Final score predictions for Oklahoma vs. Texas: Can OU bounce back from last year’s embarrassing loss, or does UT show it’s a true CFP contender?
The Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns are both ready for the Red River Rivalry.
The Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns are ready to play the 121st iteration of the Red River Rivalry, and both teams have a shot at making the College Football Playoffs this season. In this case, the Longhorns are coming in looking like the Sooners did last year. Oklahoma had lost one game going into that matchup and barely beat the Auburn Tigers, while Texas was undefeated.
This time, the Sooners are undefeated, and the Longhorns are the team with a good defense, a bad offense, and two losses. According to the ESPN BET Sportsbook, Texas is favored by 2.5 points as of Wednesday. The moneyline is -110 for this game, so while Texas has struggled, the sportsbooks still think it will win. That’s largely because Sooners’ starting QB John Mateer may not play. If not, Michael Hawkins Jr. will go.
However, after some reports later in the week, there’s a chance Mateer could play. So, here at A to Z Sports, we will drop our score predictions on the Red River Rivalry as if Mateer is playing.
Final score predictions for Oklahoma vs. Texas
Oklahoma vs. Texas: Red River Rivalry All-Time Stats
- Texas leads all-time series 64-51
- There have been five times between these two teams
- Oklahoma has the largest margin of victory, winning by 52 points in 2003
- Texas has the longest all-time win streak at eight wins in a row over OU from 1940-1947
- Oklahoma has dominated the series since 2000: 17-9
Oklahoma 27, Texas 17
While the John Mateer news will dominate headlines throughout the week, it’s the rest of the game that interests me the most. These are two top-flight defenses squaring in a matchup reminiscent of the early 2000s heavyweight battles between Bob Stoops and Mack Brown.
Last week, Florida’s defensive line absolutely dominated the Longhorns and created havoc all game. I’m expecting something similar, and perhaps better, from Oklahoma’s defensive line, which has been the best in the country this season and a key reason why the Sooners are atop virtually every defensive metric.
Texas will make some plays; it is simply too talented not to be in this game for most of it. However, in this type of game, I will always lean on the team with the better pass rush, and the Sooners have that by a comfortable margin. – AJ Schulte, A to Z Sports Oklahoma
Oklahoma 31, Texas 20
This is not a good Texas team. It went into The Swamp, and the Gators’ defensive line made mincemeat of Arch Manning, sacking him six times and compiling 35 pressures on 42 dropbacks. They made his life a living hell, forcing him to miss multiple wide-open deep shots due to issues in the Gators’ secondary.
The big problem was the offensive line, and it won’t get better in the Red River Rivalry with Brent Venables’ No. 1 defense in the country. R Mason Thomas is primed to make Manning’s life worse in his first Red River start, but the key will be John Mateer. If he plays, this game feels relatively over before it starts. If he doesn’t, it’ll be closer, but the Sooners are too good across the board. – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida
Oklahoma 24, Texas 17
The Red River Rivalry returns this weekend with plenty of intrigue, but not quite the fireworks fans might be used to. Texas enters the matchup with major questions under center — Arch Manning’s play has been downright disappointing, as inconsistency and poor decision-making have stalled the Longhorns’ offense.
Still, Texas’ defense remains elite, fast, and physical at every level, keeping them in games even when the offense sputters. On the other side, Oklahoma’s offense is not the same without quarterback John Mateer, whose absence has limited its explosiveness. If Mateer can make a surprise return, it could completely change the complexion of this matchup, giving the Sooners the dual-threat element they desperately need.
Expect a gritty, low-scoring battle between two defenses that know each other well. The Sooners make just enough plays on both sides of the ball to pull off the upset in Dallas. – Brentley Weissman, A to Z Sports’ College Football Analyst
Oklahoma 17, Texas 7
The Oklahoma Sooners haven’t had the most successful offense so far this season, despite John Mateer being one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Against Kent State last week, they couldn’t even crack 200 rushing yards, and haven’t gotten the running game going this year.
And they probably won’t be against Texas. Texas has a great defense — one of the better in the country — but Oklahoma’s is better. Oklahoma’s offense has been average, and Texas’ offense is bad. Give me the Sooners in this one, but it’s a close, low-scoring game. – Justin Churchill, A to Z Sports College Football Assistant Editor/Oklahoma
Texas Longhorns News
The Texas Longhorns subtly but hilariously trolled the Oklahoma Sooners
The rivalry between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners is easily one of the best in all of sports. Texas and Oklahoma first played each other 125 years ago, and the two programs have faced off annually since 1929 in the Red River Rivalry. The Longhorns won last year’s meeting 34-3 in Dallas. Texas […]
