Oklahoma's Defense Silenced a Chorus of Doubters in Red River Redemption
DALLAS — Oklahoma saved its best defensive performance for its biggest test of the season.
The Sooners hadn’t faced an offense with anything akin to Texas’ firepower so far this year, but still, the defense flexed its muscles to help power No. 12 OU to a 34-30 win over the No. 3-ranked Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.
Brent Venables’ defense forced three turnovers, stood tall on a goal line stand and got to Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers early and often.
The victory not only was a statement halfway through the 2023 season, but it also served as redemption for last year’s 49-0 drubbing at the hands of Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns.
“They’ve had an aggressive mindset,” Venables said after the win. “We’re playing physical, aggressive because of all their hard work, off the field.
“But they’ve put a lot of time on their own. I’ve told these guys this several times leadership is going to drive this football team. Coaches can’t play. Players decide if they want to be successful and do what it takes. I know what they’re capable of.”
OU (6-0 overall, 3-0 Big 12) set the tone from the very begging.
Sophomore cornerback Gentry Williams stepped in and picked Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers off on the second play of the game, setting Dillon Gabriel and the Sooners offense up with prime field position to take the early lead.
Then as the Longhorns used a fake punt and a huge play on fourth down to get into the red zone, Oklahoma responded with a big play as it has all year.
Billy Bowman came across and laid a monster hit on tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders near the goal line, popping the ball into the sky so Kendel Dolby could pluck the second interception of the day and keep Texas off the board.
As the game unfolded and momentum started to swing back and forth, the defensive front applied plenty of pressure on Ewers.
Three of OU’s season-high five sacks came in the first half, helping the Sooners build a 20-17 halftime lead.
Linebacker Danny Stutsman said he was proud of how the team kept a level head despite the highs and lows of the game, as it was necessary to ensure the team put in a complete four quarter performance.
“Looking back to last week we had that big pick six (against Iowa State), I think I kinda got too overexcited,” Stutsman said. “I think this week we really settled down. After Gentry had that really great interception, we kept our poise.
“We said ‘that's just one drive. We got a lot of game left.’ We keep going, keep attacking. I think our guys did a tremendous job, just focused, we were physical all day.”
Oklahoma got contributions from all across the roster.
Defensive tackles Jacob Lacey and Da’Jon Terry both notched their first sacks of the season, and the entire front seven bowed up to start the fourth quarter.
Ewers led Texas into the red zone, eventually setting Texas up with a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
Sarkisian dialed up three straight runs, and OU stonewalled Texas.
The linebacking corps of Kip Lewis, Dasan McCullough and Stutsman all benefitted from the push up front, shooting gaps to keep Longhorn running back Jonathon Brooks out of the end zone.
Instead of kicking the field goal, Texas left the offense on the field on fourth down and tried to attack the perimeter.
Ewers whipped a quick pass to his left to receiver Xavier Worthy, but Bowman again came up big on the burnt orange goal line, blasting Worthy short of the goal line to give force the turnover on downs.
“At the end of the day, in a situation like that, it comes down to heart and how bad someone wants it,” Stutsman said. “How bad a team can really come together and generate a push. I think the guys up front did a tremendous job all four snaps of just giving it all they've got one snap at a time.”
Texas had struggled to convert red zone trips into touchdowns coming into the game, but the running game had gotten going in the three contests following the Longhorns’ win over Alabama.
Brooks couldn’t find a yard, however, and would have to settle for the next drive to snap OU’s streak of 23-straight quarters without allowing a rushing touchdown to start the year.
“That’s something that as a defense we’re very proud of and very excited for,” Oklahoma linebacker Jaren Kanak said after his career-high 13 tackle performance. “That’s something that we pride ourselves in is being able to do something like that.”
The Sooners will carry plenty of momentum into the upcoming bye week. Beating Texas will bring credit and validation to OU’s strong start to the year, and with the Golden Hat back in tow, Oklahoma is the final unbeaten team in the Big 12.
Venables’ team silenced a chorus of doubters on Saturday, and the defense cemented that the performances of the first five weeks of the year are the real deal.
“(We proved) we’re real competitors,” defensive end Ethan Downs said. “We’re here for all of it. It’s what we expected. It’s why we’re here.”
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