Texas loss is the tip of the iceberg for Oklahoma in SEC play

Texas loss is the tip of the iceberg for Oklahoma in SEC play originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Once the No. 1 team in the country, Texas’s fall from grace was swift, dropping out of the
rankings by Week 7. But maybe that fall was exactly what the Longhorns needed. No longer
burdened by expectations, Texas came into this rivalry game angry, focused and walked away with a season-defining win.

Texas stunned No. 6 Oklahoma 23–6 in one of the most dominant and unexpected upsets of the college football season. With the victory, Texas improves to 4–2, while the previously
unbeaten Sooners drop to 5–1 and watch their playoff hopes take a serious hit.

And there is bad news ahead for the Sooners. No team has a tougher remaining strength of schedule than Oklahoma, according to ESPN Analytics Beginning with the Red River Rivalry, all seven of the Sooners’ remaining scheduled opponents are in the Top 30 in FPI.

No team has a tougher remaining strength of schedule than Oklahoma per ESPN Analytics 👀

Beginning with the Red River Rivalry, all seven of the Sooners’ remaining scheduled opponents are in the Top 30 in FPI. pic.twitter.com/Gb7Pq8eyZk

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) October 11, 2025

How it went down in Dallas

Oklahoma opened with two field goals, leading 6–0 midway through the second quarter. But
from that point forward, Texas shut the door and owned every facet of the game. Texas’s first scoring drive — a 12-play, 75-yard march — ended in a 22-yard field goal from Mason Shipley, narrowing the gap to 6–3 before halftime. Then the floodgates opened.

On the opening drive of the third quarter, Arch Manning delivered what may have been the
most poised series of his young career, leading a 14-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Moore Jr. That gave Texas a 10–6 lead and all the momentum. They never looked back.

Shipley added a 48-yard field goal late in the third. But the defining play came in the fourth
quarter, when Ryan Niblett exploded for a 75-yard punt return touchdown, sending the
Texas sideline into a frenzy and silencing the Sooners for good. One more field goal by
Shipley pushed the final to 23–6.

Longhorns locked in

Texas didn’t just beat Oklahoma but physically and mentally outclassed them. The defense was relentless, forcing three interceptions from OU quarterback Jackson Mateer, who struggled under pressure and finished just 20-of-38 for 202 yards. The Sooners managed only 48 rushing yards and averaged a dismal 1.6 yards per carry.

Linebacker C.J. Simmons led the defensive onslaught with 2.5 sacks, and defensive back
Michael Taaffe added 9 tackles (7 solo), helping Texas dominate the line of scrimmage. On offense, Arch Manning looked every bit the five-star prospect, completing 21-of-27 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown, while Quinten Joyner powered the ground game with 94 yards on 22 carries.

Postgame reaction

“We’ve heard the noise for weeks  that we were overrated, done, soft. Today, we answered,” said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian postgame. “That was Texas football.”

Manning added: “This was personal. We wanted to prove we belong in the conversation again. I think we did that.”

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables didn’t sugarcoat the loss: “They beat us up front, they executed, and we didn’t. Simple as that.”

With the win, Texas puts itself firmly back in the Top 25 conversation and may re-enter the
Big 12 title race. For Oklahoma, this is a reality check. Their offense looked overwhelmed, their defense exhausted, and their composure shaken.

Looking ahead, Oklahoma will try to bounce back next week against South Carolina, while Texas looks to keep the momentum alive in a tough road matchup at Kentucky.
If this performance was any indication, the Longhorns might just be heating up. The rest of the season could get a lot more interesting.

MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS: 

• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
• Bill Belichick and UNC documentary reportedly being shopped after Hulu pulls plug
• Eight college football stadiums to host Savannah Bananas in 2026
• Bill Belichick buyout, contract details as North Carolina Tar Heels coach
• Deion Sanders sends four-word message to his son over trust fund