Three Quick Takeaways From Oklahoma's Loss to Texas

The Sooners were handled by Steve Sarkisian's No. 1-ranked Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Silas Bolden (11) celebrates the the fumble recovery for a touchdown in the seance quarter against Oklahoma Sooners during the Red River Rivalry. / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

DALLAS — Oklahoma left the Cotton Bowl one year ago with a weight lifted off its shoulders after exacting revenge for 2022. 

This year, it was Texas who was able to bounce back. 

The No. 1-ranked Longhorns shook off a slow start to roll the Sooners 34-3 in a contest that didn’t even feel that close in the second half. 

Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC) finished with 406 total yards after posting just 13 yards of offense in the first quarter. 

The Longhorns turned an Oklahoma fumble with 1:51 left in the first half immediately into a touchdown courtesy of Quintrevion Wisner’s 43-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 21-3, a deficit that proved insurmountable for the Sooners (4-2, 1-2).

OU left the Cotton Bowl with plenty of questions still looming, and the season potentially hanging in the balance if the offense can’t find ways to improve in a hurry. 

Perfect Start Wasted 

The first quarter couldn’t have gone much better for Oklahoma’s defense. 

Billy Bowman Jr. picked off Quinn Ewers on the third play of the game, setting up OU’s offense at Texas’ 45-yard line. 

Michael Hawkins Jr. and the offense picked up 18 yards to set up a 44-yard field goal, but Tyler Keltner was unable to convert the interception into any points. 

Another three-and-out followed for Texas’ offense, this time giving the Sooners the ball at midfield, but OU actually was forced to punt from its own 37-yard line after a sack and a pair of false start penalties on fourth down. 

The Sooners finally took a 3-0 lead with 10 seconds left in the first quarter, but the recipe for the upset hinged on taking advantage of the defense’s success early. 

OU’s inability to score meant one good drive would be all Steve Sarkisian needed to get his team back in front, and that’s exactly what happened to start the second quarter. 

Aided by a number of missed tackles, Texas marched 75 yards in 10 plays to go up 7-3, and the Longhorns never looked back. 

Much like the SEC-opener against Tennessee, it seemed that OU’s defense did all it could to keep the Sooners in the game early except scoring themselves. 

When Texas forced a pair of turnovers in the final two minutes of the first half, the Longhorns were able to put an extra seven points on the board, creating enough separation for the burnt orange half of the Cotton Bowl to enjoy a stress-free second half. 

Offense Ran Out of Ideas… Quickly 

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Seth Littrell flashed a few wrinkles early. 

Hawkins Jr., Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk were all deployed in some option looks, OU ran to the perimeter to some success and the Sooners used more motion to try and complicate the pre-snap picture for Texas’ defense. 

As the game wore on, the Longhorns adjusted.

The Sooners ended the first quarter with just 54 yards of offense, and Hawkins looked rushed through much of the second quarter as Texas dialed up the pressure. 

OU’s receiving depth has taken hit after hit this year, but Hawkins had receivers come open downfield that he was unable to find as his timing got sped up. 

Even when Texas went up 14-3, the hope seemed to leave OU’s half of the stadium. 

The pair of fumbles at the end of the first half turned things from bad to worse, forcing the Hawkins to drop back in more obvious passing situations to try and get back into the game. 

Where Does the Offense go From Here?

The injuries to Oklahoma’s skill positions would hamper any offense, that is a fact. 

Breaking in a true freshman quarterback, especially one who didn’t go through camp operating as the QB1, will also come with its growing pains. 

But the Sooners’ schedule is unrelenting. 

Next Saturday’s bout with South Carolina suddenly looks a lot different than it did in the preseason after the Gamecocks pushed Alabama to the brink and clobbered Kentucky. 

Beyond that, Littrell’s unit will have to match Lane Kiffin’s explosive group in OU’s trip to take on Ole Miss. 

Getting personnel back on the outside will help, but Oklahoma’s offense still doesn’t seem to have a clear identity halfway through the season. 

Neither Jackson Arnold nor Hawkins have appeared to trust the protection in front of them. 

The Sooners have yet to have a 200 yard passer, a 100 yard receiver or a 100 yard rusher (though Arnold was at the century mark before running out the clock and intentionally taking a loss on the final play against Tulane), and they appear no closer to finding answers.