Texas Vs. Oklahoma: Two Teams, One Week to Prepare For Red River

Texas and Oklahoma will both be sitting at home this weekend, but that does not mean there is nothing at stake. In fact, the opposite may be true. With the Red River Rivalry just one week away, both programs have been given a chance to take a breath before one of the biggest games of their seasons.

For Texas, the bye comes at a valuable time. The Longhorns are 4-0 and sitting at No. 1 in the country after surviving a 20-17 battle with Tennessee. Steve Sarkisian’s team has already picked up wins over Ohio State and Tennessee, but there are still plenty of questions surrounding this offense.

For Oklahoma, those questions are much louder. The Sooners are 2-2 after getting blown out by Georgia, and the offense struggled to consistently move the football against one of the country’s best defenses. Now, Brent Venables and his staff have a week to figure out what went wrong before walking into the Cotton Bowl.

That is what makes this bye week so interesting. Texas and Oklahoma are both preparing for the same game, but they are doing it from completely different places. One team is trying to protect an undefeated season. The other is trying to change the direction of its season. When the two finally meet on Oct. 10, neither will have an excuse for being unprepared.

Texas Needs To Heal

Texas is dealing with multiple injuries entering their bye week. They include defensive lineman Justus Terry, tight end Nick Townsend, and offensive lineman Jordan Coleman. Hollywood Smothers also missed the Tennessee game, while Cam Coleman suffered a bruised tailbone. Sarkisian said that he expects Smothers to be back in time for Oklahoma.

That gives you a natural “bye week matters” argument. Texas needs to get healthy ahead of their tough stretch against five ranked opponents after Red River. Texas needs to focus on Oklahoma if they are to continue their dominant streak of games, consistently finding a way to walk away with a win.

Oklahoma Needs Answers

The Georgia game exposed some serious problems. John Mateer had multiple turnovers, and Venables reportedly considered benching him during the game. The reason for that could be based on more than turnovers.

What can Oklahoma actually fix in one week? Their issues stem from inconsistency and turnovers. So to say that the Red River game is a reset button is an understatement. The game is Oct. 10 at 2:30 p.m. CT at the Cotton Bowl. Texas currently owns a 65-51-5 all-time advantage in the series.

What Makes Red River Different?

Interestingly, history has shown that records basically disappear once these two games get to Dallas. Everything that happened before the bye matters. Texas’ undefeated start matters. The Longhorns’ wins over Ohio State and Tennessee matter. The struggles on offense matter. Oklahoma’s 2-2 record matters. The loss to Georgia matters. The questions surrounding the Sooners matter. None of it guarantees what happens at Red River.

That is what makes this rivalry so different from the others. Texas can easily enter this contest number 1 in the country, but that ranking will not give the Longhorns a single first down against Oklahoma. Oklahoma can enter the game coming off a blowout loss, but that loss will not automatically carry over once the Sooners step onto the field.

End Of My Red River Rant

The bye week gives both teams something they desperately need: time. Time to heal. Time to evaluate. Time to make adjustments. Most importantly, time to forget about everything that has happened and prepare for the one game that can change the perception of an entire season.

For Texas, the goal is to prove that its undefeated start is more than just a strong beginning. For Oklahoma, Red River provides an opportunity to completely change the conversation surrounding the Sooners. That is why this week off may be more important than it looks.

There will be no scoreboard this weekend. No wins or losses to add to the record. No opportunity to build momentum on the field. Instead, both teams will be preparing for a game where momentum, records, and expectations can mean very little once the ball is kicked off.

Everything before the bye helped shape where Texas and Oklahoma are right now. What happens after it will determine where they go next.

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