Texas football: Five Texas players who must have big days to beat OU
Keondre Coburn
In 2017 Texas' Poona Ford did a great job resetting the line of scrimmage against Oklahoma, a major key to holding the Sooner offense to a season-low 29 points.
The Longhorns were solid at nose guard last year, but not exceptional and it showed to the tune of 45 points in the first game and 37 in the second meeting for the Sooners.
Luckily for Texas, they have a guy capable of putting on a Ford-like performance in the Cotton Bowl this season. Coburn has been holding down the middle of the line all year for Texas. If he can win a one-on-one battle with potential All American center Creed Humphrey it will take away a lot of what Oklahoma wants to do in the run game - including the quarterback run - which is where the Sooners have been their most deadly this season.
Zach Shackleford
On the other side of the ball, there's a similar strength-on-strength battle that will also go a long way toward determining how this game goes.
Oklahoma's Neville Gallimore has been making some big plays this season so far but hasn't faced a center anywhere near Shackelford's league.
Texas has been able to impose its will on the Sooners in the run game through the past couple of meetings. If Shackelford can block Gallimore one-on-one there could be some chunk yard plays on the table for the Longhorns running the football.
Joseph Ossai
Texas' most dynamic defender this season, Ossai's strength is you have no idea where he's coming from. He'll be asked to do a lot against the Sooners: fill gaps to stop the run, rush the passer and likely spy on Jalen Hurts on at least some occasions.
With Oklahoma fielding a patchwork offensive line, it could be a chance for Ossai to eat against inexperienced tackles.
B.J. Foster
The Texas defensive back has been talking a big game this week and now Longhorn fans are hoping he'll back it up.
Foster, along with Brandon Jones, will not only have to fill back-end cover duties, but also help young corners D'Shawn Jamison and Anthony Cook. Did I mention that both will also have to come downhill and help with the OU running game?
The Texas defense asks a lot from its safeties. Luckily for UT fans, they have recruited talented guys who can fulfill those duties.
Sam Ehlinger (duh)
Coming at you with a hot sports take: "The starting quarterback is important".
Yes, it's a cheap inclusion, but the list would be incomplete without Ehlinger's name on it.
In three years Ehlinger has gone from game manager to playmaker to the conductor of this offense. His game has evolved so much mentally and physically during his time of the Forty Acres that he seems even his not-so-great performances come off like career days for other quarterbacks (see last week against West Virginia).
He seems to save his best performances for the big stages. He's thrown for an average of 320 yards per game against Oklahoma with 11 total touchdowns and only one interception.
A win in this game would certainly vault Ehlinger back into the Heisman conversation.