Oklahoma-Texas: Our Picks
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John Hoover
Let’s assume for safety’s sake that Dillon Gabriel isn’t going to play and, because of concussion symptoms, hasn’t gone through a real practice this week. That could actually become a good thing for Oklahoma’s offense in that it means Davis Beville has gotten a full week of reps as the No. 1 quarterback. He knows his role takes on greater meaning this week, he’s prepared himself mentally for that role, and his coach has designed an offense around his limited experience and his skill set. That’s the best-case scenario, of course. We should know within about 10 minutes of game time whether that’s reality. Quinn Ewars’ return isn’t great timing for the Oklahoma defense because he’s a better thrower than Hudson Card, and defending the pass isn’t exactly the Sooner defense’s strong suit. Of course, neither is defending the run. If OU sticks with its three-man front, Bijan Robinson might run for 200 yards, and if that happens, this one gets ugly fast. Brent Venables and his staff had a daunting task this week to come up with multiple solutions — not for stopping Texas, but for fixing Oklahoma. The rivalry, the pressure, the fans, the atmosphere will all create opportunities for both teams to crack. But which one actually crumbles?
Final score: Texas 37, Oklahoma 27
Ryan Chapman
Last week, the Oklahoma defense sprung more holes. Max Duggan’s job wasn’t particularly difficult, as coverage busts allowed the TCU quarterback to hit easy touchdown bombs over the top against the Sooners. While OU has worked on communication and eliminating those busts, they’ll face a more talented group of skill position players this week. Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy might actually be the best running back and wide receiver in the conference in their own right, and Steve Sarkisian’s offense had plenty of success against Oklahoma last year. Brent Venables is going to have to rely on a backup quarterback to slow down the game, and Davis Beville did little to inspire confidence once he entered for the injured Dillon Gabriel last week. Sarkisian will be looking to deal a massive blow to the perception surrounding the Sooners by running the score up, and the blueprint is there for the Longhorns to have a big day on Saturday.
Final score: Texas 41, Oklahoma 17
Josh Callaway
Crazy things happen in the Red River Showdown. Many times games that looked like they shouldn't be close on paper ended up being competitive once the emotion of the game gets underway. Based purely on what talent will be on the field on Saturday and what we've seen in recent weeks, Texas should win this game comfortably. Oklahoma's defense has struggled so immensely the last two weeks that it is hard to see it suddenly turning around on a dime against the Longhorns' elite talent at the skill positions. Offensively, if OU doesn't have Dillon Gabriel under center, it is going to be incredibly difficult to move the football. All that being said, this game always finds a way to wind up being compelling. The Sooners are outgunned in this one, but find a way to keep it competitive into the second half with eventually the lack of Gabriel being the difference. Should Oklahoma find a way to pull the "upset" here, it shouldn't be completely shocking given the game's history. But, it's hard to imagine enough things turning around in seven days for the Sooners to pull this one out.
Final score: Texas 38, Oklahoma 24
Ross Lovelace
The Sooners are going to have to prove it on the field. Long term, the program is still in good shape, but the underwhelming start to the season is both concerning and puzzling. The defense seems to be pretty beaten up injury-wise, and Oklahoma has quite a few players whose game status is up in the air. Making matters worse, Quinn Ewers is set to return. The Longhorn quarterback was putting on a first-half clinic against Alabama before going down with an injury. If Dillon Gabriel can’t go, that’s where things get scary for the Sooners. The offense has looked shaky with him on the field at times, but without him, the ball hasn’t moved at all. Oklahoma will have to establish a dominant run game to have a chance to win Saturday. With the way the last two weeks have gone though, it’s hard to buy in.
Final score: Texas 45, Oklahoma 27
