Oklahoma's Biggest Offensive Problem Plays Directly Into Texas Hands

The Texas Longhorns have reached one of the most pivotal weeks of their season every year, with the Red River Rivalry this Saturday.

The Longhorns head to the Cotton Bowl with a perfect 4-0 record and as the No. 1 team in the country, while the Sooners travel south of the Red River, unranked, looking to find their footing with a 2-2 record.

While recent iterations of the rivalry have proven that rankings don't matter, the Longhorns should be rolling in as the favorites. The Sooners having a number of issues which there still working through and a pressing issue could be a massive advantage for the Longhorns.

Texas Should Take Advantage of Oklahoma's Run Game Issues

Texas Longhorns edge Lance Jackson (40) tries to take down Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon (11) as Tennessee offensive lineman Donovan Haslam (69) watches during a college football game between Tennessee and Texas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sept. 26, 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Sooners struggled to run the ball a year ago, and through their first four games of the season, that struggle has returned, and in a big way.

Oklahoma's running game is second-to-last in the SEC, averaging a measly 99 yards per game and under three yards per carry. The Sooner ground game has struggled mightily, with only two rushing touchdowns this season.

The Sooners' leading rusher, running back Lloyd Avant, has only totaled 164 yards on the season, averaging 3.9 yards per game and a lone touchdown.

Adding to the rushing attack's struggles, quarterback John Mateer has the second-most carries on the team with 41 carries for 76 yards and an average of 1.9 yards per carry.

Running the football is crucial to any game, especially this rivalry game, and the Sooners' inability to move the ball on the ground plays into one of the Longhorns' defense's biggest strengths.

Texas' defensive front is stout, with its run defense ranking fifth in the SEC, allowing under 100 yards per game, limiting opponents to 2.84 yards per carry, and having only surrendered two rushing touchdowns.

Beyond the statistics, the Sooners' struggle to run the football and Texas' rush defense being a strength of the defense play right into the hands of the Longhorns.

On paper, the Longhorns should shut down the Sooners' running game, making the offense one-dimensional and putting the game on Mateer's shoulders. And Oklahoma having to rely on Mateer's arm will play into another strength of the Texas defense: its vaunted pass rush.

Mateer has struggled to start the season, passing for 883 yards and eight touchdowns while being highly turnover-prone with four interceptions, and has lost two fumbles through four games.

And Oklahoma's offensive line struggles will add even more to the fire in what Texas' defense can take advantage of. Colin Simmons comes off a 5.5-sack performance and once again looks like the scariest edge rusher in the nation, and the rest of the Texas defensive front totaled 4.5 sacks in what was a 10-sack performance against Tennessee.

The Longhorns wiping away the Sooners' run game will be key to Texas' game plan, as getting Mateer uncomfortable in the pocket should be key for Will Muschamp's defense.

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