Oklahoma's Annual Date with Texas Positioned to Be Another Pivotal Game for Both Programs

This year's game is big for Brent Venables. Why? He's had very little success in his program's biggest regular season game.

He suffered the worst defeat Oklahoma has suffered in the series in a 49-0 beatdown in 2022. OU's inaugural season in the SEC was a rude awakening, hammered home with a 34-3 loss to the Longhorns in 2024. Last season's defeat was the most deflating considering the hope going into the game — a 23-6 loss with John Mateer returning from surgery.

Venables' 2023 victory did not lead to Oklahoma regaining control in the series between their new head coach and UT's Steve Sarkisian.

In defense of Venables, Oklahoma has had awful luck with its quarterback situation going into this game — Dillon Gabriel's concussion in 2022, Jackson Arnold busting as a five-star in 2024 and Mateer's ill-timed injury and surgery last year. If Venables wants to truly cool what was once a rather hot seat going into last season, he has to go into the Cotton Bowl healthy and leave with a victory in 2026.

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Returning Starters

Much like Oklahoma, Texas' desire to have improved success in 2026 hinges on if their quarterback can take the next step. Arch Manning was both underwhelming and impressive at times last year. That seems to be typical for first-year starters, but Manning had been in Austin for two seasons prior, leading to some disappointing returns.

Yet, Manning was the better quarterback last year in the Cotton Bowl against one of the better defenses in the country. Manning's physical abilities puts him near the top of quartebacks in the conference already.

Ryan Wingo has been a slight thorn in the side of Sooner defenders the past two seasons. With new additions at pass catcher, Wingo could continue to thrive as a second option.

Left tackle Trevor Goosby is positioned to be one of the better, if not the best, blind side protectors in the country.

While most Texas conversations begin and end with Manning, edge rusher Colin Simmons is perhaps their best player and has been for the past two seasons. He's primed to put together another great year ahead of what should be an early NFL Draft name-call.

New Faces

Auburn isn't on the schedule for Oklahoma in 2026, but Cam Coleman still is.

In perhaps the biggest win of the transfer portal phase of the offseason, Texas earned the signature of Coleman to provide Manning with a clear-cut number one option. Last season, true freshman corner Courtland Guillory was put on an island defending Coleman, resulting in more individual failure than success.

With Anthony Hill Jr. leaving for the NFL, talented Pittsburgh linebacker Rasheem Biles appears ready to slide in and thrive following an exploisve season in the ACC in 2025.

The 'Horns also grabbed a duo of exciting running backs in former USC Trojan Raleek Brown and the ACC's leading rusher in former NC Stater Hollywood Smothers . Both players have Oklahoma connections — Brown was once committed to the Sooners during Lincoln Riley's final season as head coach and Smothers spent his true freshman season on the roster in Norman in 2023.

Key Departures

Anthony Hill Jr. heads to the NFL Draft following a highly successful three-year campaign as one of UT's better defenders.

Cornerback Malik Muhammad also leaves behind a strong three-year run as one of Texas' strongest corners in recent years. Last year, he was responsible for two of Mateer's three interceptions in Dallas.

Safety Michael Taaffe graduated following a four-year career where he tallied over 200 total tackles, 119 solo and seven interceptions.

Pass catcher Parker Livingstone did the unthinkable when he transferred north of the Red River following Texas' getting involved in the Coleman sweepstakes. Livingstone was a big-play wide receiver for UT last year with up-and-down production.

Schedule Placement

Both teams face huge non-conference tests and must travel to an SEC cathedral all before the Red River Rivalry.

Texas opens the season in a remath with Ohio State, this time in Austin. One week later, the Sooners travel to Ann Arbor to face Michigan in the Big House.

On the same week Oklahoma travels to Athens to face Georgia for the first time in a regular season matchup, the Longhorns will also face Tennessee in Knoxville for the first time in a regular season game — they've played in three Cotton Bowls with the last one being in 1969.

Wouldn't you know it, the SEC even gave both programs the week off prior to their annual game.

Each team will be tested, perhaps battered in some respects. Any team could go into the Red River Rivalry in desperation mode if one or two of their early-season marquee games go south. It should lead to another classic fight in Dallas.