One of the premier college football rivalries will be renewed on Saturday as the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners meet the No. 3 Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The 119th edition of the Red River Rivalry will kick off at noon ET and will air on ABC.
Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) has handled its business heading into this big time rivalry showdown and is fresh off a 50-20 shredding of Iowa State last Saturday. Recording a pick-six within the first minute of action, the Sooners just kept piling on points in the first half and took a 40-20 lead into the locker. Their defense would then stymie any hope for an ISU comeback, shutting out the Cyclones in the second half. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns while also adding two additional TD’s on the ground in the win.
Texas (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) also handled business in its ranked matchup last Saturday, shutting down a Jalon Daniels-less Kansas team in a 41-14 blowout win. Outside of a few hiccups, the UT offense was able to have themselves a nice afternoon and running back Jonathon Brooks ripped the Jayhawks for 218 rushing yards on 10.2 yards per carry and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, KU had an extremely difficult time moving the chains against the Longhorn defense as it was 0-10 on third and fourth-down conversion attempts.
SP+ Rankings
Oklahoma: 9 overall, 4 offense, 19 defense
Texas: 3 overall, 8 offense, 8 defense
Injury update
Oklahoma
DB Justin Harrington – Out for season (Knee)
TE Kade McIntyre – Questionable (Undisclosed)
QB Davis Beville – Questionable (Knee)
TE Kaden Helms – Out indefinitely (Knee)
Texas
OL Cole Hutson – Out (Knee)
DB Ryan Watts – Questionable (Lower Body)
TE Ja’Tavion Sanders – Questionable (Undisclosed)
ATS/Total
Against The Spread in 2023
Oklahoma: 5-0 ATS
Texas: 3-2 ATS
Total in 2023
Oklahoma: Over 3-2
Texas: Over 1-4
Team Pace
Oklahoma: 2.45 plays per minute of offense (28th)
Texas: 2.35 plays per minute of offense (45th)
Odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Texas -5.5
Total: 60.5
Moneyline: Texas -205, Oklahoma +170
Opening line: Texas -4.5
Opening total: OFF
Weather
73 degrees, sunny, 8 MPH NNE with 15 MPH wind gusts
Our Best Bet for Oklahoma vs. Texas
Under 60.5
It’s Red River Rivalry time at the State Fair of Texas this Saturday and you may be thinking “ahh man, Quinn Ewers and Dillon Gabriel are going to light up the scoreboard. This is going to be a shootout!” Wrong!
Both teams are bringing highly ranked defensive units to the Cotton Bowl this weekend, with both among the country’s best in both SP+ and FPI. Ted Roof’s OU defense hasn’t been the disaster it was last year as it ranks 10th in the nation in defensive third down conversion percentage and is tied for fourth in turnover margin. Texas is right above OU at ninth in defensive third down conversion percentage and have absolutely stonewalled opponents in the red zone with a 50% conversion rate. Both of these high-powered offenses are going to have to really work to put points on the board in this one, so I’m picking the under.