Red River Rolls On For Texas

The Red River returned Saturday, and with its return came the Sooner’s first loss of 2025. Texas defeated Oklahoma 23-6, scoring 20 points in the second half. In a game filled with costly turnovers, special teams mistakes, and offensive struggles, Oklahoma didn’t give itself a chance to win, while Texas flipped the narrative. Here’s a rewind and recap of the Red River Rivalry.

Oklahoma vs. Texas

Mateer’s Return: What Went Wrong?

Before John Mateer’s injury against Auburn in week four, he was playing Heisman-level football. On Saturday against Texas, Mateer looked uncomfortable and nowhere near his true self. This begs the question: did Oklahoma and Mateer himself move too fast? It’s hard to say no. Mateer ended the game with three interceptions and a 42.8 QBR. What hurt him even more was how little he could run. Without his running style being effective, Oklahoma was one-dimensional. Oklahoma would only run for 48 yards, with Mateer running for five yards.

Mateer showed promise at times, particularly when throwing to Deion Burks, as Burks had 64 yards. Still, the pressure in the backfield and the hits inflicted on Mateer were too much for him, as his completion percentage was 52% and he was sacked three times. Mateer now looks to recover for South Carolina on Saturday, October 18.

Responding in a Big Way

Texas came into the Cotton Bowl and flipped the narrative around. The Horns were one week removed from defeat in the Swamp, putting their record at 4-2. With a loss to Oklahoma, Texas’ season would be over. Instead, Coach Steve Sarkisian’s team played strong and fast, beating Oklahoma on all three levels.

The offense started slow, but in the second half picked up the pace. Quintrevion Wisner led the team in rushing yards with 94 yards, which was needed since Texas hadn’t found its run game all season. As for Arch Manning, Texas allowed him to play smart, putting him in great positions to succeed. He would throw for 166 yards and a touchdown on a 77% completion rate. DeAndre Moore Jr would be on the receiving end of Manning’s touchdown.

The defense was the story of the game as it looked dominant. Colin Simmons disrupted Mateer for 60 minutes, ending the game with 2.5 sacks. The Texas defensive line would hold Oklahoma to 1.6 yards per rush attempt. In the secondary, the return of Malik Mahummad was instrumental. He would be on the receiving end of two of Mateer’s interceptions, both in the first half. The third interception was by Graceson Littleton.

On special teams, both teams struggled with kickoffs and field goals, as Texas missed two field goals. Still, a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown by Ryan Niblett in the fourth quarter allowed the Horns to clinch the win.

What’s Next for the Sooners and What Can They Improve

After a loss like this, it’s hard to move forward, but Oklahoma’s playoff hopes are far from over. The Sooners are 5-1 halfway through the season. Their schedule only gets harder from here on out as they play five ranked teams. If Oklahoma wants to succeed and go further and not lose another game, they have to establish the run game. Tory Blaylock has been running back one for them as he averages 4.3 yards per rush with only 290 rushing yards this season. On top of establishing the run game, they have to establish a number-one receiver. Both Burks and Isiah Sategna have been effective receivers for Oklahoma, but the Sooners need one of them to establish themselves as a true number one option.

With the Red River in the books, Texas has won the last two and now leads the all-time series 65-51-5. Both teams continue to strive for a playoff spot, as another loss for either could end their seasons. Texas heads to Lexington next week, while Oklahoma goes to Columbia, South Carolina. Stay tuned for future updates on the Sooners.