What Oklahoma Exposed About Texas on Saturday

For much of Saturday’s Red River Rivalry, Texas looked like a team capable of controlling its own path to a national championship. The Longhorns led Oklahoma 17-7 at halftime and appeared to have the game moving in their direction.

Instead, a 27-24 loss on a walk-off field goal left Texas with its first defeat of the season and plenty of questions. Oklahoma entered the matchup unranked, but found ways to take advantage of Texas’ mistakes and turn a game that seemed to be leaning one way into a stunning upset.

The result was not simply a case of one bad bounce or one missed opportunity. Oklahoma exposed some of the problems that have lingered around Texas even during its unbeaten start, particularly on offense and in the way the Longhorns handle pressure. Those concerns now become much harder to dismiss.

Texas Still Hasn't Found Offensive Consistency

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The clearest issue Oklahoma exposed was Texas’ inability to sustain its offensive momentum for four quarters. The Longhorns built a 10-point halftime lead, but their offense struggled to create separation after the break. Texas ultimately needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to tie the game at 24, yet it could not finish the afternoon when they had the ball in a position to win.

The final score also obscures how much the defense did to give Texas a chance. Oklahoma finished with just 238 total yards, including 83 rushing yards, while the Longhorns recorded nine tackles for loss. Texas’ defense limited the Sooners’ offense for most of the afternoon, but special teams and defensive scoring helped Oklahoma stay alive.

That is a troubling formula for a team with championship ambitions. Texas cannot expect its defense to hold opponents in check every week while the offense goes through long stretches without producing points and turning the ball over.

The loss also placed a spotlight on quarterback Arch Manning. Two fourth-quarter interceptions proved costly, including a pick-six that gave Oklahoma a major boost. The late turnover helped set up the Sooners’ final opportunity, which Tate Sandell converted with a 47-yard field goal as time expired.

Manning deserves criticism for those mistakes, but making him the sole explanation would miss the bigger picture. Texas needs more consistent execution around its quarterback, better answers when its initial plan stalls and a more reliable ability to turn promising drives into points.

Steve Sarkisian now faces a crucial coaching challenge. The answer is not necessarily to abandon the offensive identity he has been building, but to find out why the unit has struggled to maintain its rhythm and make adjustments when defenses take away its preferred options.

One loss does not erase Texas’ talent or its potential to recover. But Oklahoma showed that a strong defense and a halftime lead are not enough when the Longhorns cannot consistently close out drives or protect the football in critical moments.

Texas entered the rivalry as the nation’s No. 1 team. Its next step is proving that the problems exposed in Dallas are correctable, rather than issues that will follow it through the rest of the SEC schedule. With Florida coming to Austin this week, the Longhorns will have to fix these issues sooner rather than later.

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