All eyes are on OU and Texas in the Red River Rivalry this week. The biggest storyline has been the status of Sooners quarterback John Mateer.
NORMAN — All eyes are on OU and Texas in the Red River Rivalry this week.
The biggest storyline has been the status of Sooners quarterback John Mateer (questionable) as he pushes to play against the Longhorns. On the other side of the Red River, Arch Manning and preseason No. 1 Texas' struggles have caused waves across the country.
OU enters the matchup 5-0 with the best defense nationally across most categories. Meanwhile, the Longhorns desperately need a win to stay alive in the College Football Playoff hunt after falling to 3-2 and losing to Florida.
The game will be OU's first in a brutal stretch the rest of the way. The Sooners' remaining schedule: vs Texas (in Dallas), at South Carolina, vs Mississippi, at Tennessee, at Alabama, vs Missouri and vs LSU.
Here's a position-by-position look at which team has the edge in the matchup:
Quarterback
If Mateer plays, OU has the clear advantage here. Before he broke a bone in his right hand, causing him to miss last week's Kent State game, Mateer was the Heisman Trophy favorite. He has completed 67.4% of his passes, throwing for 1,215 yards and six touchdowns. He can also hurt you with his legs as he's rushed for 190 yards and five touchdowns. Manning should be better than last week, but will have his hands full with the Sooners' defensive line. If Mateer can't quite play and Michael Hawkins Jr. is making his second consecutive Red River Rivalry start, the Longhorns have the edge here.
Running back
Neither team has been able to consistently rush the ball effectively. I'll give the slightest edge to the Sooners. True freshman Tory Blaylock has rushed for 257 yards, meanwhile no other player on either team has rushed for more than 200. Manning is dangerous as a dual-threat quarterback, but OU is the better rushing team to this point. Especially if Mateer plays and Jaydn Ott continues making strides.
Wide receiver
Texas is very talented at the receiver spot, but it's been a rough start to the season for them with the Longhorns' offensive struggles. The good news for Steve Sarkisian is leading receiver Parker Livingstone is probable to play. Isaiah Sategna III has been excellent for OU, but I'll still give Texas an advantage with Livingstone and Ryan Wingo.
Tight end
OU attempted to persuade former Cal tight end Jack Endries to transfer to Norman before Texas won out. However, the Sooners have found a better option up to this point in former linebacker Jaren Kanak. Kanak has caught 20 passes for 328 yards through five games.
Offensive line
The Longhorns' offensive line struggles have been well-documented this week. Texas lost three offensive linemen from last season to the NFL draft and ranks 124th in pressure rate. OU offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh's group is much-improved compared to last season bolstered by returner Febechi Nwaiwu and Stanford transfer center Jake Maikkula. The Sooners also boast former five-star Michael Fasusi, who chose OU over the Longhorns.
Defensive line
Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons might be the best overall player in this game, but OU might have the deepest defensive line in the country. The Sooners rank first nationally in sacks per game and tackles for loss per game. Gracen Halton, David Stone, R Mason Thomas and Damonic Williams have been stellar.
Linebackers
Both teams are solid at linebacker. The Sooners' veteran returners Kip Lewis and Kobie McKinzie bring experience. Texas' Anthony Hill Jr. was on about every preseason watch list. He's totaled 30 tackles this season and recovered a fumble against Florida. He'll be a force for whoever OU starts at quarterback. Give me the Longhorns.
Secondary
If there's one weakness throughout the Sooners' defense, it's their secondary. And they've still been solid. True freshman Courtland Guillory was picked on against Auburn, allowing four catches on five targets and Manning could try to push the ball downfield to his talented receivers. Star Longhorns cornerback Malik Muhammad is probable to play and will be a pest for either Hawkins or Mateer.
Special teams
OU also wanted Texas kicker Mason Shipley in the transfer portal before he chose the Longhorns. But, the Sooners are plenty happy with Tate Sandell. Sandell was named SEC co-special teams player of the week this week and is 9/10 on field goals and 18/18 on PATs this season. Shipley is a perfect 5/5 on field goals and 19/19 on PATs. This matchup is as even as it gets.
Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma vs Texas football: Who has edge in Red River Rivalry game?
Category: General Sports
