Arguably the most anticipated game of this College Football weekend took place at the Cotton Bowl, in a new edition of the Red River Rivalry. There, longtime rivals Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners went head-to-head in a fierce battle — with Steve Sarkisian’s squad ultimately emerging with a crucial victory.
The Longhorns’ head coach knew this was going to be a game decided by the smallest of details. He understood that talent alone wouldn’t be enough — his team would need to bring something extra against such a high-caliber opponent.
The heart shown by the Arch Manning-led team proved to be the difference in securing this win — a victory that carries enormous weight not just in the standings, but emotionally as well.
“I think that we learned how to fight today,” Sarkisian said to the press once the game concluded. “And I think that, you know, we don’t have to wait till the 12th round to try to knock somebody out to win a game. We can win rounds, and we can continue to fight for four quarters.”
Arch Manning #16 of the Texas Longhorns.
“I think we saw the true character of the men in that locker room today, their connectivity, their love for one another. You heard these two guys just say it’s staying connected. Continue to grind with one another, because it’s easy to succumb to the outside noise. And there was a lot of (expletive) getting talked about our team, about these guys, and I think they responded here in the second round.”
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More than a win
The Texas Longhorns scored a pivotal 23-6 victory over No. 6 Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, not only reclaiming the Golden Hat but fundamentally salvaging their season after a loss knocked them out of the AP Top 25.
The unranked Longhorns’ suffocating defense held the high-powered Sooners offense without a touchdown and to a paltry 88 total yards in the second half, proving their College Football Playoff aspirations are far from over. This commanding performance—which saw Texas avoid a disastrous 1-2 conference start—reaffirms their elite potential and sets them up for a strong run in the remaining SEC schedule.
Longhorns’ upcoming games
The road is far from over, and the CFP ticket is still up for grabs. To secure their status as true contenders, Sarkisian and his players will have to overcome the following tough challenges ahead.
- @ Kentucky, October 18
- vs Mississippi State, October 25
- vs Vanderbilt, November 1
- @ Georgia, November 15
- vs Arkansas, November 22
