Wasson: Unlike other SEC favorites, Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns are very, very legit
It was a dizzying display, the 15-minute stretch that turned Saturday’s annual Red River Rivalry into a budding Texas blowout. But once the smoke cleared and the half of the stadium that crossed said river from the state up north felt like heading to the parking lot, one thing was abundantly clear.
Texas is legit. Very, very legit.
The top-ranked team in all the land, Texas displayed the kind of dominance that the SEC expected when it welcomed the Longhorns into the fold starting this season. Playing the role of “losing team” Saturday was No. 18 Oklahoma, which looked early like it was primed to pop another conference upset but ended up being background players in the Steve Sarkisian Show.
Corndogs and deep-fried Oreos abounded Saturday outside the gates at the Texas State Fair, virtually guaranteeing future cardiac issues for the overindulgent. Inside the glorious dump that is Cotton Bowl Stadium, there was enough Longhorns dominance to give those bathed in Crimson and Cream heartburn.
Texas’ 34-3 victory over Oklahoma was as dominant as it was, well, unexpected – simply from the perspective of the rest of the Longhorns’ new conference buddies. The one thing that 2024 had taught us before Saturday was that SEC teams were capable of laying an egg at wholly inopportune times (see: Crimson Tide, Alabama; Volunteers, Tennessee; Rebels, Ole Miss) and that every seemingly great team can be suddenly vulnerable.
But Texas? Nah. Even with recent quarterback revolution – Quinn Ewers’ injury leading to Arch Manning’s 2-game starting debut to Ewers returning Saturday – the Longhorns were equal parts tough as nails and selectively lucky against the Sooners.
Let’s start with tough as nails. Oklahoma mustered less than 3 yards a play in the first half, as Texas’ defense chased around freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. like he owed them money. And while the Sooners were equal to the task early, Texas remained patient offensively through the first 15 minutes before unloading in the 2nd quarter.
First, Longhorns tight end Gunnar Helm finished a 10-play, 75-yard drive early in the stanza with a rumbling 7-yard TD reception to finally dent the scoreboard. Texas was pushing Oklahoma around throughout the drive, playing Big Boy Football to march it down the gridiron.
That set up the Longhorns’ luck later in the quarter – as Quintrevion Wisner was headed to the burnt orange end zone on a 43-yard score when Oklahoma forced him to fumble just short of the goal line. But teammate Silas Bolden, who was a good 10 yards behind the play when the ball popped loose, leapt onto the rock before it slid out of the end zone for a Texas touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
Texas forced Oklahoma into a fumble of its own just 2 plays later, and Wisner got immediate redemption in the form of a 43-yard touchdown to make it 21-3. The Longhorns had a chance to pile on more at the halftime gun, too, but missed a 44-yard field goal.
Still, that was more than enough for Texas – because the Longhorns were clearly the bullies on either side of the line of scrimmage. Oklahoma’s offense continued to sputter in the second half, and the Wisner-led Horns rushing attack chewed up yards and clock to whittle the Sooners’ chances down to the nub.
Sarkisian’s bunch has now won 18 of its past 20 games (losing only to Oklahoma in this game last year and Washington in a Playoff semifinal to end 2023) and are firing on all cylinders. Any lingering questions about Texas not already satisfied when it went to defending champion Michigan and slapped around the Wolverines were answered by the 120th edition of the Red River Rivalry.
At the same time, Texas is far from a national championship regalia fitting. The Horns will have to solve Georgia next week at home and – after presumably slapping around Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Kentucky – get past in-state rival Texas A&M on Nov. 30. And as we have witnessed around the SEC, it ain’t easy to get it done week after week without someone pulling a Vandy and shocking the world.
Thing is, though, Texas ain’t Alabama – not by a fair piece.
Texas is very, very legit. And unless something drastic happens, Sarkisian and Longhorns will be enjoying a first-round College Football Playoff bye while the rest of the pretenders hash it out for an opportunity to take on Texas’ midway of doom.
There are still going to be changes in comparative win power all across the NCAA D1
Way too early for this presumptive piece. Who have they played? Next week we gon see
“who have they played” It’s an article about them playing Oklahoma. Maybe you should pay more attention.
Also, next week lmao. Vandy did better than y’all against Bama and you let Miss State hang 31 points on you.
Who has Georgia played? An Alabama that was overrated from the pre season polls going forward? The same Alabama that has no second half defense and lost to Vanderbilt mind you. That FCS opponent must have been a tough game early in the season for Georgia too I guess. Just like Mississippi State hanging 31 in that “vaunted” Georgia defense.