three back-back-back scoring drives to tie the game 45-45. With the game getting away from the horns, Sam Ehlinger mounted a 40-yard drive to set up a field goal with 14 seconds left for true freshman Cameron Dicker. The young kicker accepted the call and split the uprights to secure the win for the Longhorns, who went onto play for the Big XII title and later win the Sugar Bowl against Georgia.
The 2019 edition is shaping up to be a ‘humdinger”. Let’s take a look at the teams.
Oklahoma has become the home for transfer quarterbacks as of late. Jalen Hurts, former Alabama quarterback, transferred to Norman at the end of the 2018 season and has really made the Sooners one of the most prolific offenses in the nation. So far this season, Hurts has accounted for 1,523 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions. The addition of Hurts has helped the Sooners improve their offensive statistics, but we all know Oklahoma can score. That side of the ball hasn’t been an issue for them; where the Sooners need to see improvement is on defense. Last year the Sooners ranked 114th in total defense- worst in school history. They ranked 129 (dead last) in passing yards allowed -Ouch! Head coach Lincoln Riley had to make a change. He went out and hired Alex Grinch, former Ohio State safties/co-defensive coordinator to take the defensive coordinator position. So far, the results are good. Through five games, the Sooners rank 5th in third-down defense, allowing conversions on only 24.6 percent of attempts.
The Texas Longhorns have looked good on offense themselves, scoring 209 points through five games. Junior Quarterback, Sam Ehlinger, has thrown for 1,448 yards, 17 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. Like Jalen, Ehlinger is a prototypical dual-threat, Quarterback. He can beat you with his arm or gas you with his legs. He has rushed for 236 yards and 3 touchdowns this season. He has been the key to the Longhorns recent success under head coach Tom Herman. On the flip side, the Longhorns are seeing signs of life on the defensive side of the ball. Texas strength is on the d-line, where it averages around 320 lbs. The Longhorns also rank ninth in fourth-down defense and second in the Big 12 in total defense. They will need to get pressure on Jalen Hurts and make some stops to give the horns a chance in this game.
I know what you’re thinking, “Big XII play defense? Get out of here!”. Hey, I get it, but let’s be real. If the two best teams in the conference want to win something besides a new years day bowl, they need to get better in this department. Texas gave up 570 total yards to LSU! That’s not good! You’re not going to win a national title giving up that many yards. But for this game, something has got to give.
Regardless of the teams’ defensive struggles, this Saturday is about them. It’s about who wants the golden hat more? It’s about who wants bragging rights for the next year? Who wants to keep the momentum for the rest of the season and make it into the playoff? We’re going to find out this Saturday.
It’s the Texas State Fair
It’s the Cotton Bowl
It’s burgundy vs. burnt orange.
It’s Texas vs. Oklahoma!
It’s on FOX this Saturday at Noon.
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