OU Beats Texas If...

Commentary by Austin Wood

Whether you wear crimson and cream or burnt orange, one thing is for certain-- this Saturday at 11am, OU faces off against Texas. The blood, sweat, and tears left on the field, are as real as they come. Friendships are put on hold. Marriages can be tested; however, after it is over, you can go grab a corndog and a beer at the Texas State Fair and having bragging rights for the next year.

There is no love lost in this rivalry that dates back to 1900, which predates the forward pass becoming legal in 1902. Records do not matter in a game of this nature. The rivalry is intense and whether one team is struggling or both are in the top 11, like this year, the game will be a “knock down-drag out-slobber knocker”, as our good friend Jim Ross would say.

OU comes in to the game with an unblemished record (5-0), while the Longhorns dropped their biggest game, at home, against LSU (4-1). The Texas defense and running back room are a bit thin after some devastating injuries have sidelined several players for a significant part of the season. That will not be an excuse though, and you can bet that Texas will be ready. Can OU match the intensity? This has been a problem over the last few games in Dallas as the Sooners have looked a bit complacent.

The keys to the game are simple for the Sooners. 

Penalties. OU ranks 128th out of 130th in the country in terms of penalties per game. This has to be cleaned up. 

Turnovers. The cliche saying “Whomever wins the turnover battle will win”, is true here. 

3rd down defense. If I told you that the Sooners ranked 2nd overall, would you believe me? Well it is true. The OU defense has allowed opponents to convert on just over 19% of the time, while Texas allows teams to convert on over 43% of their attempts.

Speaking of 3rd downs, can the Sooners stop Devin Duvernay? The sure-handed wide receiver leads the country in receptions per game. He has also caught over 33% of his passes on 3rd down while moving the chains on 90% of those receptions. OU will need to focus on him in order to get off the field.

More stories throughout the week. Check back for final score predictions and betting against the spread on Friday.