Texas Longhorns win Red River Rivalry but key stats reveal lingering weaknesses that Steve Sarkisian must fix
Texas beat Oklahoma 23–6 in the 2025 Red River Rivalry behind Arch Manning’s steady play and a dominant defense, but key stats reveal the Longhorns still have work to do.
Backed by a raucous Cotton Bowl crowd, the Texas Longhorns scraped out a gritty 23-6 win over Oklahoma in the 122nd Red River Rivalry on Saturday, Oct. 11, snapping a two-game skid and solidifying themselves as SEC contenders.
They outscored the Sooners 20-0 after halftime to snag their first SEC victory. Arch Manning steadied the ship, and a swarming Longhorns defense forced three turnovers. However, a deeper dive into the numbers reveals how Texas’ inefficient, penalty-riddled offense looks more like a flickering bulb than a spotlight.
Red River Rivalry box score tells tale of control, not dominance
Texas held Oklahoma to 258 total yards, sacking QB John Mateer five times and holding four-star RB Tory Blaylock to a measly 33 rushing yards on 11 carries. In contrast, Texas RB Quintrevion Wisner grinded out 94 yards on 22 carries, including a 37-yard dash that sparked the third-quarter comeback.
Postgame, coach Steve Sarkisian lauded his team’s fighting spirit.
“I think we saw the true character of the men in that locker room today. Their connectivity, their love for one another.” He added, “We learned how to fight today. We don’t have to wait till the 12th round.”
While Texas controlled possession in the third quarter, holding the ball for 13:26 compared to Oklahoma’s 1:34, sophomore QB Arch Manning delivered another underwhelming performance.
Manning finished 21-of-27 for 166 yards and a touchdown, adding 34 rushing yards on the ground. Manning’s scrambles kept drives alive in the second half, but he was far from the deciding factor in the victory. It was Texas’ special teams that truly sealed the win. Ryan Niblett’s 75-yard punt return TD was the longest in the rivalry since 2013, pushing the lead to 20-6 while kicker Mason Shipley nailed three field goals.
Historically, the Longhorns have owned the rivalry (63-51-5). Back-to-back wins here signal a resurgence under Sarkisian. Still, the cracks in Texas’ offense last Saturday echoed the problems that led to their losses to Ohio State and Florida earlier this season.
Penalties
Texas’ lackluster first half exposed several glaring flaws in its offensive unit. The Longhorns committed eight penalties for 65 yards. These O-line breakdowns allowed the Sooners to sack Manning twice, forcing multiple third-and-20s.
Through six games, they’ve committed 48 penalties for 414 yards, averaging eight penalties and 69 yards lost per game. This places them near the bottom nationally — tied for 118th out of 134 teams in fewest penalties.
Offensive Production Issues
Texas ranks 48th in total offense, picking up an impressive 385 yards per game. That said, a deeper dive into the team’s stats reveals some troubling issues.
Converting just 39.51% of third downs (64th in the league) and 41.57% of fourth down attempts (101st in the league), the Longhorns will need to address their conversion issues if they want a spot in the playoffs this season.
QB Underperformance
Manning failed to complete a single 20+ yard pass against the Sooners. While their ground game was effective on Saturday, their offense averaged just 4.8 yards per play, well below the top 50 nationally this season.
Simply put, numbers like these are a red flag against SEC beasts like Georgia. Despite Saturday’s victory, Texas still has an uphill battle to fix its penalty issues and unleash Manning’s arm.
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