3 keys on defense for the Oklahoma Sooners against the Texas Longhorns

The Oklahoma Sooners (5-0, 1-0) and the Texas Longhorns (3-2, 0-1) will face off in the 121st edition of the Red River Rivalry on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. With OU looking to stay unbeaten, and the ‘Horns ready to get back in the thick of things in the SEC, the 2025 matchup between the hated rivals has plenty of storylines heading in. 

One of the big storylines that will unfold in Week 7 is the play of OU’s defense versus the Texas offense. While the Sooners have been brilliant so far defensively through five games this year, the Longhorns have struggled a bit when they’ve had the ball. Those struggles were on display last week in a loss at Florida. 

With both teams done with the nonconference portion of their schedules this season, Saturday in South Dallas marks the beginning of a stretch run in the SEC, with the league looking more wide-open than normal this year. The winner in Red River can catapult itself into SEC contention, while the loser will have some regrouping to do. 

The Sooners will lean on their defense against the ‘Horns, especially considering the uncertainty over which quarterback will be playing for OU. However, whether it's John Mateer or Michael Hawkins Jr. under center this week, the OU defense has built a standard that they will once again be called upon to uphold. 

Here are three defensive keys for Oklahoma against Texas.

1. Stop the run

The Longhorns did not run the ball well last week against Florida, and it was one of the keys to the Gators pulling the upset. If the Sooners can repeatedly stuff the run and make Texas one-dimensional, that’s a recipe for success, especially against a play-caller that’s as good as Steve Sarkisian is. 

Texas has good running backs, and they’re players that can get loose for big gains if the Sooners blow an assignment. Oklahoma can’t let that happen, or it could be a long day when the Longhorns have the ball.

2. Hold up on the outside

In order to suffocate a run game, most defenses have to put extra defenders in the box to gain a numbers advantage inside. OU did that against Auburn earlier this year, but it resulted in the cornerbacks being left on islands one-on-one against wide receivers. Auburn’s run game didn’t hurt the Sooners, but there were some big opportunities through the air.

OU’s secondary will have to hold up against Texas’ talented wide receivers, or else it could open up so many things for Sarkisian and this offense. 

3. Pressure, Pressure, Pressure

Arch Manning will probably end up having a fine college and professional football career. Right now, he isn’t playing well for Texas. After all of the offseason hype, he’s fallen flat, especially in the two games against Power Four teams that were both losses. 

If Brent Venables and the Oklahoma defense can stop the run, hold up on the islands and get pressure in Manning’s face, they’ll have success defensively in this game. Manning isn’t yet the player he was projected to be at this stage of his career, and Venables needs to take advantage by turning up the heat. 

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Keys for the Oklahoma Sooners defense against the Texas Longhorns