'Haven't Played a Defense Like Us!' Oklahoma DE Excited For Texas Longhorns Matchup

The Texas Longhorns were already motivated to face their arch-rival Oklahoma Sooners, and now, they have even more motivation.

Oklahoma's Trace Ford (30) celebrates a tackle in the first half of the college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Central Florida Knights at Gaylord Family Oklahoma-Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct., 21, 2023. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

The annual Red River Rivalry matchup between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners is always a heated one.

No matter which side is ranked higher or which is favored, records and talent levels in this rivalry typically have little impact on the on-field results.

Not to mention, there are always plenty of interesting comments from the players leading up to the game.

That has continued to be the case this week with Oklahoma edge rusher Trace Ford claiming that Texas has yet to face a defense as talented as Sooners so far this season.

“I think they haven’t played a defense like us yet,” Ford said on Monday. “I’m just excited to play against them and see what we do against a high-powered offense like they are.”

At first, that kind of comment reads as some potential bulletin material similar to what we have seen in years past. When in truth, what Ford is claiming is actually it is objectively true.

The Sooners without a doubt have the best defense the Longhorns have faced all season, with Oklahoma outranking Michigan in pass defense, total defense, scoring defense, sacks, tackles for loss, and turnover margin.

In fact, the only statistical area of meaning in which the Wolverines are ahead of the Sooners is in rush defense, where they rank fifth in the nation to Oklahoma's 27th.

Not only that, but the Sooners have shown that they can be competitive against a high-powered offense as well, holding the Tennessee Volunteers to 345 yards of total offense and 25 points in their matchup earlier this season.

For reference, Tennessee currently averages 46 points and 519 total yards per game.

Meanwhile, the Longhorns are no slouches on either side of the ball themselves, averaging just under Tennessee's offensive output in both categories at 43 points and 513.6 yards per game.

Where the Longhorns should actually hold a distinct advantage here is on the defensive side of the ball themselves, where their No. 2 ranked scoring defense and No. 3 ranked total defense will face a true freshman quarterback in Michael Hawkins and a depleted wide receiver corps.

Of course, as has been established in year's past, rankings and talent levels and statistics can usually be thrown out the window during this rivalry.

And typically, it's players like Ford, or Michael Taaffe on the other side for the Longhorns who can make all the difference, because they embrace and understand what makes the Red River Rivalry special in the first place, and it is reflected in their play on the field.

"This rivalry, this game is really special," Taaffe said Monday. "It's no different than any other game, but just being a Longhorn fan, growing up bleeding burnt orange... I always tell you all that this team matters more to me than anything else. More than individual accolades. This team matters so much to me. I'm willing to die for this team. I do everything for this team, and so just getting to play games like this is truly an honor to me."

The Longhorns and Sooners kick off at 2:30 pm Saturday in Dallas.